Reply With QuoteVery nice review and great pics - and Congrats on you new arrival :)
Hi fellow freaks.
I needed :roll: automatic chrono, and originally I was after Omega SMP. After owning several Omegas thru years, it was clear choise. I was receiving some money shortly and I had to A) Save some more B) Sell something to get rest of funds. I wanted piece with turnable bezel, date + reasonable WR to swim/play with kids and meybe dive a bit on holiday if I make my way to Greek this year. Also some "tool/dive" watch style was preferred. My friend is Longines dealer and after some thinking I realized that I will get Longines chrono with SMP features; bezel, date, WR 300m, Swiss quality and with half of price of SMP.
So I Thought; what the hell. With worst case happens and I dont like it...I can always sell it (or partial trade to SMP) without losing very much.
Choise was black faced L3.644.4.56.6 automatic model with Valjoux 7750 movement. I ordered Longines rubber strap to same package because its cheaper to buy as spare than steel bracelet and I like to change styles every now and then. Package arrived to AD a couple of days ago, and now I'm happy owner of Longines chrono.
Here she is:
While I was waiting my watch I realized that there is very limited amount of pictures about this watch in internet. Just a few official photos and couple of wristshots, but that’s it. I made this threat to celebrate my real NEW watch for years. (All others are pre-owned) and partly to help this picture problem with some lousy amateur pics.
BRACELET
I do not know what I expected but I have to say that its very close to Omega quality. Steel bracelet is very heavy, solid and nicely finished and long enough. Just to compare: standard SMP bracelet is just fine for me without removing any links. From Longines I removed one whole link + adjusted micro adjustment to smallest and still its quite loose. Length of friction area on pins is quite small; only about 1,5mm so extra care is needed while resizing it. Bracelet is not tapering, so clasp if pretty heavy and big with stamped Longines logo and “30bar(300m)” water rating.
Lug to lug is 21mm, which is a bit odd. (Well…some SMP model are 21mm too…) So that’s why I ordered rubber strap to same package. I recommend this to same to others too because Longines rubber strap is worth of its cost. Nice piece with folding clasp and diver’s extention. (Like steel bracelet as well.)
And fits perfectly.
DIAL AND BEZEL
Bezel is one way turning, with glowing dot at 0. Only marks are 15 – 30 – 45 so its not so easily read at quick glance if you are using bezel for measuring parking time or cooking pasta like I do. Lume is reasonable, not so bright as Seiko or SMP but lasts whole night with that big “12” glowing in darkness…
Otherwise hands and dial are…pretty ok. I think it takes a few days to get used to its design to say something at least semi-professional about them. Funny detail is that every sub dial id designed lightly differently.
One thing specially to mention are pushers. I think its most clever “tool-watch” design I have ever seen. Pushers are just following shapes of crown guards: result is that they are fitting nicely and making it probably impossible to damage them / knock them off. (Wife has done it twice for her TAG…)
OVERALL
Start looks promising. This is BIG watch, with 16 mm in thickness, that you can see and feel it, still with 41mm in diameter without being oversized. Finishing is excellent. Its bright and shiny while not being too bling-bling and I can always add this “toolish” look with rubber strap. Here is couple of pics to get idea about its size when compared to Exp. II:
And SMP:
As I mentioned I was a bit worried about strap changes and availability of 21mm but at least in NATO’s seems to work nicely:
Green 22mm
Black 20mm
So as conclusion; I warmly recommend this watch as an option if you are looking diver styled chrono; Longines seems to be very underrated – and underpriced: with price of SMP chrono you can easily buy this set with two bracelets and quartz version to grab and go alternative. But for sure with this watch you are getting a lot of watch for a pound. (Or whatever you are using.)
Thanks for looking and apologies about my tumbling English.
-OD
Very nice review and great pics - and Congrats on you new arrival :)
Lovely watch... complements the Exp ii perfectly :-)
Thanks. Hope it helps if there is somebody out there seeking desperately info and pics about this Longines....Originally Posted by Henrik Gelardi
-OD
Great review, thanks ! Prefer it on the bracelet though :)
Good looking piece and great little review :) .
These look like solidly built pieces for sensible money.
Daddel.
Got a new watch, divers watch it is, had to drown the bastard to get it!
Very nice, I've looked at these before and was tempted to the pull the trigger.
Price wise, for the quality, they are of superb value also.
Enjoy.
nice review, found my way in here from current thread in Watchtalk
It,s a watch i,ve always liked it,s never been underated with me either as i can remember when longines were considered to be up there with rolex ,i guess the quartz revolution changed that when longines seemed to go with the flow,but for me it,s a watch i would purchase without a doubt ,but i,d need something a bit bigger than the 40mm on offer.
There is 47mm version available, main difference being a ''tri-compax'' sub-dial layout.
Nice watches,nice pictures!
really nice watch
A very nice review&watch
Very nice watch, from a much underrated brand these days.
OP, how are you getting on with this?
Considering pulling the trigger on a brand new one to celebrate birth of my son, giving it to him when he's 18. Not sure on this or the non-chrono, but if this is a Valjoux vs. the standard ETA in the "plain" one...
I like it on NATo strap.
You've got yourself a nice watch there, thanks for the review.
I have been debating a non chrono hydroconquest as a daily wearer. Looks like great VFM
That's one nice looking watch, although I am a bit biased :lol:
It does look huge on the side shot compared to the Rolex!
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