A Watch Purchase 18 Years in the Making

[TaketheCannoli]

In 2003 our first child was born and I decided to buy a watch to mark the occasion. Two watches were in the running; the Omega 2264.50 (41mm) and the Longines Hydroconquest (44mm). They were practically the same price at that time so it was a straight choice between the two. The Omega was quartz and the Longines an automatic. At that time the movements meant nothing to me, they were simply nice watches.

I chose the Omega and bought it brand new from Beaverbrooks for £950. The reason I didn't choose the Longines? Too shiny and I didn't like the crown guards.

I thoroughly enjoyed the watch for a few years but by 2008 I'd become a bit bored of it. That's also the year I became a member of TZ and so by 2009 I'd sold the watch on SC as a full original set in amazing condition.

Now, twelve years and what I can only imagine to be more than 200 watches later, I was considering the Hydroconquest again. Why? I've been reflecting lately on what I like about watches, what drives me mad about them and why I've never been able to settle on anything. I know I've always been a dive watch man at heart. I know that accuracy is important to me, very important in fact. I've spent so much time over the years monitoring timekeeping of various movements; Miyota, ETA, NH variants, Seiko and more. More than five seconds variance per day is too much for me to handle. I know that's crazy but hey, this hobby is mental!

I recently bought three automatic watches at various price points from £345 to £1850 and set about checking their timekeeping and wrote a post on the results here. Regardless of the results of that exercise, it was obvious to me that I was spending / wasting far too much time worrying about stuff like that. So, was quartz the way to go then?

I spent a bit of time researching quartz dive watches in my price bracket and one of those was the Hydroconquest. This time it comes in various case sizes which was an attractive proposition. Is it still shiny? Yes. Does it still have those crown guards? Yes. Can I get one at 40 / 41mm? Yes. Can I get a good discount on one? Yes. OK, let's order one then. I did say this hobby was mental!

My first impression upon unboxing? Too shiny. Case is the right size. Love the hands. Super legible. Love the dial branding. Crown guards not as intrusive as I imagined.

After having worn it for a few days I realised that I liked the 'H-Link' bracelet but it was the main culprit of the shininess. I brushed the bracelet and end links and I was right, it's a completely different proposition now. The lug tops are brushed so it all matches nicely. It's now a much less obtrusive watch than it was before.

The hands are fantastic; the right lengths and finish and super-legible. The timekeeping after eight days is +/- 0spd. Now I know it's a quartz but there are different qualities just as with mechanical movements. I also bought the black rubber strap with folding clasp which adds a fantastic option and if I'm honest I probably prefer that look.

As for those crown guards, I've genuinely never noticed them!

I've found that I put the watch on in the morning, enjoy wearing it and never have to worry about timekeeping. It's an absolute pleasure to own!!

So after 18 years I eventually own and am thoroughly enjoying the 41mm Longines Hydroconquest. Brilliant grab and go diver that looks great on the bracelet, rubber and a nato.

A few pics....

[seabiscuit]

Great post, David. I’ve moved away from autos and manual winders and don’t have any now. Also moved away from dive watches. I now have a Grand Seiko quartz and a Citizen Ray Mears eco drive and that’s it. Apart from a Garmin Instinct, but that doesn’t count. The GS doesn’t have a date function and that’s even better for me as I don’t need to adjust it any more than twice a year.

In truth I’m jaded with the cycle of buying and moving on. I’ve decided to move watches on within a day or two of their arrival. It’s time to step off the treadmill and enjoy what I have without thinking of anything else.

You can’t go wrong with Longines. I’ve noticed some of their quartz dress watches and they look good value.

[jukeboxs]

Thanks for the interesting back story. I hope you enjoy this after such a long wait. [P.S. I'm still expecting to see this on the SC within the month - but I'd be delighted to be proved wrong. ]

Out of interest, you say you joined TZ in 2008 but your Join Date says 2011?

[TaketheCannoli]

I’ve got my dates wrong. I was sure it was 2008. Good spot.

Thanks for the interesting back story. I hope you enjoy this after such a long wait. [P.S. I'm still expecting to see this on the SC within the month - but I'd be delighted to be proved wrong. ]

Out of interest, you say you joined TZ in 2008 but your Join Date says 2011?

[Onelasttime]

Always fancied one of these, but the mark II version with full arabic dial and fully brushed bracelet. No idea why Longines discontinued it?

Nice write up but it will be on SC next week.

I've been wearing my CWC RN Diver for the past two weeks and it's been everything I needed, except for the lack of date. Luckily the SBS covers that.

Seriously, if you want one watch rather than a collection then you'd be hard-pressed to find better.

[Beanie]

Mine is the MK2 with the brushed bracelet, also quartz for grab-and-goability (not sure that's actually a word) in 39mm. I confess that on balance I probably prefer the current dial though.


Meant to say that I like what you did with the bracelet, and the rubber strap really suits it.

[JasonM]

Well done, I had a similar journey with a Seiko but not 18 years later, Im slightly depressed the HQ came out at least 18 years ago, I still think of it as a new watch release.

[TaketheCannoli]

The ceramic insert has arrived and I can’t decide whether I prefer it to the original. I suppose the other consideration is that changing it would I imagine invalidate my warranty.

[Tetlee]

What's the reason for wanting to change the bezel insert?

If you're looking for opinions I prefer the original here.

[vortgern]

Agree the original looks better - too many numbers going on with the new bezel insert and that dial.

[TaketheCannoli]

I saw the new ceramic insert in an AD and thought it looked nicer, less busy then mine.

What's the reason for wanting to change the bezel insert?

If you're looking for opinions I prefer the original here.

Thanks, I'm starting to think you're both right.

Agree the original looks better - too many numbers going on with the new bezel insert and that dial.

[RichS]

They both look good. The ceramic gives it a more modern look. In photos the HC always looks really busy, but on the wrist it makes much more sense.
Is the ceramic insert a direct swap, or do you need the bezel as well? I seem to remember that the ceramic HC has a full coin edge, vs the original with smooth sections.