Introducing the New Longines Master Collection in Four Updated Sizes

Longines introduced its Master Collection in 2005, positioning it uniquely within its far-ranging portfolio as the product family representing “the pinnacle of horological craftsmanship” while not paying homage to any specific historical predecessors. It is also, notably, the collection in which Longines has placed many of its highest complications — chronographs, of course, but also triple calendars, annual calendars, and calendar-chronograph combinations. From their inception, Longines Master watches have been defined by a handful of common characteristics: self-winding mechanical movements in classical round cases; blued leaf hands; hours marked by either Roman numerals or elegant, calligraphic Arabic ones; and a barleycorn textured motif in the dials’ centers. For the brand’s 190th anniversary in 2022, Longines introduced special editions of the Master collection with artisanally engraved dials. This year, for the first time since its debut more than two decades ago, the Longines Master Collection is getting a major facelift that is sure to garner attention from today’s avid enthusiast community. Here’s what’s new. 

The Cases:

The new generation of Master Collection watches — at launch, consisting of only time-and-date-only options, though Longines has hinted at more variations later in the year — brings a new range of case sizes. The smallest is a mere 30mm in diameter, 9.10mm thick, with a 15mm lug width. The largest is 41mm round, 9.5mm thick, and 21mm between the lugs. Occupying the middle ground between these two sizes are a 34mm model (9.3mm thick, 18mm lugs) and a 39mm version (9.05mm thick, 20mm lugs). All of the new Master Collection cases feature narrow, concave bezels that frame the expansive dials. 

The sapphire crystals feature multiple layers of antireflective coating on both sides, further enhancing the dials’ legibility; an additional sapphire window can be found in the back of the case, offering a view of the Swiss-made movements. In keeping with the collection’s dress-watch tradition, the case’s water resistance is a decent but not overly robust 30 meters. On several of the smaller models, the concave bezel and the grooved push-pull crown are either executed in gold or coated in gold tone for a bicolor aesthetic.

The Dials: 

Longines has updated the dials of the Master watches with an even more prominent, intricately executed barleycorn guilloché pattern. On the 30mm and 34mm watches, the motif is applied to the outer edges of the dial; the central area is in either white mother-of-pearl or silver-colored, with the barleycorn texture of the edges carried through the main dial. The mother-of-pearl dials mark the hours with 11 Top Wesselton diamonds set in rounded chatons (0.047 ct total), while the silver barleycorn dials do so with applied Arabic numerals. The hands of the bicolor models are gold-PVD-toned, while those on the all-steel models are in either blued or rhodium-plated steel. 

On the larger models, the barleycorn pattern motif extends across the entirety of the dial, with colorway options in either silver or blue. On all models, the hours are marked by distinctive, applied Arabic numerals, either blued or rhodium-plated, except for two 41mm silver-dial iterations that use a different, Eastern Arabic numeral font for these numerals. Previous Master Collection watch dials had these hour numerals printed rather than applied, and some models featured other hour-marker options, including Roman numerals and non-numerical indexes. The date appears in a framed window at 3 o’clock, and the leaf-shaped, faceted hands have a sharper silhouette than their predecessors.

The Movements:

Longines has turned to its proprietary portfolio of mechanical self-winding movements to equip the new Master Collection watches, all built upon base calibers from ETA, its sibling within the Swatch Group. The smallest models, at 30mm, house the smallest movement, the automatic L592.5. Based on the ETA A20.L11 and offering a 40-hour power reserve, this 22-jewel movement can be found in other smaller models throughout Longines’ collection, including feminine-targeted pieces in the Dolce Vita and Prima Luna families. Its diminutive dimensions (8.75 lignes) make it ideal for the understated case, and its silicon balance spring assists in maintaining a beat rate of 28,800 vph, or 4 Hz.

Beating inside the rest of the watches — sized at 34mm, 39mm, and 41mm — is the Longines Caliber L888.5. A ubiquitous engine across the Longines lineup — it powers the Legend Diver Date as well as numerous HydroConquest models — the movement is built upon the ETA A31.L11. This Longines-exclusive version of the automatic movement (which measures a versatile 11.5 lignes) boasts several technical talking points, primarily an antimagnetic silicon balance spring, a lengthy 72-hour power reserve, and a côtes-de-Genève-decorated, ball-bearing-driven, bidirectional rotor engraved with Longines’ flying hourglass emblem.

The Bracelets and Straps:

In addition to the cornucopia of sizing options, all four versions of the new Master Collection watches are offered on both steel bracelets and alligator leather straps. The bracelets are newly designed with shorter links and a micro-adjustable triple-folding clasp, and carry on the brushed and polished finishing of the cases. The straps also feature a new micro-adjusting folding clasp and come in a variety of tones, color-matched to the dials and dial details, including blue, Bordeaux, and anthracite. 

Pricing:

The new Longines Master Collection maintains the legendary price-to-value ratio for which the brand has rightfully become renowned. The 30mm models range from $2,900 to $3,450; the 34mm watches start at $3,100 and top out at $4,700 for the steel-and-gold-PVD version on a bracelet. For the larger sizes, all three-hand-date models in the 39mm series carry an MSRP of $2,650 (on both leather strap and steel bracelet), while the same models in the 41mm size are just $100 more, at an MSRP of $2,750. 

For more information, visit the brand's website here.