Are Longines desirable?

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Are we talking modern or vintage? Vintage Longines can be absolutely top-notch. Modern is meh IMO.

+1
 
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Love love love the Legend Diver. It’s the best looking Longines. Got one for my Dad
(Photo from Reddit)
The glass box crystal is very nice. Rotating bezel INSIDE glass box is genius.
It’s my favorite tool watch for its price.
F it. It’s my favorite watch under $5k.
This puppy punch way way way above its class. a real winner for Longines.
The rest of Longines offerings are “meh”

That NATO looks fabulous on that diver. Where did you get it?
 
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steel conquest power reserve with the date at 12 is very handsome
 
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Has anyone really made a watch after 1970?
Yes, up until Thierry Stern took over Patek made some amazing watches. The references 2449, 3448, 3450, 3970, 5004, 5050, 5970 are some great examples IMO.
 
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Do you
Try a Bigeye...modern Longines in all its vintage glory 😉

I'm a sports timing consultant for the Swatch Group's sports marketing division, SwissTiming (official timekeeper for most Olympics etc, represented publicly/on TV as Omega, Longines, TIssot, and Swatch brands)...when I first went to work for them in 2003 they were housed in the Longines factory in St. Imier...when you arrive by train in that beautiful part of the Jura mountains and first lay eyes on that legendary factory with all the history it represents, you get goosebumps.

longines_bigeye_in_pub.jpg
And did you see the sports timing room in the Longines museum? That too is quite amazing.
 
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Yes, up until Thierry Stern took over Patek made some amazing watches. The references 2449, 3448, 3450, 3970, 5004, 5050, 5970 are some great examples IMO.
You are right. John, but you get my point,
Vacheron, Dufour, A. Lange and JLC have also made some lovely pieces!
Unfortunately, Omega, Rolex, Longines and some seem to be replaying old themes imo.
And the new stuff, Mille, etc. are out of my reasoning.
 
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Ok, then I think they're meh. 😉
(I LOVE vintage Longines.)

Edit: To be slightly more serious, I have the sense that Swatch really doesn't know what they want to do with Longines within their hierarchy of brands. It just seems to be coasting along with fairly generic pieces, and the only watches that are interesting are the heritage models. It's a bit unfair for a brand with such an amazing history.

I’m biased but I like their recent re-editions of their vintage pieces and the prices are much more reasonable than other Swiss brands. They eliminated the much hated date windows, and have been ahead of the curve when it comes to the vintage revival trend.

Longines has a long tradition of being the largest watch manufacturer in the world, as I understand they still have the largest sales of the watch industry worldwide.

They make watches not for elitists seeking the latest technology but for a much larger crowd that wants a solid, elegant and traditional watch which will last them years— just like it used to be in the old days.
Some of us might not like it but there’s a logic there.
 
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Ok, then I think they're meh. 😉
(I LOVE vintage Longines.)

Edit: To be slightly more serious, I have the sense that Swatch really doesn't know what they want to do with Longines within their hierarchy of brands. It just seems to be coasting along with fairly generic pieces, and the only watches that are interesting are the heritage models. It's a bit unfair for a brand with such an amazing history.

I’m biased but I like their recent re-editions of their vintage pieces and the prices are much more reasonable than other Swiss brands.

I agree actually. That's what I meant by the "heritage models", although maybe that is not the correct terminology.
 
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I agree actually. That's what I meant by the "heritage models", although maybe that is not the correct terminology.
Sorry, I had read a bit too fast and overlooked that bit. I guess my overall point is that they have a model that caters to a very large crowd with very different tastes. I wish they’d be bolder with exclusive Longines ETA movements as they have started, but they, as other Swatch brands, have to keep a whole conglomerate alive — and for that can’t just rely on selling coaxial movements to the top 0.1%.
Edited:
 
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There are times when I really wish that I had never found this forum.
I have no interest in owning a Longines..... I read this thread, look at a (very) close sale room with an auction soon, and fall in love.


£800 - £1200 guide price......nooooo!
 
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@p4ul you’re lucky it’s a modern watch. You can wait and think about it and if and when you decide to go ahead there will be many others just like it.
 
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Longines has a long tradition of being the largest watch manufacturer in the world

When I was a kid growing up I never paid attention to watches. Of course I had heard of Bulova and the rest of the American brands, but I distinctly remember the only swiss watch brands I was even aware of were Longines, Wittnauer, Tissot, Heuer and Omega. I was under the impression as a kid that those were the fancy cool watches. Probably due to the sports adverts seen on racing cars and banners at sporting events on ABC's wide world of sports and magazines. No doubt this has shaped my taste in watches now.
 
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Faz Faz
Had a few wonderful vintage Longines in the past and as @Alphasports , totally into the BigEye. A classic and extremely well executed chronograph at a price point that is hard to beat.


That watch looks strangely familiar...😉

I think their Heritage models are hitting at a pretty high average. Legend Diver, Skin Diver, Sector, Military, Flagship, and several of the chronos. Well-built, well-spec'd and well-priced -- who else comes close in their segment or even the tier or so above? If they can stick with this ethos, innovate a bit as well as draw on their superb back-catalogue, and refine some of their current designs (e.g., shave a bit of height of some of their chronos), they're going to continue winning custom away from rivals, especially as prices increase above then. I have a lot of time for Longines, modern as well as vintage.
Edited:
 
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I think not as desirable as vintage they are a completely different watch today then they were ins the 1950-60's
 
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I do think the modern ones offer some interesting styling and fit and finish at a relatively low price point.

The vintage can be tremendous (but simultaneously they produced an incredible number of watches, so many, many that are less than desirable in there as well). They definitely peaked pre-quartz crisis. They seem a bit like "Ford" to me - they have some GT40s and Shelby Mustang Fastbacks in there (world class collectibles), but they sold a hell of a lot of Mavericks and Fiestas as well...
 
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Love love love the Legend Diver. It’s the best looking Longines. Got one for my Dad
(Photo from Reddit)
The glass box crystal is very nice. Rotating bezel INSIDE glass box is genius.
It’s my favorite tool watch for its price.
F it. It’s my favorite watch under $5k.
This puppy punch way way way above its class. a real winner for Longines.
The rest of Longines offerings are “meh”

Thanks NGO. Your post just cost me almost 2k. loved that watch so much, just picked one up with the bracelet in Portland for 20% off, no tax. I love it and agree that bang for the buck, it’s legit.
 
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Whilst we’re on this thread, I’ve been thinking, vaguely, about getting a Longines Heritage Conquest 35mm. I think it looks nice and it’s the right size for me. Has anyone got one or heard anything about these?
I have both silver one and black one. They are either superlative. The silver one now is loan to my father that love it. Eta 2824-2 is a “Panzer” movement, very reliable!
 
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Do you

And did you see the sports timing room in the Longines museum? That too is quite amazing.

Yes...and I've actually used some of that stuff at sports events!!!
 
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There’s too much love for Longines these days. There was a time, not long ago, when you could find a decent Nautilus Skin Diver at Goodwill.