The Longines Master Collection: True value beyond the mid-range

Longines, which celebrates its 190th anniversary this year, is a leading brand that has been at the forefront of the Swiss watch industry for nearly two centuries. The Longines Master Collection is a masterpiece that embodies the brand's watchmaking philosophy. As the name suggests, it is a valuable masterpiece that allows you to enjoy the essence of Longines' mastery of mechanism and design.

A masterpiece with a high level of perfection in the movement, exterior, and design.

　Longines, a long-time favorite in Japan, is one of Switzerland's leading watch brands. Since the heyday of mechanical watches, the brand has been renowned for its sophisticated movements, chronographs, and elegant, slim dress watches, and still has many enthusiasts and collectors around the world.

　The Longines Master Collection, launched in 2005, is a watch that plays an important role in applying Longines' historical achievements to modern watchmaking and connecting it to the future. As the name "Master" suggests, each model is crafted with expert skill in both mechanical movement and aesthetic design, making it a modern masterpiece.

　The signature model is a luxuriously complicated watch combining a chronograph, triple calendar, and moon phase display. The discerning watch enthusiast will recognize the dial layout and the renowned ETA (formerly Valjoux) 7751 movement. However, while the display functions are similar, the Longines-exclusive caliber L687.5 that powers this model is quite different. The cam that controls the chronograph mechanism has been replaced with a column wheel, extending the power reserve to approximately 66 hours, and other significant advances. The combination of the traditional column-wheel control technology typical of Longines' chronograph pedigree and the latest long-power-reserve technology now essential for next-generation movements results in a watch with even higher performance than the ETA7751 on which it was based.

　The pursuit of excellence is also evident in the aesthetics of the movement, such as circular graining, Côtes de Genève finishing, and the blue-highlighted column wheel. To be recognized as a luxury watch, meticulous attention to the decoration and finishing of the parts is as essential as the precision of the mechanism and high performance, and these values ​​are clearly evident in all the automatic movements used in this collection.

　This is also consistent with the dial, which greatly influences the impression of a watch. The complex dial, which combines chronograph and calendar functions, is designed to ensure both legibility and harmony with the details of the hands, indexes, and subdials, and the delicate shine of the sunray pattern and blue lacquer enhance the overall look, exquisitely creating a classic dial with a modern aesthetic that matches modern lifestyles. Here, as with the movement, equal importance is placed on performance and aesthetics, and everything is skillfully calculated to result in the elegance that Longines values.

　The Swatch Group has all the resources necessary for watchmaking and is dedicated to developing watches that offer value beyond their price. Longines, which has played a central role within the group, is a perfect example of this. Although its prices are mid-range, it clearly strives to surpass the price in terms of technology and design. Recently, Longines has also been moving forward with the standardization of silicon balance springs in its dedicated movements. We will be keeping a close eye on the further evolution of the Master Collection.