SETTING SAIL WITH LONGINES

The Longines Heritage Military Marine Nationale draws from its rich French Navy history to create the latest iteration of the timepiece

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NOT TOO LONG AGO, some time in the middle of the 20th century, the Longines watch referenced 5774 was donned by French navy men, and accompanied them as they dived in shallow waters. This year, we see a recreation with its warm colours and subdued dial, as the Longines Heritage Military Marine Nationale respects the strong design of its original model. It also falls under the Heritage watches tag of the brand - a range of timepieces defined by the stories they tell.

The latest 38.5mm diameter timepiece is a reimagining of a timekeeper created at the time exclusively for the French Navy. In 1947, this military formation asked

Longines to provide its crew with watches that were both tough and precise. The result was an original 33.50mm diameter model featuring a robust case and bezel, typical of military models and housing Longines’s historical 12.68N movement. With its cognac leather strap and its golden opaline dial, The Longines Heritage Military Marine Nationale stays true to the military watch from which it draws its inspiration, while meeting today’s aesthetic and technical requirements.

Back then the timepieces were identified using the letters ‘M. N.’ for ‘Marine Nationale,’ which were engraved on the back of the case. As for the dial, it bore the words

“Longines FAB. SUISSE”, for Swiss made (Fabrique Suisse). These two distinctive features are repeated on the current timepiece, which in order to preserve the face of the original watch, does not offer a date window.

Meanwhile, on the inside sits an automatic winding caliber L888, with a power reserve of (an astounding) 64 hours. And the current model is water resistant up to three bar, which means you could very likely still go shallow diving if you please with the timepiece.

Also in the spirit of the original timepiece, the back of the current version is screwed, and a domed sapphire crystal ‘box’ sits atop the lightly grained dial with hour circle and hands coated with brown Super-LumiNova. The Longines Heritage Military Marine Nationale houses an automatic movement, the L888.5 calibre with a silicon balance spring, developed exclusively for Longines.

This new Longines Heritage Military Marine Nationale release looks like a strong addition to the maison’s growing line of vintage-inspired timepieces, and will charm fans of Heritage watches.