Back in 2024, we examined the history of Longines, detailing its fascinating, nearly 200-year-old history and highlighting some of the incredible vintage references that we had in our inventory at the time. Two years later, we’re even more bullish on this wonderful brand — if such a thing is even possible.
Producing well over a million watches a year at a price point beneath 5,000 CHF, Swatch Group-owned Longines is able to consistently deliver outsized value to the modern consumer. Its catalog of vintage references, however, is perhaps even more impressive: From military-issued field watches to complicated masterpieces, the Saint-Imier-based maison is responsible for some of the loveliest horological designs of the 20th century. Here are a few favorites from the most recent crop of pieces to hit the Analog:Shift inventory…
Longines 'Salmon' Pointer Date Ref. 5412 ($14,500)
Longines 'Salmon' Pointer Date - IN THE SHOP
With a relatively short production run dating to the late 1940s, the Ref. 5412 pointer date is a rarely-seen complicated piece whose immense charm far exceeds its perfectly sized 36mm case. This example, constructed in stainless steel, is in absolutely stunning condition: Featuring a stepped bezel, thick lugs, an unsigned crown, a date corrector at 10 o’clock, and an acrylic crystal, it’s fitted with a nearly flawless salmon dial with an outer pointer date track in black, luminous ‘Arabic’ indices, a sub-seconds display at 6 o’clock, and a luminous, blued steel ‘sword’ handset with a red-tipped pointer date hand. Powered by the hand-wound Longines Calibre 27.0 movement with 17 jewels, it comes paired to a brown leather strap with matching top stitching and a stainless steel pin buckle. For someone who appreciates complicated watchmaking — particularly of the early-to-mid 20th-century variety — there could scarcely be a more attractive watch.
Longines Admiral Diver Ref. 8557 ($2,950)
Longines Admiral Diver - IN THE SHOP
The Admiral Ref. 8557 is one of those watches that sends a shock of “Boy, they don’t make ‘em like they used to!” scorching through a collector’s soul. Measuring a whopping 44mm in a tonneau-shaped stainless steel housing, it features an unsigned crown, a smooth bezel, and an acrylic crystal. The spectacular bezel — bright orange with a fully graduated minute track and 10-minute intervals in black with white indices — frames a matte blue dial with an open minute track in white, applied indices, a day-date display at 3 o’clock, and a luminous handset with a bright orange ‘sword’ minute hand, a white ‘baton’ hour hand, and a white sweep seconds hand. Powering the watch is the Longines Cal. 508 automatic movement with a quick-set date function controlled by the crown, while the package is finished with a correct stainless steel multi-link bracelet with a signed folding clasp. If you were going to wear a dive watch to Studio 54, this would surely be it!
Longines 'Nonius' Chronograph Ref. 8271 ($4,995)
Longines 'Nonius' Chronograph - IN THE SHOP
Another curiosity from that grooviest of horological decades, the 1970s, the Ref. 8271 ‘Nonius’ is a triple-register chronograph with a fascinating counter attached to the central chronograph seconds hand: Using this scale, it’s possible to register elapsed time down to a 1/10th of a second. Housed in a 39mm tonneau-shaped case with dual barrel pushers, a signed crown, an acrylic crystal, and brushed sunray finishing throughout, it features a white dial surrounded by a an outer ‘railroad’ minute track, a fully demarcated black minute track with red printing, applied indices, a 30-minute counter, a 12-hour recorder, and a running seconds display. The luminous ‘baton’ handset is complemented by the aforementioned orange chronograph seconds hand and its wacky tip, all of which is powered by the Longines Cal. 332, a modified version of the hand-wound Valjoux Calibre 726. This version also comes paired to its stainless steel folded-link bracelet, making it a truly rare find, indeed.
Longines Diamonds Cocktail Watch ($3,950)
Longines Diamond Cocktail Watch - IN THE SHOP
This truly spectacular cocktail watch would typically be thought of as a dedicated ladies’ piece — though given the range of fare being worn on red carpets these days, we could just as easily see it adorning the wrist of a confident man. Measuring 20mm in white gold with a yellow gold caseback, its tonneau form features elegant, scroll-like filigree along the case band, an ‘onion’-style winding crown, and an incredible diamond-set bezel with ‘Arabic’ indices constructed of tiny blue sapphires. This wonderful mix of precious materials frames a classic, patinated silver dial with an outer black ‘railroad’ minute track, a blued steel ‘spear’ handset, and a simple Longines wordmark in black printing. Powered by a hand-wound Longines movement and paired to a black leather strap, its caseback is hand-engraved with intricate initials in a manner reminiscent of an ancient coat of arms. This is truly an utterly beautiful object that any collector would be delighted to own and wear.
Longines Diamond Dress Watch ($3,250)
Longines Diamond Dress Watch - IN THE SHOP
Yet another example of the startling creativity present at Longines throughout the 20th century, this dress watch from the 1960s is a piece of horological art. Measuring 34mm in stainless steel with a small winding crown and an acrylic crystal, it features a sparkling diamond-set bezel complemented by one of the coolest lug designs we’ve ever seen, whose geometric form receives an original, period-correct black leather Longines strap with a stainless steel pin buckle. The fun doesn’t stop there, however: The watch’s silvered dial is set with applied diamond indices, a subtle sub-seconds counter above 6 o’clock, a thin ‘pencil’ handset, and the classic Longines wordmark and winged hourglass logo beneath 12 o’clock. Powered by a hand-wound Longines movement, it’s the perfect accessory to a more formal evening — or an ideal everyday watch for someone whose taste runs more classic.
