Last week, I had the opportunity to closely examine the latest HydroConquest models in the diving event held in Kaş as a guest of Longines. In this journey through deep blue, the enchanting underwater beauty of the Mediterranean was more appealing than ever with the company of the well-established brand.
Diving Day
Finally came the big day. After a great breakfast, we headed towards Kaş Marina to board the diving boat. The watches had been on their way before us. The free divers and the crew raised anchor to the area called the "canyon" to capture fascinating images. Before continuing to the rest of the article, I leave you with the video prepared by the professional diving team.
We were finally ready to go as the boat came back to the marina. Unluckily the sea was quite choppy that day, but no power could prevent us from heading to the deep waters with the Longines HydroConquests. Our first stop was Canyon. Since Pigeon Island was chosen for scuba diving, we strapped our watches upon arriving to the Canyon and started diving freely. The Longines HydroConquests got full scores on their first dive, but that was just the beginning. Because of the strong currents and the crowd of the region, we decided to leave the Canyon and we moved on for our next stop. During our trip to the Pigeon Island, the true owners of the seas from the sailfin flyingfish to the caretta carettas did not leave us alone. In the meantime, first time divers are briefed. When we reached the diving location, I started to prepare for scuba diving. I left myself in the cool waters to perform my first dive with my diving-buddy from the Dragoman diving team that made the day special with their , which makes the present day beautiful with their positive energy. As I mentioned in the first part of the article, I felt more integrated with the 41mm diameter Longines HydroConquest. On the day of the dive, I opted for the 44mm model. I made this choice for visibility and comfort, as I wanted to wear the watch on top of my diving suit. At this point, I want to share my comments on the extension mechanism in the bracelet. Such extensions are available in almost all dive watches, but each manufacturer determines the amount of extension itself. I had complaints about the watches in my previous dives regarding the inefficient extension length of the bracelets, but I did not with the HydroConquest.
The dive that we got to a maximum of 15 meters took half an hour. This region has a different importance for divers. In the past year, Turkish Armed Forces gifted an old 60 tons US built tank to be sank at 14 meters to support the diving tourism. With my dive-buddy’s help, we were able to take funny shots with that tank. Half an hour later, we surfaced and our friends who would meet the fascinating world of underwater water for the first time started their dives under the supervision of professionals.
When I thought about the 300 meters water resistance rating of the Longines HydroConquest, 15 meters only is nothing but a funny depth. But I think it was not a bad figure at all considering the clasp’s of today’s dive watches are full of scratches from desk-diving.
Having tried the Longines HydroConquest in its natural environment, changed the way I think about the entry and mid-level diver watches. Considering the increasing exchange rates, I strongly support the Swatch Group’s, which Longines is affiliated with, Turkish Lira-based sales strategy. I would like to share the list prices of the models that accompanied us on our visit. All men’s models are available for 5000 TL, regardless of their size and color. The two-tone women’s model has a list price of 4550 TL. Considering today’s watch market, I believe it is unlikely to find another alternative in that price range. With its long history, prestigious brand value, high quality craftsmanship, unique design, in-house movements and price tags that push the boundaries, the Longines HydroConquest is always ready for those who want to discover deep blues in dreams or reality. The HydroConquests, which are capable of serving a wide range of user profiles from divers who trapped in business offices to those who do not go out of the water, will be able to successfully escort you with your diving equipment or suit. Proven by experience.
