Longines offers a Retro-touch with its new re-issue model Heritage Military 1938.
The early 20th century, which coincided with the bloodiest periods in the history of mankind, played a major role in the emergence of designs that left their mark on the watchmaking industry. The new models designed and manufactured with military requirements in mind, helped form modern watchmaking. Introduced in 1938, just a year before World War II, Longines’ military model was also very characteristic of the period.
When you look at men’s watches that are mostly around 40mm diameters in the 2000s, were used to be 36mm or even 34mm in the 60s. Longines, on the other hand, introduced a model equipped with a whopping 43mm diameter case back in 1938. Instead of the common trends of its time, the model was designed in accordance with the military requirements, especially utmost legibility under any environment.
Original Version
The model, which was born out of its ashes after its introduction 81 years ago, is now presented as “Heritage Military 1938”. Just like the original watch, the 43mm stainless steel case features a dial with large Arabic numeral indexes. Equipped with sapphire crystal, the waterproof level of the model is limited to 30 meters.
At the heart of the watch is the hand-wound Longines Caliber 507.2, which was based on the ETA 6498. 17 jewels and 36.6mm diameter movement beats at 21600vph and offers a power reserve of 53 hours.
The Longines Heritage Military 1938 comes with an anthracite leather and a cognac colored NATO strap. The model is limited to a span of 1938 units only with a MSRP of US$ 2450.
