Longines adds another variation to its much-loved Heritage Legend Diver line with the addition of a bronze model. The new Legend Diver Bronze riffs on a classic diver the St. Imier brand first produced in the 1960s. Like its steel-cased predecessors, the first of which launched in 2007, the new bronze diver again pays tribute to the style codes of the 1960s.
If you recall, two years ago Longines introduced a black PVD version of the Legend Diver. Featuring a super compressor style case that was common in the 1960’s, the watch now is presented with a brushed bronze case fitted with a box shaped sapphire crystal for a more vintage feel. Water-resistant to 300 meters, the case is fitted with a titanium caseback. Bronze is seldom used on the caseback, brands prefer to use a hypoallergenic material like titanium or steel instead. The case faithfully reproduces the sporty silhouette of the original and has two screw-in crowns – one for setting the time and the other for turning the inner rotating bezel. Just like in the original, the caseback has an embossed image of a diver.
The green vignette lacquer dial complements the bronze tones of the case. The inner rotating bezel, which serves as the flange of the watch, can also be locked in place by its dedicated crown, ensuring that a diver wearing it knows exactly how long he has been underwater. The dial is punctuated by indices, numerals, and hands coated with Super-LumiNova; the 12, 6, and 9 Arabic numerals are executed in clean, extra-legible typography. Unlike earlier models, this version has no date window. The sandblasted pink gilded hands are also coated with the same luminous substance.
There is a substantial upgrade from the previous Legend Divers inside the watch, under a solid caseback with an engraving of a diver: Longines’s automatic Caliber L888.5 (a modified ETA A31.L11) has a 64-hour power reserve and uses a silicon balance spring in the escapement. This Longines-exclusive movement also features 21 jewels and a balance frequency of 25,200 vph (3.5 Hz).
The watch comes with two strap options – a vintage brown leather number or a green nylon NATO-style strap with a bronze buckle. This version of the Legend Diver also comes with a five-year warranty.
