The Maison from Saint-Imier has just presented a watch for its heritage collection: here is the new Longines Ultra-Chron.
Since the birth of the first timepieces, precision has been one of the most important goals pursued by watchmakers. Years and years of study have led some Maison to discover how as the frequency of the movement increases, so does the precision.
Longines went so far in 1968 to place an ultra-precise mechanism inside a diver, giving life to the watches you will discover in this article.
Longines history in high-frequency timepieces
In fact, the first Longines high-frequency wristwatch appeared in 1966 with the Caliber 431, the same then also equipped in the Ultra-Chron diver of ’68. The Maison boasts a history of more than a century in the making of high-frequency calibers capable of measuring 1/10 or 1/100 of a second, which began with pocket watches around 1914 and has continued to the present day.
Just think that in 1916 the brand created a high-frequency 50Hz pocket stopwatch to measure 1/100 of a second, something particularly avant-garde for the time. For wristwatches, the frequency is usually between 3-4Hz.
The differences between vintage and modern
As we said, Longines Heritage models take inspiration from the brand’s archives, re-proposing historical watches in a modern way. These timepieces inspired by the past bring with them all the improvements that can be made with the technologies we have today.
Looking at the differences between the Ultra-Chron of 1968 and that of 2022 we immediately notice the absence of the date box at 3 (which we appreciate), a new second hand and a more ergonomic case, perhaps slender, but 43mm in place. of the 41mm of the past. The latter in 1968 also served as a crown protector.
Another very important difference is the ring nut. At the time it was in aluminum, as in many other watches, today it is in sapphire with luminescent numbers, including the triangle. The hands, which at the time were tritium, are now coated with Super-LumiNova to ensure maximum legibility and durability.
The aesthetics of the new Longines Ultra-Chron
Now let’s take a closer look at the newcomer. The dial has a finish that gives it an asphalt-like or ‘hammered’ effect. Speaking of how qualitatively excellent this watch is, we immediately notice the Longines logo applied at 12 o’clock and the Ultra-Chron logo applied at 6.
These two small details stand out particularly when worn on the wrist, as do the indexes at 3-6-9-12 o’clock. The glossy finish of these components ensures that continuous plays of light are created on the dial.
The bezel, like any proper diver, is unidirectional, while both the crown and the caseback are screwed. The icing on the cake is the back engraved with Ultra-Chron, exactly like the ’68 model.
TIMELAB certification from Geneva
This new Longines watch is certified by the independent Geneva laboratory TIMELAB, which tested it for 15 days, subjecting it to numerous tests on the case and on the finished watch. In watchmaking it is known that certifications are concrete proof that a watch works with precision.
Precisely in this context, a watch that meets the precise requirements of daily / monthly deviation is named “chronometer”. In the case of the Ultra-Chron we have an ultra-stopwatch. The substantial difference lies in the accuracy of the watch in different conditions and temperatures, testing both the case and the finished timepiece.
Each watch will be accompanied by a unique document like the one you see above, which uniquely certifies the watch. In the document there will be the serial numbers of the case and movement of the Ultra-Chron that you have purchased.
The sensations of the new Longines Ultra-Chron on the wrist
As soon as I saw the watch live, I immediately noticed the careful touch that Giuseppe Miccio and his team are putting on the brand’s new watches. In terms of quality, the Ultra-Chron does not disappoint even one iota and indeed, I was particularly amazed by the bezel and the finishes of the case.
Putting it on my wrist I only had some with the strap, which being in leather and brand new, was struggling to fit. Don’t worry, because you just need to wear it about ten times to make it take the shape of your wrist. My wrist measures approximately 17-18 centimeters and as you can see from the photo the case does not protrude out of it with the lugs.
Being a Diver the impermeability is 300 meters, or 30 atmospheres. This allows you to descend to great depths, but I recommend that you close the crown well! In this article, we explain water resistance for watches in more detail.
Price and availability to the public
The new Longines Ultra-Chron has a retail price of €3.340 (bracelet option) e €3.080 (strap option). You can also choose a different box where you will find an additional NATO strap made from recycled materials (€3.590 bracelet + nato, €3.390 strap + nato).
Personally, I don’t comment on the price quite oftern but I think that for the quality and characteristics of the watch, the Ultra-Chron is truly an exceptional watch. It will not be suitable for all wrists but it will surely conquer the fans of the brand who will dwell on this novelty.
To see the interview with their CEO Matthias Breschan and their Head of Product Giuseppe Miccio click above, while for all real-time updates follow the IWS Instagram profile!
