Among the Swiss maisons that have linked their names to aviation, Longines holds a place of honor. Since 1919, when it became the official supplier to the International Aeronautical Federation, the Saint-Imier manufacture has accompanied explorers and pioneers in contexts where reliability was necessary and vital, rather than a fad.
During their expeditions, Charles Lindbergh, Amelia Earhart, Paul-Emile Victor, Elinor Smith, and Howard Hughes relied completely on Longines instrument-clocks, designed as indispensable navigational instruments, equipped with specific functions designed to synchronize with GMT signals or to calculate longitude and provide exact geographic coordinates.
With the Spirit line, launched in 2020, Longines wanted to renew this historic link. Today, the collection is enriched with five new references: three three-sphere Spirit Pilot and two new evolutions of the Spirit Pilot Flyback.
At left, American aviatrix Amelia Earhart. In 1932 she became the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean in 14 hours and 56 minutes. She is one of four early 20th century legends who inspired the 2020 Longines Spirit collection. At right, a telegram from Earhart to Longines after her flight. She was wearing a Longines wristwatch.
American aviatrix Elinor Smith was, at just 16 years old, the youngest pilot in the world to obtain a license to fly; she later also became the first woman test pilot for the Fairchild and Bellanca companies, now known as Avia Bellanca. Left, a 1930 Longines advertisement celebrates one of the altitude records set by Elinor Smith, who was wearing Longines watches.
Paul-Émile Victor in 1936 explored the Greenland ice desert for seven weeks, down to -40° C. His Longines chronometers continued to work accurately, helping him calculate longitude and turn the venture into a success.
The Spirit collection over time
Unlike the philological reissues of the Heritage line, which repurposes archival models, the Spirit collection draws inspiration from the aesthetic and functional principles of the earliest watch-instruments, taking a different, freer approach to vintage-inspired design. The Maison chooses to start again from the blank sheet of paper, to create an unprecedented range of watches that cannot be traced back to a single historical model, recovering from the first navigational specimens only their timeless charm, but capable of evoking a transversal elegance.
For both versions, the starting point remains the archetypal classic aviator watch: oversized crown for gloved use, sharp-edged caseband, Arabic numerals that are easy to read, diamond hour markers, and baton hands.
On the left, the previous model. At right, the new Spirit Pilot.
Largely echoing the style of the previous models, both the Longines Spirit Pilot and the Spirit Pilot Flyback retain the same format: both are encased in a stainless steel case with classic lines, with alternating brushed surfaces and refined polished details on the lugs, topped by a pronounced and vigorous bezel with a double finish. The spirit is the same as always, but they demonstrate the Maison’s evident attempt to simplify the aesthetics, giving the dial a more minimalist and clean layout, without losing character and legibility.
The new Longines Spirit Pilot
The three new Spirit Pilot references take up the typical codes of aviator watchmaking, but with a less crowded and more essential dial: gone are the slanted date window at 4:30 a.m. of some earlier models and the five applied stars, the symbol of the Spirit Line, replaced by a two-line inscription in capitals. Available exclusively in matte black, the dial favors the stark contrast of applied Arabic numerals of golden hands coated with Super-LumiNova.
The case is significantly reduced in size, downsized to 39mm with a thickness of just 11.5mm, with a screw-down case back, water resistant to 100 meters.
Inside, the automatic caliber L888.4, derived from the ETA A31.L11 with silicon balance spring offers a 72-hour power reserve, resistance to magnetic fields ten times the ISO 764 standard, and COSC certification.
Three options available for straps, the only difference between references: semi-integrated stainless steel bracelet or brown leather strap, both with gold-plated deployment clasp with double security system, or green rubber strap with pin buckle.
The new Longines Spirit Pilot Flyback
Alongside the new three-spheres, Longines presents two new Spirit Pilot Flyback , which differ only in their straps, in stainless steel or brown leather, both with deployment clasps. Introduced just two years ago, the model recovered the complication Flyback patented by Longines in the 1930s and first used with the caliber 13ZN in 1936, which allowed pilots to reset and restart the watch with a single gesture, revolutionizing timekeeping in flight.
Caliber 13ZN was the first movement for which a patent was filed and the most widely used for the flyback chronograph. Left, the original patent for the flyback mechanism; right, the image attached to the patent application.
The Longines 13ZN “Mushroom Pusher” chronograph, available in two types of finish: the nickel (or rhodium plated) finish as pictured, and the gold (or electroplated) finish.
Visible through the screw-down anti-reflective sapphire crystal back, it beats the hand-wound caliber L792.4 derived from an ETA base (A08.L11), with COSC certification. With column wheel, vertical coupling and silicon balance spring, it provides 68 hours of power reserve, resistance to magnetic fields , water resistance to 100 meters.
Also for these two references, the case drops to 39.5 mm, the thickness to 13.4 mm – compact dimensions especially when compared to better-known pilot’s chronographs, such as the Breitling Navitimer (which rarely goes below 41 mm) or theIWC Pilot’s Chronograph (often over 43 mm), which allow the Longines Spirit Pilot Flyback to stand out for its compactness and balanced proportions. It is a chronograph that does not forgo technical historicity, but can also be worn in urban settings without looking like an outsized instrument.
On the left, the Breitling Navitimer; on the right, theIWC Pilot’s Chronograph.
The matte-black background dial is reminiscent of historic cockpit instruments: the high-contrast gold Arabic numerals, applied and coated with Super-LumiNova, reduce reflections and ensure instant readability in any light condition. The arrangement of the counters maintains elegant symmetry and enables intuitive reading. On the other hand, the box-type sapphire crystal, anti-reflective on both sides, enhances the depth.
New this year is the bidirectional rotating ceramic bezel, which has a simpler design and includes a countdown timer. More than a practical necessity, it is an aesthetic detail that emphasizes the soul and character as an aeronautical instrument.
Although today the flyback complication has no practical relevance because digital instrumentation has long since replaced manual timekeeping, for collectors the meaning lies in its being a tangible fragment of history: the testimony of an innovation that in the 1930s enabled fast and efficient maneuvers in flight, now becomes a fascinating ritual whose cultural value exceeds its functional value, and which is precisely why it proves powerful.
Conclusion and Prices
With the new Spirit Pilot and Spirit Pilot Flyback, Longines confirms its historic link with aviation in an exercise in refinement (rather than revolution) that prioritizes continuity and portability.
Three-ball and flyback chronograph models combine precision, reliability and style, offering compact measurements and balanced proportions that make them ideal for both aviation history buffs and those looking for an elegant watch to wear every day.
Prices for the five new models range from 2,600 to 5,250 euros, depending on the strap and complications, confirming the relative affordability within the luxury watch segment.
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