Longines The Longines Avigation BigEye

The Longines Heritage Avigation collection draws on the brand’s rich aviation history, with roots going back to their involvement in producing timepieces for military pilots in the 1930s and 1940s. The word "Avigation" is a combination of aviation and navigation, highlighting the collection's focus on precision and functionality for pilots. Longines, being a key supplier of timekeeping instruments for pilots and explorers, created this line to revive the spirit of those classic aviation watches. The Heritage Avigation collection’s expertise lies in merging vintage designs with modern technology.

Features And Design

The Heritage Avigation watches are inspired by pilot watches of the past, boasting large, highly legible dials with oversized Arabic numerals and hands coated in Super-LumiNova. These watches are typically encased in stainless steel, with sizes ranging from 41mm to 48mm, maintaining the bold presence characteristic of early aviation instruments. The design incorporates a smooth bezel or rotating inner bezel in some models, which could be used for timing purposes. The black, white, or cream-coloured dials are set against highly polished steel cases, blending vintage aesthetics with modern robustness. With water resistance typically around 30 metres, the watches are more suited for daily wear and aviation-inspired functionality rather than extreme sports.

Iterations And Movements

The Heritage Avigation collection includes a range of models that pay tribute to Longines’ aviation legacy. For instance, the Heritage Avigation BigEye is a direct homage to the brand's chronographs from the mid-20th century, featuring oversized sub-dials for enhanced readability. Powered by the calibre L688, a column-wheel chronograph movement, it offers precise timing with a 66-hour power reserve. Another notable model is the Heritage Avigation Weems Seocnd-Setting, inspired by a watch Longines originally created for the US Army Air Corps. This model features an inner-rotating dial used to match seconds hand with radio time signal and it is powered by the automatic calibre L699.