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Longines Heritage

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2018 will comes to end. Longines is going to its 187th birthday. Longines has created many classic watches in the long history of watchmaking. At present, the deposit of culture has been the selling point and the theme of Longines Heritage Collection. Looking back to watchmaking tradition and taking inspiration from it, Longines constantly adds new members combining vintage features with modern elements to the collection. Here, the leading role is Longines Heritage Chronograph L2.775.4.23.3, a 180th anniversary watch, whose stunning feature is the red “12”.

The Red “12”
Longines Heritage L2.775.4.23.3 is inspired by Longines Antique Pocket Watches. In that era when pocket watches were popular, the design was classed as two types: the crown located at 12 O’clock, and the crown set at 3 O’clock. To make readability stand out, the “12” hour marker was marked with the striking red. During the transition period from pocket watches to wristwatches, most wristwatches were finished with welded lugs on round cases. As a result, the derived locations of crowns became more, and the red “12” played an important role in the layout of dials. The demands for wristwatches with the red “12” or “XII” on the dial increased. With the development of wristwatches, the design for the crown located at 3 O’clock became the main stream. The red “12” or “XII” went away gradually. Besides the iconic red “12”, Longines Heritage Chronograph L2.775.4.23.3 has some other vintage features.

Vintage Features
First, Longines in squiggles under the red “12” stands out, starting in 1920. Some of watch fans thought it’s better to add a sand clock with wings under the brand name, but the design wasn’t used in the beginning. The only “Longines ” in squiggles echoes to the earlier background better. Second, blued-steel hands and indexes. Blued-steel handed look more attractive on the white lacquer dial, featuring abrasion resistance and rust protection. Last, the most recognizable design is the mono pusher.

Mono Pusher
The world’s first chronograph wristwatch was made in 1915, featuring the mono pusher chronograph. To 1923, the double-pusher chronograph watch was born. The mono pusher manages “Start and Reset”, and for the double pushers, one is the “Start/Pause” pusher, and the other is the “Reset” pusher. Today, tool watches are popular more, so the mono pusher chronograph watch is the best choice. First, press the pusher once, the timing starts. Then, press it again, the second hand will go back to the original position. It means the mono pusher can’t manage “Pause”. Third, the button with three functions will accelerate the inner steel components wear. In a word, mono pusher chronograph is inferior to the dual pusher chronograph. But in today’s society, a wristwatch is like a decoration not a tool or timepiece. The rarer, the more popular.

Longines L788
Longines Heritage L2.775.4.23.3 is equipped with L788 on basis of ETA7750. Watches by Longines come with movements by ETA SA, but ETA produces mainly main-stream movements, so Longines entrusted ETA SA to modify a mono pusher chronograph movement according to ETA 7750 in 2009. From cam to column wheel, from dual pusher chronograph to mono pusher chronograph, L788 became better and better. The blue-coated column wheel is visual through sapphire back.