Swiss watch brand Longines has drawn inspiration from a historically important 1940’s watch model dedicated to the Royal Air Force to create The Longines Heritage Military. True to the original lines of a timepiece designed for the British Royal Air Force, this sleek, reimagined watch belongs to a timeless style that has made the winged hourglass brand famous.
The Longines Heritage Military draws its inspiration from a watch created for members of the British Royal Air Force (RAF). Stanley Turner, a highly-decorated radiotelegraph operator aboard an RAF aircraft during the Second World War, wore this model around his wrist.
The watch once owned by Mr. Turner was recovered and offered to the Swiss brand by a young English collector, who inspired the current reissue.
With its minimalist design and 38.5 mm diameter, The Longines Heritage Military flawlessly adheres to the refined aesthetic and spirit of the period timepiece which, at the time, measured 32.5 mm. Its oversized winding crown evokes the original watch’s ease of handling.
The Longines Heritage Military also displays a silver, opaline dial with a subtle mist of fine droplets in black paint. This process, a first for Longines and performed entirely by hand, makes each and every piece unique while mimicking the oxidation found on the original. Despite housing an automatic movement, this timekeeper is the only piece in Longines’ current collections that does not carry the “Automatic” label on its dial in order to preserve the spirit of the 1940s.
Inspired by the watch worn by Stanley Turner and his RAF colleagues, The Longines Heritage Military features a curved, fully polished bezel and box-form sapphire crystal. The steel casing that houses the automatic movement (L888.2) comes with a green, aged leather watch strap, and a Nato strap in the same shades.
Both versions of the strap are provided with each timepiece, along with the required replacement tool, all of which come in a case specially designed for the occasion.
Technical details
Model: Longines Heritage Military, Reference number: L2.819.4.93.2
Movement
Mechanical self-winding movement
Calibre L888.2 (ETA A31.L01)
111/2 lines, 21 jewels, 25’200 vibrations per hour
Power reserve: 64 hours
Functions
Hours, minutes, seconds
Case
Round, stainless steel
Water-resistant: To 3 bar (30m)
Glass: Sapphire, anti-reflective
Dial
Silvered Opalin with vintage spraying, 12 Arabic numerals
Hands : Blued steel
Straps
Green veal and Green Nato
