Longines celebrates their role in developing the pioneering flyback chronograph and their long-established history in aviation with the launch of the new Longines Spirit Flyback Chronograph watch. To do so, the Swiss watch brand also debuts their new L791.4 movement, a chronometer certified, self-winding column-wheel movement with a 68 hour power reserve, silicon balance spring and anti-magnetic resistance.
For the last three years, Longines has put a lot of focus on their Spirit collection. This well-executed series of modern yet retro-styled pilot’s watches pays homage to aviation pioneers everywhere, promising robust cases, legible dials and chronometer rated movements. Over the years, the Longines Spirit collection has extended to include various sizes including 37mm, 40mm and 42mm as well as different case materials, dial colours and complications. Alongside a range of classic time-only Longines Spirit watches, there’s the Longines Spirit Chronograph and the more recent Longines Spirit Zulu Time. In what is the collection’s most advanced complication yet, Longines now unveils the Longines Spirit Flyback Chronograph watch for 2023 with flyback function, a function already intrinsically linked to the brand’s rich aviation heritage.
Just quickly before we get into the nitty gritty of the new Longines Spirit Flyback Chronograph watch, let’s first remind ourselves of Longines’ role in the development of the flyback function. The Swiss watchmaker equipped its first model with a flyback function back in 1925 and later filed a patent for it on 12 June 1936. It made history as the first serial chronograph with flyback function and remains one of the most technically advanced chronograph movements of that time. The complication offers a significant advantage to pilot’s as it allows you to instantly reset the chronograph’s direct-drive second hand with just one press of a pusher. A single press enables all three operations (stop, reset and start), compared to conventional chronographs which require the stop and reset functions to be activated before restarting the timing function.
This useful single-press chronograph functionality becomes the focal point of the newly released Longines Spirit Flyback Chronograph watch, assisted by the new in-house Longines L791.4 automatic winding movement. The Longines Spirit collection has always hosted some of the Swiss manufacturer’s best movements, and the new Flyback Chronograph is no different. The Longines L791.4 movement is chronometer certified, as symbolised by the five gold stars on the dial, and is equipped with a silicon balance spring and anti-magnetic properties. The movement also impresses with a 68 hour power reserve, 28 jewels and a frequency of 28,800vph. You can enjoy the intricate mechanisms of the self-winding calibre through the Longines Spirit Flyback Chronograph’s exhibition case back including the personalised weight engraved with the globe representing the Longines Spirit collection and the name Longines Flyback.
The overall appearance of the Longines Spirit Flyback Chronograph watch is familiar to the rest of the Spirit series. The 42mm stainless steel case is adorned with a range of meticulous finishes, including satin, matte and polished details, downward sloping lugs and a large knurled screw down crown at 3 o’clock. The chronograph pushers are equally large, allowing for easy manipulation in all situations. There’s also sapphire crystal glass with multi-layered anti-reflective coating, a water resistance of 100 metres and a bidirectional bezel enhanced by a black or blue ceramic insert with luminescent markers.
To pair with the two bezel colours, the Longines Spirit Flyback watch is available with a choice of two dial colours. Sunray black or sunray blue, the displays are again inevitably Spirit with large applied, bronze-shaded Arabic numerals and two sword-shaped hands for the hours and minutes coated in Superluminova. The two snailed counters, coloured in the same hue as the rest of the dial, present the small seconds at 9 o’clock and the 30 minutes chronograph totaliser at 3 o’clock. The chronograph seconds is placed at the centre. All of the chronograph hardware is finished in the same bronze as the traditional time functions, adding warmth to the retro display. Finally, the Longines Spirit Flyback Chronograph is available on a choice of four straps including a traditional three-row link stainless steel bracelet, a brown leather strap, a blue fabric strap or a beige NATO strap. The leather and blue fabric strap are equipped with folding buckles fitted with a micro-adjustment system to ensure a perfect fit while the NATO strap closes by a standard pin buckle.
The Longines Spirit Flyback Chronograph watch is a permanent addition to the Spirit line and can viewed in more detail on the Jura Watches website here. If you’d like to secure one of the designs for yourself, get in touch with the team by calling 01335 453453 or send us a message at help@jurawatches.co.uk.
Specifications:
- Case Size: 42mm x 17mm
- Case Material: Stainless steel
- Bezel: Bi-directional with black or blue ceramic insert
- Glass: Sapphire crystal with multi-layered anti-reflective coating
- Crown: Screw down
- Case Back: Exhibition
- Water Resistance: 100 metres
- Movement: Longines L791.4, self-winding, column-wheel with silicon balance spring
- COSC: Yes
- Power Reserve: 68 hours
- Jewels: 28
- Frequency: 28,800vph
- Dial; Sunray black or blue with bronzed numerals and hands, Superluminova inserts
- Strap: Stainless steel bracelet, brown leather, blue fabric or beige NATO
- RRP: Starts from £4,100
- Limited: No
- Release Date: March 2023
