Buffy Acacia
The Longines Conquest catalogue has been expanded for its 70th anniversary.There are 30 new references including different case sizes, dial colours, and strap options.All of the models are water resistant to 100m and powered by automatic movements, with none of them overlooked.Last year, Longines released a range of new Conquest watches which effortlessly blended sophistication from both vintage and contemporary styles. However, 2024 marks the 70th anniversary of the Conquest name, so perhaps Longines jumped the gun. The Conquest Heritage Central Power Reserve is a charming reissue of a vintage model that was released in January, but Longines has also bulked out the whole Conquest collection with a total of 30 new configurations spanning colours, sizes, and straps.Longines Conquest 30mmOne of the best things about the Longines Conquest range is that it's not inherently gendered. There are even unisex options available in the new 30mm size, which will come as a relief to anyone with small wrists or vintage tastes who doesn't want something overly feminine. There are two mother-of-pearl dial variants with diamonds as hour markers and an option for a diamond-set bezel, but the more versatile references include sunburst dials in olive green, royal blue, or silver with rose gold indices.The 30mm cases themselves still have a nice robustness, complete with crown guards and solid H-link steel bracelets for a sporty aesthetic. They're capable sports watches too, with 100 metres of water resistance. Unlike the previous 29.5mm models, these retain the elegant-but-capable character of the larger models when shrunk down, and they're also powered by automatic movements. The calibre L592.5 has a 4Hz beat rate, a 45-hour power reserve, and is anti-magnetic as proof that for once, a small-sized watch hasn't been overlooked. Considering the water resistance and the automatic winding you might think that it'd be a bit too thick for its width, but it's only 9.7mm tall including the sapphire crystal.BrandLonginesModelConquestCase Dimensions30mm (D) x 9.7mm (T)Case MaterialStainless steelWater Resistance100 metresCrystal(s)SapphireDialGreen, blue, silver, mother-of-pearl with diamondsStrapSteel H-link bracelet, folding claspMovementL592.5, ETA 2681 base, automaticPower Reserve45 hoursFunctionsHours, minutes, seconds, dateAvailabilityNowPriceStarting from US$2,500Longines Conquest 34mmIt's fair to say that the 1950s and 60s were probably the most influential decades of current watchmaking, and a 34mm case was one of the most common sizes for men's watches then. Now it's considered tiny by most, but it still has a lot of versatility especially in this style. It would almost be totally convincing as a vintage reissue, aside from the obvious newness and quality which you only find in modern watches. One of those telltale signs is the range of dial colours, which is both expansive and exciting. There is both a light sage and a deeper forest tone of green, black, baby blue, gold, fuchsia, and marshmallow pink. Some are all steel, and some are bi-colour options with 18k rose gold bezels, but all of them have beautiful sunburst finishing, which gives a dynamic movement of colour as your wrist moves.Moving up in size also brings a change in movement, even if the time and date functionality remains the same. The calibre L888.5 beats at the slightly lower 3Hz, but has a longer power reserve of 72 hours. It has also upped the thickness of the watch to 10.9mm, but that's still pretty slender for its 100 metres of water resistance and sporty steel case. Each of the new models is available either on the steel bracelet or a colour-matched rubber strap, with the exception of the mother-of-pearl, diamond-set model which is only on rubber.BrandLonginesModelConquestCase Dimensions34mm (D) x 10.9mm (T)Case MaterialStainless steelStainless steel and 18k rose goldWater Resistance100 metresCrystal(s)SapphireDialGreen, blue, silver, gold, black, fuchsia, pink, mother-of-pearl with diamondsStrapSteel H-link bracelet, folding claspColour-matched rubber strap, folding claspMovementL888.5, ETA 2892 base, automaticPower Reserve72 hoursFunctionsHours, minutes, seconds, dateAvailabilityNowPriceStarting from US$1,975Longines Conquest 38mmThe 38mm models are perhaps the simplest of the new collection, as they're just smaller versions of the 41mm models which were previously available. The black, blue, green, and gold models also feature the same L888.5 movements with 3Hz beat rates and 72-hour power reserves. They're still 10.9mm thick, but the 38mm diameter does give them a unique wrist presence which balances vintage sensibilities with modern expectations.BrandLonginesModelConquestCase Dimensions38mm (D) x 10.9mm (T)Case MaterialStainless steelWater Resistance100 metresCrystal(s)SapphireDialBlack, blue, green, gold, silverStrapSteel H-link bracelet, folding claspMovementL888.5, ETA 2892 base, automaticPower Reserve72 hoursFunctionsHours, minutes, seconds, dateAvailabilityNowPriceStarting from US$2,075Longines Conquest Chronograph 42mmThe Conquest Chronograph is an excellent example of how a style can be consistent between models, even when the functionality is completely different. The general silhouette of the case is recognisable, as is the elevated vintage style which amazing attention to detail. The three new references change up the sub-dial and bezel colour from black to blue or green, but there's also a stunning reference with a yellow gold dial and stark black contrasts that's now available on a rubber strap for a more casual look. They're powered by the modular, ETA 2892-based chronograph calibre L898.5 with a smooth 4Hz beat rate, and a power reserve of 59 hours. The 42mm diameter is certainly modern, and the 14.3mm thickness is not on the slender side, either. It's also water-resistant to 100 metres like all of the other models, with a screw-down crown that's safe to swim with as long as you don't use the chronograph pushers underwater.BrandLonginesModelConquest ChronographCase Dimensions42mm (D) x 14.3mm (T)Case MaterialStainless steelWater Resistance100 metresCrystal(s)SapphireDialGold and black, white and green, white and blueStrapSteel H-link bracelet, folding claspRubber strap, folding claspMovementL898.5, ETA 2892 base with chronograph module, automaticPower Reserve59 hoursFunctionsHours, minutes, seconds, chronographAvailabilityNowPriceStarting from US$3,650
14.06.24