The Sporty-Chic Longines Conquest 2023 Time-And-Date & Chronograph Collection

Longines has a long and extensive history in watchmaking and often showcases its ability to capture the spirit of bygone collections. A few examples are the very popular and widespread Spirit line, but also iconic models such as the Legend Diver. On the other, more modern end of the spectrum sit collections such as the Conquest. And while the Conquest might be best known for its aquatic sibling, the HydroConquest, the sharply cut all-rounder is not to be overlooked. Longines seems to want us to take notice of this and elevates the Conquest collection with redesigned time-and-date models and adds in a sleek-looking chronograph as well. The result? A total of eight sporty-chic and very good all-rounders to get you through your days.

Time-and-date

First up is the classic time-and-date watch, something that we probably all have in our collection. The case has been redesigned into a more classical yet modern style, with a 41mm diameter, a height of 10.90mm, a sloped steel bezel and more elegant crown guards. The finishing looks nice, with brushed and polished surfaces alternating throughout the case. The crown still screws down, and the 100m water resistance makes it a perfect go-anywhere-do-anything watch.

A new dial configuration, available in black, blue, silver, brown or green sunray brushed finishes, replaces the bulky rectangular hour markers from the previous generation of the Conquest with more slender, tapered indices. Combined with newly designed hands and touches like the band of circular grooves on the outer edge give it a more refined appeal.

The Longines L888 movement, which is visible through the caseback, is an upgraded version of Swatch Group’s ETA A31.L11 automatic movement. Longines enhances this with a slightly reduced frequency of 25,200vph, a monocrystalline silicon balance spring and an improved power reserve of 72 hours. The finishing looks nice and gives it a neat appeal overall, with the brand’s name and logo on the rotor, which is finished with Côtes de Genève and perlage on the mainplate and bridges.

The time-and-date variant of the Longines Conquest collection, five references in total, is fitted with a simple yet stylish three-link steel bracelet with a folding clasp. It’s available now for a price of EUR 2,100, which makes it a very well-equipped and relatively affordable all-rounder.

Quick Facts – 41mm x 10.90mm – stainless steel case, brushed & polished – sloped steel bezel – sapphire crystal front & back – screw-down crown with guards – 100m water-resistant – black, brown, blue, silver or green sunray brushed dial – applied indices & hands with Super-LumiNova – date window at 3′ – calibre L888, ETA A31.L11 base – 25,200vph – silicon balance spring – 72h power reserve – hours, minutes, seconds, date – stainless steel bracelet with folding clasp – EUR 2,100

No-Date Chronograph

A step up in complexity, and admittedly also in size, is the all-new Longines Conquest Chronograph. This comes in at 42mm in diameter and 14.30mm in height to accommodate the automatic chronograph movement inside. The fixed stainless steel bezel has a black or blue ceramic insert with a tachymeter scale. The crown, again a screw-down one, is flanked by classic pump-style pushers. A sapphire crystal covers both the front and back, and you can again rely on the 100m water resistance to keep you safe in your basic day-to-day activities.

The sporty style continues with a classic 3-6-9 chronograph layout for the blue, black or champagne-coloured dial. All have a sunray-brushed finish in coherence with the time-and-date model, but now with recessed sub-dials, which are blue for the blue dial or contrasting silver or black for the black and champagne dials. The hour indices are again faceted and slightly tapered, finished with Super-LumiNova. The hands for the hours and minutes are also given a luminous stripe down the spine. The rest of the hands have a clean, silver-polished finish. The black version gets an extra dose of sportiness with some red touches on the hands and bezel. You’ll also notice this comes without an intrusive date window.

On the inside, we find the Longines calibre L898, which is an adaptation of the ETA 2892 modular chronograph movement. This runs at a rate of 28,800vph and has a comfortable power reserve of 59 hours. The finishing again looks quite nice with a customised rotor and details such as perlage, Côtes de Genève and more.

Just like its simpler brother, the Longines Conquest Chronograph comes on a stainless steel bracelet with a three-link construction and a brushed and polished finish. Being a more complex watch also means a retail price that’s a bit steeper, as this one retails for EUR 4,000 for either of the three models. A touch pricey, perhaps, but it makes it a good alternative for other sporty chronographs that have increased in price over the past few years, such as the Tudor Black Bay Chronograph or the TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph.

Quick Facts – 42mm x 14.30mm – stainless steel case, brushed & polished – fixed steel bezel with ceramic tachymeter insert – sapphire crystal front & back – screw-down crown – 100m water-resistant – blue, black or champagne dial with sunray-brushed finish – contrasting recessed sub-dials for black & champagne models – applied indices & hands with Super-LumiNova – calibre L898, ETA 2892 base – module automatic chronograph – 28,800vph – 59h power reserve – stainless steel bracelet with folding clasp – EUR 4,000

For more information, please visit Longines.com.