Longines 24-Hours Single Pusher Chronograph

The Longines Heritage collection offers a great opportunity to own an affordable timepiece, that has many of the looks of important vintage timepieces, yet the reliability of a modern one. The new Longines 24-Hours Single Pusher Chronograph is clearly inspired by Longines’ longstanding history in dedicated pilot’s watches. Many of the Longines pilot watches from the Heritage collection have been covered by us before, however this is the first with a 24-hour dial. 

Longines’ important role in the development of aviation watches is of important historical value and was of course covered extensively in our series about the History of the Pilot Watch (the very first pilot’s watch was however made by Cartier.) Especially the Longines Hour Angle Watch and the Weems Second-Setting Watch played an important role in the first days of aviation. Similarly, a large single pusher pocket watch chronograph, adapted to be worn on the wrist, also played an important historical role, as it was used by the US military between the two great World Wars. This watch was brought back by Longines when they introduced the A-7 Avigation into their Heritage collection.

The new 24-Hours Single Pusher Chronograph harks back to Longines pilot’s watches from the 1950’s and, compared to the A-7 Avigation, adds a 24-hour time indication. 24-Hour dials were typically used in pilot’s watches and military from that era. The shorter hour hand indicates the hours on the inner hour track, while the minutes are indicated on the outer scale, that is also utilized for the central chronograph second hand.

While the 24-hour dial has a strong historical identity, I have to emphasize that it is also something that you have to get used to. From my own experience I found it easier to get used to reading time on a Hautlence HL or an URWERK UR-103, then on a watch with a normal central minute and hour hand, of which the hour hand makes one full rotation in 24 hour instead of 12 hours. On the other hand, with our modern 24-hour economy, it makes sense to read the time in a similar tradition.

The diameter resembles that of the original model, and of this historical inspired model, measures an impressive 47.50 mm. At the 18:00 position (that’s the same position as the 9 o’clock position on normal watches with a 12-hour time indication) is the small seconds sub dial and the date is at 12 o’clock (6 o’clock on normal watches.) Inside is Longines’ proprietary single pusher chronograph movement, calibre L789 that offers a 54-hour power reserve. The chronograph function is actuated by a column-wheel, similar to the 12-hour version used in the lovely 180th Anniversary Single Pusher Chronograph that we reviewed for you last year.

Retail price is € 3.280 Euros including taxes.

More info: www.longines.com