LONGINES Legend Diver 42mm SAND BEIGE, ASH GRAY & ROYAL BLUE

The legendary compressor diver, diverse as ever! Since its launch back in 2007, the Longines Legend Diver has garnered a fair amount attention outlasting contemporaries from IWC et al; enduring as the old school, Swiss compressor-style diver’s watch to own. I can’t tell you how many times that I’ve almost pulled the trigger on one as it’s imho, one of the best looking dive watches that there are, taking its design cues directly from the OG model from 1959. Alas for me it was never quite big enough. For 2022, the Longines Legend Diver’s bloodline continues with a further five new models which are offered in a selection of colors that include: ash gray, burgundy, sand beige and royal blue. In addition to the lovely colors, their Stainless steel cases are based on two diameters (36mm or 42mm), further adding to the already large stable of Legend Diver models. Here we have the 42mm collection with their sand beige, ash grey or royal blue color-gradient dials featuring luminous hands, hour markers interspersed with luminescent squares and Arabic numerals enhanced with Super-LumiNova® rectangles for optimum visibility in low light. Just like it is on the OG model, the 42mm’s case-back has been decorated with an embossed emblem of an olden days spear diver. In addition to the case-back which harks back to 1959, the crowns are decorated with cross-hatching. Meanwhile a tone on-tone fabric strap in the popular NATO style is matched to the color of the dial. Or indeed an actual NATO is also offered along with the added option of a Milanese steel mesh bracelet. The new 42mm models house a caliber L888.5 (ETA A31.L11) self-winding mechanical movement with a silicon balance-spring, 11½ lines, 21 jewels, 25'200 vibrations per hours, a power reserve of around 72 hours - along with a substantial 5-year warranty. Thoughts? Three great new colors are offered here for the 42mm variant. In addition to the increased case size the 42mm models also get a higher performing movement. I remember when this was first launched in plain black – which stayed like that for years and years. Today you can now choose from nearly 15 model variants and they are all lovely but black remains the classic choice.

But what do you think? Let me know in the comments, below.