LONGINES SPIRIT
In this tricky year, it is hardly surprising that many brands have chosen not to launch new ranges. But not so
Longines. Staying true to its daring, pioneering spirit, the Longines Spirit collection, comprising time-and-
date watches (40mm or 42mm) and chronographs (42mm) in steel, pays tribute to legendary explorers and pioneers associated with the brand.
Amelia Earhart, Paul-Emile Victor, Elinor Smith and Howard Hughes all wore the brand’s reliable tool watches. There’s plenty to like about the aesthetics of the new Longines Spirit timepieces, too. They marry traditional features from pilot watches with modern updates. The aviation-derived touches include an oversized crown, a flange, a step around the crystal large, lumed numerals, diamond-shaped indexes and luminous baton-shaped hands. Reworked for a contemporary feel, these take on a distinctive design when merged with touches such as contrasting brushed and polished surfaces, as well as three finishings – matte black, grained silver or sunray blue – for the dial.
Also noteworthy are the five applied stars on the dials. They represent excellence, and why not? All of Longines’ Spirit watches are powered by automatic calibres certified by the Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC).
IWC PORTUGIESER AUTOMATIC 40
With an oversized aesthetic inspired by marine chronometers, the IWC Portugieser Automatic has until now been available in a 42mm case – decidedly on the large side. One of IWC’s 2020 releases, the 40mm Portugieser Automatic in steel – while retaining the range’s signature aesthetic – think Arabic numerals, the railway track chapter ring and the leaf-shaped hands – is sure to fit well on most wrists.
Available in four iterations, three in steel and one in red gold, the IWC Automatic 40 is powered by the in-house automatic calibre 82200.
PASHA DE CARTIER
Created as a sports luxe model, and still pretty darn striking in its revamped incarnation, the Pasha de Cartier is for those who like their watches on the flamboyant side. Available in 41mm or 35mm sizes, the Pasha looks showy even when it is in steel, thanks to its broad polished bezel. It also comes in yellow or pink gold and diamond-set versions.
The most dandy-esque feature of this self-winder is its chained crown, with a tiny chain holding the fluted
crown cover. There’s space beneath the cover to engrave the owner’s initials – a nice surprise.
MONTBLANC HERITAGE AUTOMATIC
Is there a person in your life with a penchant for the stylishly old-school? Complement that classic style with
Montblanc’s vintage-looking Heritage Automatic, which marries a yellow gold case with a lacquered dial in British racing green. Measuring a versatile 40mm, the self-winding watch lets its palette do most of the talking, with just
the right amount of extra details in the form of gold-plated numerals and dot markers on a subtly tiered dial.
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