In 1954 Longines launched the Conquest collection, the brand's first watch line whose name was deposited at the Federal Office of Intellectual Property in Berne. A few years later, in 1959, the company produced a version displaying for the first time the power reserve in the centre of the dial on rotating discs. This unique model is now being reissued by Longines to mark the 70th anniversary of the collection.
The Conquest Heritage Central Power Reserve refers to the original model by introducing the same central power reserve display: an indicator, in the shape of a stick enlarged at one end, shows the remaining power reserve level on the graduated outer disc.
The three-part dial layout also features applied facetted indices, skyscraper hands and a trapezoidal date window at 12 o'clock.
It is available in three versions: champagne dial with yellow gold-plated indexes and hands; anthracite dial with rose gold-plated indexes and hands; and black dial with silver-plated indexes and hands. For all, the completely redesigned 38 mm case is in steel, finished with an alternation of satin-finished and polished surfaces and a domed sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment. The lugs have also been redesigned for ergonomics and comfort.
The screw-down case back reveals through the sapphire crystal the new L896.5 calibre, an automatic movement beating at a frequency of 25,200 vibrations per hour, with a 72-hour power reserve and a resistance to magnetic fields ten times greater than the ISO 764 reference standard. The straps are alligator leather: black on the champagne version and black and grey on the anthracite version.
Price4,300 euro.
