VIDEO: 5 standout Longines from Baselworld 2018, including a smart GMT and a brand new Legend
Longines have a well-earned reputation for exceptionally strong heritage releases, and while their Baselworld 2018 collection featured a particularly hot blacked-out Legend Diver, it was newer lines, like the extensions to Record and V.H.P. that really stood out. On the one hand, the new gold and two-tone additions to the traditionally styled Record impressed with their simplicity and everyday wearability, while on the other, Longines added a chronograph and a GMT to their super-accurate V.H.P. collection. This line in general is well beyond your average quartz collection, but the GMT is particularly impressive, as the smart crown allows you to quickly swap between local and home time, and you can even set the time using your phone, thanks to an intriguing bit of technology called flash setting, which uses a photo detector integrated into the ‘12’ marker. Longines’ Baselworld 2018 collection goes to show that this twin focus on making quartz cool and COSC-level accuracy accessible seems to be a real winning formula for the brand.
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Cola was the hot topic leading up to Baselworld 2018 when it came to speculation about new Rolex releases. Would the Big Crown twist the lid off a new ‘Coke’, a two-colour red and black Cerachrom bezel GMT-Master II model, or rather open a cold can of Pepsi, referring to the two-colour red and blue Cerachrom bezel GMT-Master II? The fact that it was the latter was not a surprise as much as the fact that it was in stainless steel, or ‘Oystersteel’, as 904L steel is to be known henceforth. The new generation Jubilee bracelet choice, as well as a new movement — the 3285, extending the power reserve from 48 to 70 hours — made this a very meaningful evolution of the wildly popular collection. Rolex’s dextrous little parry landed a hit squarely on journalists, fans and the industry, but no sooner was that noted by the scorers then the other releases also started to emerge. In addition to the expanded GMT-Master II range, which also includes the first ever Everose GMT-Master II, we have a proportionally improved Deep-Sea Sea-Dweller and a gem-set Daytona that is hot, hot, HOTline bling.
Crowdsourcing is all the rage at the moment. And we love being on-trend as much as we love the idea of involving our community on the site, so here’s what we think we might do. For Baselworld, we’re going to publish our favourite comments from social media on a semi-regular basis. Why? Because occasionally there’s such high concentrations of wisdom, humour and ignorance that we think it would be rude not to share. In the comments, we also see a daily journey as the watches we’re unveiling cause emotions: good, bad and ambivalent. So, let’s begin. But before we do, here’s how to play if you want to feature in a future Crowdsourced Content dispatch: be wise, be funny, or be outrageous. That ought to do it. The day started with the battle of the cola-flavoured beverages. Well, one in particular — the Pepsi (the Rolex GMT-Master II in stainless steel, or ‘Oystersteel’) as delivered by both stablemates Rolex and Tudor. Our fearless leader, Andrew, got the jump comparing both models. Did we expect it? Good question. A steel Rolex sports models was on most prediction lists for this Baselworld but many speculated it would be a Coke (Black and Red…
In an opening salvo of releases that instantaneously became the first buzz topic of Basel 2018, Rolex and Tudor have simultaneously released ‘Pepsi’ GMTs; Rolex with a GMT-Master II with two-colour blue and red Cerachrom bezel and the Tudor Black Bay GMT, with two-colour red and blue aluminium bezel. The Rolex is one of three new versions of the GMT-Master II and houses a brand new movement, the new-generation calibre 3285. The first new version, in ‘Oystersteel’, is equipped with a bi-directional rotatable bezel and a 24-hour two-colour Cerachrom insert in red and blue ceramic. The new Tudor Black Bay GMT in steel is also a completely new movement, the MT5652, with 70 hours of power reserve and a fully integrated GMT, just like the Rolex. The Tudor also has a snowflake style GMT-hand and comes with a stainless steel bracelet, leather strap or fabric strap. 5 Early reactions to the Rolex vs Tudor Pepsi GMTs SURPRISED: There was a lot of buzz and chatter about a steel Coke GMT-Master II (black and red) for Rolex, and frankly,, there was no noise at all about a Black Bay GMT, simply because rumours about it ran so hot in other years and proved groundless. So, on…
Omega releasing a new Speedmaster model at Baselworld 2018 is hardly the biggest surprise ever, but still, the high contrast black and yellow colour scheme and novel dial design make the Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon Apollo 8 an interesting, attention-seeking addition to the family. Vital statistics Fifty years ago, Apollo 8 was the first mission to orbit the moon, and actually see the dark side of the moon. So the black, zirconium oxide ceramic Dark Side of the Moon is an obvious choice. And while Omega say the choice of yellow is inspired by the original Speedmaster Racing and associations with speed, really what it comes down to is the fact that it looks cool. But what’s really interesting about this watch is the dial. It’s skeletonised, which is unusual for a Speedy, and the plates and bridges have been given a dark lunar makeover, courtesy of a laser ablation technique. In a cool twist the caseback side of the watch is rendered to resemble the dark side of the moon. Initial thoughts The space theme on the DSOTM Apollo 8 is nuanced and well done — I particularly like that the Jim Lovell quote, “We’ll see you…
One of the most popular and most loved Omega watches is the mighty Seamaster 300 — made especially famous by James Bond. Baselworld 2018 marks the 25th anniversary of the design, and to mark the occasion, Omega have completely upgraded and revamped the line, offering a total of 14 new Seamaster Diver 300 models, in both steel and two-tone cases. Vital statistics Every detail of the new Seamaster Diver 300 has been assessed and rethought, from a new, more ergonomic bracelet, to a conical helium escape valve. But it’s the big changes that will capture the eye. The size has been boosted to 42mm, and that famous scalloped bezel is now in ceramic with Ceragold or white enamel diving scale. The dials are also polished ceramic, in blue, black and chrome (thanks to a PVD treatment), and the ever-popular wave design is now laser engraved. You’ll note that the date is a touch more subtle at the six o’clock position, and the hands design, while still recognisable, has been tweaked. Things are different on the inside too, as each of these new watches is powered by the Master Chronometer certified 8800, with all that entails for accuracy and performance. Initial…
The Seamaster is one of the enduring staples of the fine watch world, found on the wrists of young and old, all over the world. It turns out that this year the old favourite turns 70, and so we’ve obviously got new Omega Seamaster watches being released at Baselworld 2018 — like these Omega Seamaster 1948 Limited Editions, offered in small and central seconds variations. Vital statistics It’s not often you think about watches in the context of international events, but in the case of the Seamaster it’s pertinent. First released in 1948, while the world was still reeling from World War II, the original Seamaster built on the lessons Omega learned in the war — it’s a rugged, robust and overall accurate watch, the sort of watch they provided the British Ministry of Defence in their thousands, but with a more civilian flavour. Today, Omega have honoured that original design with two similar, but subtly different, variants. The Small Seconds model, features leaf-style hands in 18k white gold, adding an extra touch of elegance to the domed silver opaline dial with its applied markers. The Central Seconds is slightly more youthful, with sportier dauphine hands and SuperLuminova. Both are…
It was only a matter of time. And if you were a betting man, you’d have safely bet that it would be right on a year that Longines would double down on the Record Collection and offer it in gold. The benefits are immediate, giving the otherwise conservative new range a whole snap, crackle and colour pop, care of rose gold and navy blue alchemy, as well as two-tone variants. Vital statistics The watches in the Record Collection, certified as “chronometers” by the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC), thanks to engineering upgrades such as a silicon balance, combine classic elegance with excellence. Longines talk about the Record being a bridge between the brand’s tradition and innovation; however, it’s more accurate to say that the movement is now just on a par with more expensive brands and its accuracy and quality is guaranteed within -4/+6 a day. It’s not particularly innovative, but it is particularly good value at this price point, which is a brand quality we find ourselves repeating ad nauseam. The Record Collection features two sized calibers housed inside four sizes of models (26, 30, 38.5 and 40mm) and comes in a variety of dials. Like the debut range,…
The Conquest is considered by Longines to be “the ultimate sports line”, and with the V.H.P. chronograph, the brand is combining sportiness with next-level precision, care of the impressive technical quartz heart that makes the watch accurate to +/- 5 seconds a year. It’s not the first time the winged hourglass brand has set its sights on ultra precision and performance. Vital statistics Longines’ history with quartz has been one full of technical innovations and feats. In 1954, the first quartz watch set a precision record at the Neuchâtel Observatory. It would be fitted into the legendary Chronocinégines, an instrument that became a pioneer in the history of timekeeping. Another huge step forward was made in 1984 with the quartz calibre fitted in the first Conquest V.H.P, setting yet more precision records. These historic milestones form a foundation for the new Conquest V.H.P, with a chronograph calibre in various chromatic variations. The movement developed exclusively for Longines stands out for its high degree of precision for an analog watch and its ability to reset its hands after an impact or exposure to a magnetic field, using the Gear Position Detection (GPD) system. These attractive features are likely responsible for its…