Longines welcomes a new Legend Diver model to the standard catalogue, taking reference to the original 1959 model while giving it a modern edge.
Like others in the watch community, vintage re-editions always give me mixed feelings. On one hand, it’s awesome to see heritage models come back into the fold, complete with the cutting-edge technologies of today.
Yet, it does run the risk of sameness, contributing to the growing nostalgia fatigue I’ve sensed in the watch world. Time is a beautiful thing, and near-impossible to replicate. Often, designs that combine ‘looking old’ and ‘feeling new’ stir a dissonance within watch fans.
Not all heritage throwbacks are beholden to such scrutiny. Heritage models like the Tudor Black Bay 58, the TAG Heuer Monaco, and the Piaget Polo 79 have all garnered acclaim in the modern world. One lesser-talked-about success is the Longines Legend Diver, which resurfaced in 2007 as a remaster of the original 1959 model.
So now that it’s been 67 years since the collection was first introduced, Longines has produced an all-new reference in the Legend Diver line, paying homage to the one that started it all.
Get Bigger
Though Longines debuted a 39mm reference in the Legend Diver series a few years back, the new and aptly named Legend Diver 59 takes the watch back into 42mm territory. Encased in stainless steel, the case diameter is compounded by a sizeable 50.1mm lug-to-lug measurement and a 12.85mm thickness.
Though us smaller-wristed guys will lament the omission of a 39mm version, the wider case dimensions enhance its legibility, an ever-important asset in the dive watch world. Affixed with a Milanese mesh bracelet and micro-adjustable clasp akin to that of the Longines HydroConquest, the Legend Diver 59 is a canvas for all the delightfully retro fixings.
A Tale Of Two Crowns
And funny I should say that, because the dial is unlike any other in the collection. First things first, I do appreciate that they’ve kept it no-date, which itself was a no-brainer for a close-to-the-OG tribute watch. Unlike the gloss or fumé finishes Longines has experimented with in the past, the Legend Diver 59 features a grained dial, offering a subtle textured contrast to the white indexes and raised Arabic numerals.
Paired with the white indexes are accents and arrow hands, all coated with “Light Old Radium” Super-LumiNova to ensure reliable visibility in all environments. Even the seconds hand has a lumed tip, helping divers or those in low-light conditions see whether the watch is still operational.
But faux patina and a reference remaster aren’t all that make the Legend Diver 59 recognisable. The timepiece echoes the design cues of the Super-Compressor case, a revolutionary innovation for its time that compressed the watch as it went deeper into the ocean.
Though modern tech has long since surpassed the need for Super-Compressor cases, the Legend Diver 59 still possesses the same dual-crown setup of old. While the four o’clock crown takes care of the time, the two o’clock crown controls the internal rotating bezel.
(In-)House Rules
As is the case with all Legend Divers, the 59 does not have an open caseback. That’s okay, though, because you’re still treated to a cool depiction of a diver embossed on the solid steel. Beyond that, however, is the real star of the show: Longines’ Calibre L888.6. An offshoot of the Cal. L888.5, itself built upon ETA 2892-A2 architecture, the Legend Diver 59’s movement is as capable as they come.
I bet some of us purists heard that last bit and thought, “Hang on a minute, that’s not an in-house movement!” And I suppose if by “in-house” you mean “manufacture”, you’d probably be correct. But the ETA manufacture itself is under Swatch’s governance, and the vertical integration tightens the degree of separation.
Furthermore, Longines has extensively tinkered with it to ensure it runs to their exacting standards. Thus, not only does it carry a COSC Chronometer certification, but it does so while lasting 72 hours with the brand’s odd beat rate of 3.5Hz (25,200VpH).
Initial Thoughts
As I said, I’m always of two minds about heritage reissues. But the Longines Legend Diver is an interesting exception to the rule. How can you take a watch from 1959, recreate it almost exactly, and still make it appeal to modern audiences? While other watch brands are still trying to crack the code, the Legend Diver has been running, or more accurately swimming, laps around them since 2007.
But with the Legend Diver 59, Longines has officially joined the 1:1 club. A lot of the core design is the same in every way, but now underscored with a little of that “Light Old Radium”. And while the dissonance is inescapable, the Legend Diver 59 somehow manages to pull it off again.
It’s like listening to the Gorillaz. You think “Feel Good Inc.” came out in 2010, when really it was 21 years ago. Clever, robust, and ahead of its time, only now does the Legend Diver, like the Gorillaz, feel like it’s in its appropriate era.
Reference & Specifications
| Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| Reference | L3.795.4.59.9 |
| Dimensions | 42mm case diameter x 50.1mm lug-to-lug x 12.85mm thickness |
| Case | Stainless steel |
| Dial | Grained black with white & beige accents |
| Crystal | Sapphire |
| Caseback | Closed, embossed |
| Movement | Automatic Cal. L888.6 with COSC Chronometer certification |
| Power Reserve | 72h |
| Beat Rate | 3.5Hz / 25,200VpH |
| Water Resistance | 300m / 30bar |
| Strap/Bracelet | Milanese mesh bracelet with micro-adjustable folding clasp OR Complementary black tropic rubber strap with pin buckle |