Members of the Collector’s Circle gathered in Brisbane at Longines to celebrate the Master Collection in style!
There’s always something enjoyable about seeing how different people react to watches when they get them on the wrist. You can look at photos, read the specifications and have a favourite picked out before arriving, but often that changes once you actually try a watch on.
That was certainly the case last week when the Watch Advice Collector’s Circle came together with Longines at the brand’s Brisbane Boutique to celebrate the new Master Collection in what was our last official Collector’s Circle event for the year.
Around 40 guests joined us for the evening, with the boutique filled with plenty of conversation, watches changing wrists, and people taking the opportunity to explore the entire Longines collection. While the new Master Collection was the focus of the night, having the broader range on display gave guests the chance to try on different models and find what suited their own style and tastes.
Longines is also one of those brands that, in my opinion, can sometimes fly under the radar when people are looking at Swiss watches. Founded in Saint-Imier in 1832, the brand has nearly two centuries of watchmaking history behind it, with a heritage that spans everything from aviation and exploration through to sport and precision timekeeping. The famous winged hourglass has been part of that story since the 19th century, and remains one of the most recognisable and oldest brand marks in watchmaking.
But history aside, what I think makes Longines such a compelling brand today is the value you get across its collections. Whether you’re looking at the Master Collection, Conquest, Spirit or one of its more elegant offerings, Longines has a knack for producing well-made watches with great movements and designs at a price point that, compared to many Swiss brands, still represents very good value for money.
It’s honestly a brand that probably deserves a little more attention than it gets, and having the full collection available on the night was a good reminder of just how much variety Longines has to offer.
The Master Collection Takes Centre Stage
Longines has been on a roll this year. Starting with the new HydroConquest Collection released in March, the very cool and retro-styled Conquest Heritage Central Power Reserve and more recently, an updated Master Collection that, in our opinion, knocked it out of the park, especially with the Master Collection Chrono Monopusher and Chron Moonphases. So, with that, it seemed like a good occasion to celebrate the new Master Collection with a group of enthusiastic men and women who love watches just as much as we do.
The stars of the evening were undoubtedly the new Master Collection Chrono Monopushers. Having the chance to see both the blue and ivory dial versions side by side, and more importantly, try them on, made for some interesting conversations throughout the night.
A manual-winding monopusher chronograph that looks as good as the Longines under A$6,000 is rare, so it was no surprise that these had the limelight.
There didn’t seem to be a clear winner between the two colourways, either. Guests appeared pretty evenly split on which they preferred, with some drawn to the ice blue dial while others preferred the warmer, more classic look of the ivory version, which is my personal favourite.
Something For Everyone
While the Master Collection Chrono Monopushers were getting plenty of attention, they certainly weren’t the only watches finding their way onto people’s wrists.
We had quite a few ladies join us for the evening, and it was interesting to see where their attention gravitated. The Elegance collection was an obvious choice, with the Dolcevita models proving popular, while the smaller Conquest models also caught the attention of several guests, especially the 34mm Conquest with the green sunray brushed and diamond set dial
With the entire Longines collection available to explore, there was plenty of opportunity for everyone to move between the different ranges and try on watches they may not have otherwise considered. That is the beauty of a watch event after all!
A few guests even decided to take a little something home from the evening, purchasing a new watch as a “souvenir” of the night. There were also plenty of conversations around potential purchases, with a number of guests taking the time to narrow down their options and mull things over for the next few weeks.
The enjoyment of watches overall, however, is what it is all about. Whether it was comparing the two Master Collection Chrono Monopushers, trying on something completely different, or simply talking watches with other collectors, the relaxed atmosphere gave everyone the chance to enjoy the evening at their own pace, enjoy some of the food on offer and drink some champagne or cocktails.
That’s A Wrap!
It was another great night with Longines and our Brisbane Collector’s Circle, and a reminder of why getting watches off the screen and onto the wrist makes such a difference. As mentioned, this was our last official Collector’s Circle event of the year, and we are excited to do more next year around the country, so stay tuned for announcements via our newsletter. Speaking of…
If you’d like to join us at future events like this, the Watch Advice Collector’s Circle is open to watch lovers and collectors around Australia. We’re continuing to bring our community together with events, hands-on experiences and opportunities to get closer to some of the world’s best watch brands. Click the banner link below to join, and make sure you mark Watch Advice Events ([email protected]) safe.
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