Longines Spirit Collection

As someone who's covered watches for over 15 years, I’ve seen a lot come and go. Brands try to stand out with bold designs or heritage reissues, but few strike the right balance. The Longines Spirit collection does. Released in 2020, it blends the brand’s aviation past with modern design and function. It's not a copy of the past. It’s a modern take that works today, especially in the $2,000 range.

Longines Spirit Built on Aviation Roots

Longines has been around since 1832 and has deep ties to aviation. Pilots trusted their watches during key moments in flight history. Charles Lindbergh used Longines during his 1927 transatlantic flight. The brand also worked with Captain Philip Van Horn Weems on navigation watches. These weren’t just marketing stories—these watches were tools.

The Longines Spirit takes design cues from those early pieces. You’ll see 1930s and 1940s influences in the minute track and numerals. The case shape nods to the 1960s Conquest. The five stars on the dial hint at the movement quality and are a nod to older Longines models.

Clean Design, Strong Finishing

The case finishing stands out right away. You get a mix of brushed and polished surfaces, plus a bevel along the side that catches light without being flashy. The crown looks like a vintage onion-style crown, with a sandblasted background and a raised logo. The caseback is closed and secured by six screws, keeping things aligned and tool-like.

The dial combines vintage style with modern build. It sits under a sapphire crystal that’s treated with anti-reflective coating on both sides. The raised minute track runs along the edge with cutouts at each five-minute marker. Inside that is a ring of applied numerals.

The matte black dial keeps things grounded, but there are also sunburst blue and champagne options in the 37mm models. Hands are polished and filled with lume. The seconds hand differs by model: red arrow tip on the 40mm, small diamond on the 37mm. On the 40mm, the hand aligns with the diamond markers on the dial. Longines Spirit

Lume is strong and helps with low-light visibility. All numerals, markers, and hands are coated. Longines Spirit

The date window is well thought out. On the 40mm, it’s at 3 o’clock with a black disc that blends with the dial. On the 37mm, it’s at 6 o’clock and color-matched, which looks more balanced. Longines Spirit

A Solid Movement

Under the caseback is the Longines L888.4, based on the ETA A31.L11. This movement is exclusive to Longines through its Swatch Group ties. It’s a step above the standard ETA or Sellita movements you find at this price. 

It beats at 3.5 Hz, a bit slower than the standard 4 Hz. This helps it stretch its power reserve to around 72 hours. It’s COSC-certified, which means it meets Swiss chronometer standards. Some reports show accuracy as good as +2 seconds per day. It also uses a silicon hairspring, which helps with anti-magnetic resistance.

Sizing and Wearability

The 40mm model has a slim profile at 12.2mm thick, but the long lug-to-lug length—49.6mm—makes it wear big. The bracelet adds even more length due to its straight end links, pushing total reach to about 54mm. Swapping to a strap helps the watch wear closer to its true size. The 21mm lug width limits third-party strap choices.

Longines heard the feedback and added a 37mm version in 2022. It’s 11.9mm thick with a shorter 44.9mm lug-to-lug. The bracelet end links now curve down, improving the fit. This smaller size wears like a true 38mm and suits smaller wrists better. 

The 40mm bracelet is slim and mostly brushed, but it uses a butterfly clasp with no micro-adjustment and cotter pins instead of screws. The 37mm fixes some of this with a push-button clasp and five micro-adjustment points. 

Everyday Value That Holds Its Own

The Longines Spirit offers real value in its category. You get a strong design, high-level finishing, and a COSC-certified movement. It’s water-resistant to 100 meters and can handle daily use without fuss.

It holds its own against watches like the IWC Mark XVIII, Tudor Ranger, and Breitling Aviator 8. It might not have the same brand hype, but it matches or beats them in specs and design—and usually for less money. 

It’s not flawless. The long lug-to-lug on the 40mm and the 21mm lug width are worth noting. The outer AR coating can scratch. And the standard 40mm bracelet clasp feels a bit underwhelming. But none of these are deal-breakers. 

The 37mm model solves a lot of the wearability concerns. Longines has also added a chronograph version, with more variants likely to come—maybe even a GMT or a no-date option. 

In short, the Longines Spirit isn’t just a well-made pilot-style watch. It’s a sign that Longines knows how to evolve while sticking to its roots. For the price, it’s one of the best-rounded automatic watches out there.