I like watches, but what I like more are the stories associated with them. That is why I ended up picking the Longines Heritage Military.

WW2 is an important event in mankind’s history. It changed the world map forever. And the RAF played a crucial role in Great Britain’s contribution to the allied forces winning the war. During that time Longines was commissioned by the Ministry of Defence to produce some watches for its pilots and other personnel. They were supposed to be simple, robust and functional – basically an extension of the military gear.

This Military Edition is a reissue of one of those watches based on an original piece owned by a radiograph operator from the 1940s. Longines has done an incredible job keeping it as original as it could get. The dial execution is great with bold Arabic numerals, heated-blue spade hands and a railroad minute track on faux patina laquer, hand-sprayed with black paint which is unique to each piece.

At 38.5mm, and with short, tapered lugs (unlike the Legend Diver), the watch fits beautifully on the wrist, especially on the nato. The entire case has a brushed finish except for the polished bezel, which makes the dial standout. The large crown, which was originally meant for the pilots to be able to wind the watch while wearing the gloves, adds to the originality. The smooth closed caseback with minimal text is nostalgic. It is a practical watch, front, back and within with an L888 movement which is a robust workhorse providing 65hrs of power reserve.

As I mentioned at the beginning, it’s the stories that excite me more, it is worth noting that Longines launched this watch in 2018; the year also marks the 100th anniversary of RAF, which was founded in 1918.
I am not sure if this is an anniversary edition since there is no mention of it, but it is a cool relevance.

At CHF 2,000 the Longines Heritage Military is an incredible watch that looks and feels great, and has an interesting touch of history to it.