Jewellery & Watch News
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, Longines are one of just a handful of luxury watch manufacturers that relive their history right. The entire Longines Heritage watch collection pays tribute to their 190-year long spirit that has driven their watchmakers from the outset by taking inspiration from historic models in their archives and performing a modern-day kiss of life for the contemporary wrist. The very same techniques are applied in their latest Heritage watch, the Longines Silver Arrow, which this time takes us back to the mid 1950’s and the racing circuits of that era.
History of the Longines Silver Arrow
The history behind the Longines Silver Arrow watch first began in 1955 when the Swiss manufacturer held an in-house competition with its employees to find the name for a new timepiece with an innovative design. Out of 450 suggestions, the Silver Arrow stuck out. The concept was inspired by the iconic Mercedes Benz Formula 1 racing cars of the same name which had saturated the motorsport world since 1934. They themselves had become symbols of elegance, speed and precision and justifiably, Longines believed their new Longines Silver Arrow watch paid homage to these ideologies.
The Longines Silver Arrow was officially released in 1956 and like its new counterpart boasted a polished stainless steel case, a crisp silver dial and a special decorated case back which bore the image of a supersonic plane flying through the stars, an image used to symbolise its connection to racing circuits and the world’s nearing developments for space exploration. The new 2021 Longines Silver Arrow watch is certainly not the first or even the second of its kind. Back in 2009, Longines unveiled another vintage-inspired design based on this model but it lacked some of the original’s more distinctive elements like the striped indexes and it incorporated a date – a feature many collectors wished missed. We’re pleased to announce that the new Longines Heritage Silver Arrow watch is an even closer re-edition of its 1950’s predecessor. Let’s take a look…
The new Longines Heritage Silver Arrow
As we mentioned, the 2009 Longines Silver Arrow left some collectors underwhelmed due to the addition of a date complication at 3 o’clock. Those of you feeling the same will be pleased to hear the new Longines Silver Arrow watch is free of the date, in fact, the dial very closely maintains the aesthetics of the original. Its main surface is dressed in a powdery silver opaline finish and accented by a sloping outer segment with a silver polished ring and a crisp white minutes scale. Also around the edge are twelve striped indexes, just like that of the original, with instantly brings to life the playful era of the 1950’s as well as a nice touch of light play. The dial is also decorated with central silvered dauphine polished hands with the hours and minutes treated with a subtle hint of khaki coloured Superluminova. Beside the extended index at 6 o’clock, the Longines Heritage Silver Arrow watch revives its original letting “Silver Arrow” in a similar font which pairs nicely with the matching black Longines logo.
The case of the Longines Silver Arrow conforms to the traditional dress watch style with polished stainless steel and clean, classic lines. The bezel is left smooth and unadorned and equipped with scratch resistant domed sapphire crystal glass for a clear view of the silver dial beneath. Tapering lugs secure the 10 millimetre thick case comfortably to the wrist with the help of a vintage-inspired brown calfskin leather strap and stainless steel pin buckle. The case measures to 38.5 millimetres in diameter, a little larger than the 35 millimetre original, but it rightfully suits today’s modern sensibilities. The case back retains the impression of its predecessor, engraved with a simple graphic of a high-speed jet flying amongst the stars. Behind the closed case back, which secures a water resistant rating of 30 metres, is the automatic winding L888.5 calibre. Based on the ETA 2892, the Swiss made movement delivers central hands for hours, minutes and seconds, a power reserve of 72 hours and a beat rate of 25,200 vibrations per hour.
For more information on the Longines Heritage Silver Arrow watch and to order your own, head over to the C W Sellors website here or get in touch with the team. Call us on 01335 453453 or send us a message at sales@cwsellors.com.
Specifications: Longines Heritage Silver Arrow Watch (L2.834.4.72.2)
- Case Size: 38.5mm
- Case Material: Stainless steel
- Bezel: Fixed
- Glass: Domed sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating
- Crown: Non-screw locked
- Case Back: Screwed with special engraving
- Water Resistance: 30 metres
- Movement: L888.5 automatic winding
- Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds
- Power Reserve: 72 hours
- Jewels: 21
- Frequency: 25,200vph
- Dial: Silver opaline
- Strap: Brown calfskin leather
- Buckle: Pin, stainless steel
- RRP: £1,650
