A Closer Look at the Longines Ultra-Chron Watch
Longines is launching a new watch model, ”The new Longines Ultra-Chron watch,” which is more accurate than a clock, ticking at ten beats per second. With more than 100 years of making cool vintage timepieces, the Longines watch comes with a new high-frequency movement that ensures better precision. For the brand’s latest watch release, Longines has set the bar dramatically higher with the launch of the impressively high-performing timepiece Ultra-Chron watch, reimagining the original Longines Ultra-Chron 1968 Diver. The watch comes with the signature design codes of its predecessor, unique mid-century styling, exceptional accuracy, better-performing movements, and perfect finishing. In this guide, we will take a closer look at the Longines Ultra-Chron watch.
Overview
Back in 1968, the iconic watch-manufacturing brand Longines released the Ultra-Chron Diver watch, which was the first-ever dive timepiece to feature a high-frequency movement. The brand was already a leading brand in watch-making after launching the first high-frequency timekeeping device that could precisely measure about 1/10th of a second. The new Longines Ultra-Chron was inspired by the professional dive specs and the aesthetic codes of the 1968 model. This legendary timepiece comes with a unidirectional rotating bezel, water resistance of up to 300 meters, and a well screwed-in crown and case back. Like most Retro-style watches, the Ultra-Chron Diver watch offers exceptional legibility and a cool vintage style. Other notable features in the Longines’ new Ultra Chron timepiece are an easily recognizable 43mm cushion-shaped steel case and a diving bezel that is fitted with luminescent accents and a sapphire insert. There is also a black grained dial decorated with a “white” minute-hand path with alternative SuperLumiNova-coated batons.
In the brand’s efforts to revive the 1968 Longines dive watch, the new Ultra Chron timepiece comes with the same high-frequency automatic movement that operated at speeds of 5 Hz. The new Ultra Chron watch is also highly resistant to scratches, water pressure, and shock-like predecessor. According to Longines, the new Longines watch release ushers in a new generation of the Ultra Chron collection with the inclusion of the most accurate time movement the iconic brand has ever used on any of its products. The superior accuracy of the Ultra Chron watch has led to it being referred to as an “ultra chronometer,” meaning that its overall performance goes above and beyond the typical requirement of an ordinary chronometer. The movements of the new Longines Ultra Chron watch were tested by TIMELAB, an independent testing lab in Geneva. The results proved that the watch’s movement allows the watch to have a power reserve of up to 52 hours. TIMELAB also found that each movement is fitted with a monocrystalline silicon balance spring to help maintain the watch’s high level of accuracy.
Specs
According to Italian Watch Spotter, below are some notable features of the Longines Ultra Chron Dive watch:
- Brand: Longines
- Reference number: 8301
- Case Material: Stainless steel
- Crystal: Plexiglass
- Dial Color: Black, with a grained finish
- Lume: C3 Super-Luminova
- Thickness: 13.6 mm
- Diameter: 43 mm
- Index: Applied at three, nine, six, and twelve o’clock
- Water Resistance: 300 meters
- Lug width: 22mm
- Strap/Bracelet: Seven-link stainless steel bracelet with a push-piece opening mechanism and double safety folding clasp. Dark Brown leather strap with a steel buckle, and black and red NATO-style made of recycled material.
The Dial and Case
The Longines Ultra Chron timepiece has an eye-catching black dial detailed with baton indices. The hour and minute hands come in a well-polished silver finish, and the minute hand is adorned in a vibrant shade of red. Unlike its predecessor, which featured an arrow-tipped, lume-filled seconds hand, the central second’s hands of the new Longines Dive watch have a simple and slim stainless steel second with minimal facets and no lume application. The bold dial is protected by an anti-reflective sapphire crystal that helps reduce glare and gives the watch an increased resistance to scratches. Other dial details are designed with the Swiss Super-Luminova coat to ensure the dial is easily visible even in dark environments. Another notable difference between the dial of the new and vintage Longines model is that the new model has a black dial with a slightly grained finish to include an additional visual appearance to the watch. At the same time, the vintage model has a funky faceted dial with applied markers at the poles. However, both models still feature the same blocky, colorful format for the hour and minute hands, plus the extremely cool Ultra Chron logo. When it comes to the case, it measures 13.66mm in thickness and 43mm in diameter, ensuring perfect wear on the wrist.
Bezel
Arguably the most notable feature update for the new 2022 Longines Ultra-Chron Dive timepiece is the 120-click unidirectional bezel. Instead of the typical aluminum or ceramic model used in nearly every other timepiece brand, Longines decided to include a sapphire crystal insert. This is the first time for the iconic watch brand to feature a domed sapphire bezel insert in their latest generation watch. The attractive sapphire bezel insert on the 2022 Ultra Chron Diver is lumed at the 15, 30, and 45-minute markers and the zero marker triangle. The official release reports by Longines claim that the new rotating bezel system for the new Ultra-Chron dive watch enables it to rotate in precise time clicks.
Movement
At the center of the new Longines Ultra Chron Diver is the caliber L836.6 which ensures a high-frequency automatic movement of 36,000 beats per hour and ten beats per second. The amazing accuracy of this watch is further confirmed by TIMELAB’s certification as an “ultra chronometer” through various independent tests. Moreover, the accuracy of the watch’s movement is made more stable by reducing the disruptive effects of constant changes in the position of the movement or shocks of the high-beat movement.
Takeaway
Another notable feature of the all-new Longines Ultra Chron Diver is an impressive 300-meter water resistance, which means the water is suitable for most water-based activities. The timepiece is also available in two strap options, namely, an elegant and modern stainless steel bracelet and a classic brown leather strap with an adequate amount of padding and perfectly-matched accent stitching. According to Monochrome-watches, the average retailing price of the 2022 Longines Ultra Chron Diver is $3,200 for the non-box set leather strap models, $3,500 for the box set bracelet models and $3,450 for the non-box bracelet models.