Longines Refreshes the Legend Diver Collection with New Colors in Two Case Sizes

If there was ever any doubt as to the durable popularity of vintage inspired sports watches and the return of sensibly sized watches that can be worn by anyone, new releases from Longines announced today would seem to put those to rest. In filling out the Legend Diver collection with an array of new color variants in both the traditional 42mm and newer, sleeker 36mm case sizes, Longines seems to be leaning into multiple trends simultaneously. Trends might not be the right word, though, because vintage inspired divers don’t appear to be going anywhere, and haven’t for quite some time. 

Regardless of size, this is still the Legend Diver that enthusiasts have come to know over the last several years, with only subtle adjustments to the aesthetic. At its core, this is still an impressive and nearly one to one recreation of the original Longines diver in the super compressor case from 1959. The 42mm version has nearly the same case lines and dimensions as the vintage watch, and both share the iconic dial layout with oversized numerals and hashes, as well as a box shaped crystal, arrow tipped hour hand, and dual screw in crowns (one for winding and setting, the other for operating the bezel). 

The new releases announced today incorporate gradient dials in different colors, which is something we’ve had a taste of with the Legend Diver before, most notably in bronze. In the 42mm case size, Longines has unveiled dials in sand beige and ash gray, while in 36mm we get burgundy, sand beige, and royal blue (to match this variant from last year). There are now, by my unscientific count, a total of 11 different Legend Divers to choose from between both the 36mm and 42mm case sizes.

Both versions of the Legend Diver still run on automatic movements, with the smaller watch using caliber L592.5 and the bigger one caliber L888.5. These are modern, workhorse automatic movements that are well suited to contemporary sports watches, each boasting a durable and amagnetic silicon balance spring. The L888.5 in the larger watch takes advantage of its size with a 72 hour power reserve (the L592.5 will last for about 45 hours on a full wind. 

All of the new Legend Divers carry the same retail price of $2,400. In a market crowded with vintage flavored dive watches, it feels like a bargain to see a watch with this much classic style from a heritage brand coming in at less than $3,000, particularly with a modern Swiss movement. All the better that Longines now offers even more choice when it comes to dial color. Longines