Longines Master Series 4 Month Review

[Mort]

Hi Everyone,

Its been about four months since I purchased my Longines Master Series Chronograph, so I thought I would give my review on the watch.

I have to say I really like the watch. I like the look, the feel and the weight of the watch. I am so glad I was able to buy it in rose gold.

When I started looking at chronographs, I really was looking more for a dress chrono instead of a tool one. I did have two others in the running, in which I know many here would of chosen. The first was the 6.75 Bentley and the other was the Broad Arrow Speedy. I picked the Longines for a few reasons. One it was gold(which I like in my watches)second,I liked the complications. The last reason is because of sentimental reasons. The first nice watch I ever owned was a longines my late mother gave me for my high school graduation, which I still have.

On to the watch, the watch is 40mm, has a triple date with a moonphase and chrono functions. For the list price, the Longines is a lot of bang for the buck. The rose gold case is fairly heavy and is very confortable. Ever since I bought my Maurice Lacroix triple date a few years ago, I knew I wanted another watch with that complication, only in all rose gold.



The movement is Longines decorated Valjoux 7751, and so far the watch has proved to be very accurate. The watch has an exhibition back to see the beautiful movement. It is not quite a beautiful as the movement on my Patek, but still it is a great looking movement. All the functions have worked flawlessly. I do have to readjust the date for shorter months. Still it is very easy to do it. The only thing is, according to the manual, you are not supposed to make adjustments between 10PM and 1AM. I am not sure why, it may have to do with day changeing as well.



The dial is white with a gilloche texture with arabic numbers that help to set it off with the blue Breguet style hands . At a glance the watch it pretty easy to read, but at times, one might have to take a second glace, especially when the second hand is not being used in timing functions. You can still pretty much tell the hour and minute hands apart from the date and second hands.



As far as fit and finish, the watch is very nice and has worn well. Being gold, it does scratch fairly easy, and like with all my other watches, the first accidental scratch did happen, so it is now christened. The dark brown alligator strap is dark enough to be worn with black shoes and belt and light enough to wear with brown as well.

The only thing that I could gig the watch for is the deployment and buckle. It functions flawlessly and it is a double fold. My only complaint is the clasp is not gold. The folding part is stainless which is fine, but the actual buckle is gold plated, not 18k. Still it it is a small thing to me. Plus if the buckle and the rest of the deployment were 18k, I am sure the list price would of gone closer to the $8000+ instead of the $6200 list especially with the price of gold these days.

I do really enjoy wearing the Longines and it gets a good bit of wrist time.

In closing, I have to say, for a long time Longines was not considered a fine make, some of that has to do with the quartz years and their past partnership with Wittnauer. Now days that is no longer true. Longines is really putting out some very nice timepieces with no appologies. They may not have the pedigree as Rolex, Patek or the name like Omega, still they are on their way back being a great watch like they were before the dark days of quartz.

Thanks,
Mort