Longines Heritage Military Marine Nationale

Longines is a brand on a roll lately. From workhorse dive watches to vintage-inspired pieces that celebrate the best in 20th-century horology, the Saint Imier-based brand has blossomed under Swatch Group ownership into a veritable powerhouse of contemporary watchmaking. Best of all, their wares are eminently accessible and affordable. Can’t argue with that! The Heritage Military is a favorite from the past several years. A celebration of watches issued to the Royal Air Force during World War II, it’s a fitting tribute both to the original timepiece and to the intrepid pilots who defended Britain’s skies from the Luftwaffe. Housed in a stainless steel 38.5mm case with a sapphire crystal, a signed crown, and a polished, stepped bezel, it features a silver cream dial with printed 'Arabic' indices, an outer minute track, and a blued-steel ‘spade’ handset, much like the original. In a cool touch, its dial has been hand-sprayed with tiny droplets to give the impression of patina, making each piece in this series a unique watch.  Powered by the automatic Longines L888 movement with 72 hours of power reserve, it comes paired to a signed, brown leather strap with a signed, stainless steel pin buckle.  A fabulous everyday or dress watch, the Longines Heritage Military is easily one of the best buys in modern watchmaking under $5,000. But don’t take our word for it… Give it a try!