Reviewing the Longines Heritage Classic Tuxedo
Watches like people are born with different purposes, some to help us in our daily lives, others in our activity, others have the purpose of keeping us alive and then there are others who are born to bring us joy and invite us to go out, the two pieces from the Longines Heritage Classic Tuxedo collection are part of this universe.
This Heritage Classic Tuxedo collection seems to have come out of a classic film, where distinguished men dressed in their elegant tuxedos ended their days in jazz bars, dance halls or private parties, where charm and elegance were distilled and the nights were characterized by marathons of dances, discontinued by smiles and looks lost between drinks and cigarettes.
Longines has this gift, to make us relive the past by recreating some of its most iconic classic models, and honour be done, they know how to do it like few others. It was during the past year that they launched this small collection of two watches, the first being characterized by the simplicity of the three hands and a chronograph as the second model that in addition to giving the time adds the chronograph complication, but we will immediately look more closely at each of these two dazzling watches.
So, let’s start with the Classic Tuxed, it comes with a 38.5mm stainless steel case, with polished finish over the entire length of the case, the lugs are curved and long in shape, in addition to being drilled, to finish at case level a knurled crown at 3 o’clock with the “Longines” name signed.
The dial features a silver opaline, a black outer ring in the Art Deco style, the black outer ring is fixed with a white minute track and Arabic hour markers that are filled with beige Super-LumiNova luminescence (fauxtine style) the same padding receives the two-central baton-shaped hands, the watch also features a small second’s sub-dial at 6 o’clock with a white radial pattern. The dial receives only the signature of the brand at 12 o’clock and a small mention of “Swiss Made” below the 6 o’clock marker, remaining true to the original classic model and in that sense, the mention “Automatic” referring to the movement was kept out.
The Classic Tuxedo comes equipped with the automatic movement ETA Caliber L893 that offers up to 64 hours of power reserve.
We now jump to the Classic Chronograph Tuxedo, it comes with a 40mm diameter stainless steel case and unlike the Classic Tuxedo it has a polished but also brushed finish, the lugs are curved and short, that makes it looks on the wrist similar or even smaller than its brother. The case also features the same type of knurled crown described above, flanked by the two block-shaped pushers in the classic style that is part of the chronograph function.
The dial features the same silver opaline as its brother, but it has three distinct areas, first, a white outer ring where the tachymeter scale with blue accents is attached, second, a black ring where are a minute track and Arabic hour markers in white, and third, an inner area that is presented in white and where is fixed a silver swords hands, a second’s sub-dial at 3 o’clock and a 30-minute totalizer at 9 o’clock, both with a white radial pattern. Finally, and with regard to the dial, the blue accents of the central second hand and also the hands of the two sub-dials should be highlighted, as well as the absence of other inscriptions beside the signature of the brand and the usual and almost unnoticed “Swiss Made” text.
At the movement level, it is equipped with the automatic movement ETA L895 that offers a power reserve of up to 54 hours.
Both watches come equipped with sapphire glass with several layers of coating that give them anti-reflective characteristics and are supplied with a black leather strap.
Final considerations, are two elegant and very beautiful watches, which unfortunately deserved more prominence, the choice between one and the other is up to each one, I like simplicity and that is why I would come more easily with the Classic Tuxedo on my wrist, however, there is one small detail that would change, which is the long lugs that make it look bigger on the wrist and also accentuates the empty space between the case and the strap, but apart from this detail, everything else would say that it is perfect.
General Specifications:
Brand: Longines
Model: Heritage Classic Tuxedo, Heritage Classic Chronograph Tuxedo
Reference: L2.330.4.93.0, L2.830.4.93.0 (Chronograph)
Dial: Black and Silver
Lume: Super-LumiNova
Case Material: Stainless steel
Case Dimensions: 38.50 mm Diameter, 11.65 mm thickness (L2.330.4.93.0), 40 mm Diameter, 13.60 mm thickness (L2.830.4.93.0)
Crystal: Sapphire
Case Back: Stainless steel
Water Resistance: 30 Meters
Strap: Black leather strap
Caliber: L893 (L2.330.4.93.0), L895 (L2.830.4.93.0)
Functions: Hours, minutes, small seconds (L2.330.4.93.0), hours, minutes, small seconds, chronograph (L2.830.4.93.0)
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 25,200 vph (L2.330.4.93.0), 28,800 vph (L2.830.4.93.0)
Jewels: 27 (L2.330.4.93.0), 37 (L2.830.4.93.0)
Power Reserve: 64 Hours (L2.330.4.93.0), 54 Hours (L2.830.4.93.0)
Price: € 1,970 (L2.330.4.93.0), € 2,950 (L2.830.4.93.0)