Longines Strengthens Spirit Collection With Pilot And Flyback Chronograph

Longines, a watchmaker with a history intertwined with exploration and aviation, expands its Spirit collection in 2025 with two new models: the Spirit Pilot and the Spirit Pilot Flyback. Both watches build on the aeronautical DNA of the line while refining ergonomics, enhancing clarity, and introducing mechanical advancements.

Longines Spirit Pilot

The Spirit Pilot is a time-only model crafted in stainless steel. The case measures 39mm in diameter, 11.5mm thick, and has a 20mm lug width, with water resistance rated to 100 metres. Its construction includes a screw-down crown, a screw-down case back, and a domed sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating. The reworked case design ensures a more comfortable fit, while the brushed surfaces and polished chamfered lugs create a restrained, functional aesthetic.

The dial is matte black, with gilt Arabic numerals and gilt hands, all treated with Super-LumiNova for legibility in low light. Longines has refined the presentation by removing the date display and the five-star emblem, resulting in a more streamlined, instrument-like appearance.

Powering the Spirit Pilot is the calibre L888.4, an automatic movement offering a 72-hour power reserve. Beating at 3.5 Hz, it incorporates a silicon balance spring, which provides a level of magnetic resistance ten times greater than ISO 764 standards. Certified by COSC, it ensures chronometer-grade precision.

The model is available with a stainless-steel bracelet featuring a micro-adjustable folding clasp, a brown leather strap also equipped with micro-adjustment, or a green rubber strap with a pin buckle. Prices start at € 2,600 on rubber, € 2,700 on leather, and € 2,950 on the bracelet, with availability beginning in October 2025.

Longines, Spirit Pilot, L3.809.4.53.9 (on a rubber strap), L3.809.4.53.2 (on a leather strap), L3.809.4.53.6 (on a steel bracelet). Black dial, stainless steel case, 39 mm diameter, 11.50 mm thickness, 47.20 mm lug-to-lug, sapphire crystal, 100m water resistance. Stainless steel bracelet with folding clasp, rubber or leather strap. Calibre L888.4, automatic movement, hour, minutes, seconds, 21 jewels, 25,200 Vph, 72 hours of power reserve. Price: € 2,600 (on rubber strap), € 2,700 (on leather strap), € 2,950 (on steel bracelet).

Longines Spirit Pilot Flyback

As a nod to Longines’ long chronograph tradition, the Spirit Pilot Flyback revives one of the brand’s hallmark complications. Longines was an early innovator of the flyback chronograph, filing its patent in 1935, and the new release builds on that legacy.

The Flyback features a stainless steel case measuring 39.5mm in diameter and 13.4mm in thickness, with a 20mm lug width and water resistance to 100 metres. A box-shaped sapphire crystal reinforces the vintage look, while a transparent screw-down case back allows a view of the movement.

Externally, the most notable update is the bidirectional rotating bezel, now featuring a black ceramic insert with a countdown timer scale. The improved rotation mechanism enhances tactile precision, while the triangle pip and scale markings are filled with Super-LumiNova for visibility. This practical addition extends the watch’s usability beyond aviation, proving useful in everyday settings such as cooking or timing parking intervals.

The dial design echoes the Spirit Pilot, with a matte black surface, gilt Arabic numerals, and gilt hands treated with Super-LumiNova. Sub-dials include a small seconds display at 9 o’clock and a 30-minute chronograph counter at 3 o’clock. The absence of a date window keeps the layout clean and legible.

At its core is the calibre L792.4, a hand-wound column-wheel chronograph movement with flyback function. It operates at 4 Hz, offers a power reserve of 68 hours, and, like the three-hander, is fitted with a silicon balance spring for enhanced resistance to magnetism. The COSC-certified calibre is visible through the case back, with its column wheel prominently displayed.

The Flyback is delivered with either a stainless-steel bracelet or a brown leather strap, both equipped with micro-adjustable folding clasps. Pricing begins at € 5,150 on leather and € 5,400 on the bracelet, with availability starting in October 2025.

Longines, Spirit Pilot Flyback, L3.721.4.53.2 (on a rubber strap), L3.721.4.53.6 (on a steel bracelet). Black dial, stainless steel case, 39.50 mm diameter, 13.40 mm thickness, 47.40 mm lug-to-lug, sapphire crystal, 100m water resistance. Stainless steel bracelet with folding clasp, leather strap. Calibre L792.4, hand-wound movement, hour, minutes, small seconds, chronograph, 23 jewels, 28,800 Vph, 68 hours of power reserve. Price: € 5,150 (on leather strap), € 5,400 (on steel bracelet).

Our Opinion

The arrival of the Spirit Pilot and Spirit Pilot Flyback highlights Longines’ ability to honor its aviation legacy while adapting to today’s watchmaking expectations. The Spirit Pilot refines the collection’s core design into a cleaner, more versatile daily wearer, with modern technical upgrades and a sharper instrument feel. The Flyback, on the other hand, reconnects with one of the brand’s historic milestones, offering a compact chronograph with practical enhancements such as the countdown bezel and an upgraded movement visible through the case back. Together, these releases show that Longines is not chasing reinvention but carefully shaping its Spirit line into a dependable and distinctive modern classic.

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