There has been a breath of fresh air in the world of diving watches in recent months. Several brands have revamped their historic collections, updating their aesthetics, calibres and, in some cases, materials. Longines has now joined this trend, presenting a revamped version of its HydroConquest line, the diving watch from the Maison of the Winged Hourglass, together with the Legend Diver. An interesting project which has led to the creation of a collection consisting of fourteen references with a lot of character.
Get ready to read, in the following lines, an account of the new references in the Longines HydroConquest collection, their technical and aesthetic characteristics, and how the brand has chosen the reliability of a tried and tested calibre. We will focus in particular on one variant, without forgetting the entire batch of references, including a special exclusive edition dedicated to single-brand boutiques, shop-in-shops and e-commerce.
LONGINES HYDROCONQUEST: HISTORY AND EVOLUTION
Longines has brought forward the 20th anniversary of the HydroConquest collection to redesign it. The line was launched in 2007 as an extension of the Conquest collection and as a watch strongly linked to water sports. In just under two decades, it has evolved through a few significant stages. The first of these was in 2018, when the Maison refined its proportions, working on 41 and 43 mm cases and introducing a ceramic bezel, now the standard for high-end diving watches.
The newly presented version, however, is based on the design evolution introduced in 2023, with a new visual identity for the collection. This result was achieved with updated dial and bezel colours, a more slender and refined case profile(starting with the crown guards), and the introduction, for the first time in the collection, of the GMT function.
THE DIAL OF THE NEW LONGINES HYDROCONQUEST
This new HydroConquest version with a blue ceramic bezel and black dial is therefore a direct descendant of the GMT version in terms of case design, with one important difference. The latter is available in diameters of 43 and 41 mm, while the new HydroConquest ‘drops’ to 39 and 42 mm.
In both versions, but especially in the 39 mm version shown on this page, the sleek and wearable design of the steel caseis clearly visible. As in the GMT, it features a beautiful satin finish that flows continuously between the lugs and the case middle, giving the whole watch a very sporty look.
The interesting work carried out by Longines can also be appreciated on the dial. After all, by its very nature, it is the part of the watch that attracts the attention of the observer, making it easy to spot similarities or differences compared to the previous collection. In this case, we are talking about differences, the most obvious of which concerns the ‘disappearance’ of the Arabic numerals at 6, 9 and 12, replaced by baton indices at 6 and 9 and a triangular index at 12, already present in the GMT and typical of divers’ watches. The other indices have also been transformed, from batons to rectangular markers, beautifully executed with Super-LumiNova.
The hour and minute hands have been re-proportioned, while the seconds hand retains its ‘lollipop’ design. Another important detail on the dial can be found at 6 o’clock. Along with the water resistance indication, 30 bar as befits a professional diver’s watch, and the automatic movement, the name of the collection is introduced. It is in a blue colourthat echoes that of the bezel, contrasting with the dial. A statement of pride, we might say, to emphasise how this watch, although new, is still in keeping with the HydroConquest tradition that began almost 20 years ago.
MILANESE MESH AND THREE-ROW BRACELET: THE NEW OPTIONS
Another interesting point that Longines has worked on is the bracelet. In the new collection, the rubber strap has disappeared and only steel bracelets remain.
Why bracelets in the plural? Because alongside the classic three-row bracelet already present in the collection, the Maison is introducing the Milanese mesh bracelet to the HydroConquest line for the first time. We already know this from the Legend Diver collection.
These bracelets are entirely satin-finished and polished on the sides, and their quality greatly enhances the perceived quality of the watch. The softness of Longines’ Milanese mesh is easily appreciated once on the wrist. Combined with the compact proportions of the 39 mm case and the micro-adjustment system of the clasp, it takes wearability to a high level of comfort. The new adjustable links have been further refined to ensure easy customisation.
RELIABILITY AND PERFORMANCE OF THE L888.5 CALIBRE
As for the movement, Longines has chosen not to change, favouring reliability. The case houses the automatic calibre L888.5, a movement developed by the Manufacture and based on the ETA A31.L11.
All in all, this was a conservative decision, in the sense that this calibre is currently the ‘driving force’ behind many of the brand’s watches, spanning several lines, from the Master Collection to the Flagship, from the Conquest to the previous HydroConquest.
The reason seems quite understandable: to focus on a proven, reliable, and easy-to-maintain calibre with more than satisfactory performance. We are talking about a 72-hour power reserve, 25,200 vibrations per hour, and a silicon balance spring that makes the movement insensitive to the negative effects of magnetic fields. It is a logical choice, especially since we are talking about a professional watch that must make reliability and ease of servicing two of its cornerstones.
ALL THE REFERENCES OF THE NEW LONGINES HYDROCONQUEST
In addition to the reference with a black dial and blue ceramic bezel in 39 mm, there is, as mentioned, the 42 mm version. A double size that is also available across the other references in the new collection.
All have the option of a three-row bracelet or Milanese mesh; what changes are the colours: green bezel and dial, black bezel and dial, blue bezel and dial, slate grey bezel and black dial, black bezel and ice blue dial. All bezels are ceramic.
In addition to these, Longines has also presented a very interesting edition, again in double diameter, reserved exclusively for its single-brand boutiques, shop-in-shops and e-commerce. An ice blue dial is paired with a dark blue bezel, creating an almost tone-on-tone effect that makes this version of the HydroConquest very elegant. However, the Milanese mesh bracelet is not available for this model, only the three-row bracelet.
There is also a quartz version, available only with a three-row bracelet (no Milanese mesh) and with an aluminium bezel, not ceramic.
PRICES AND CONCLUSIONS
Given that the price range of the new HydroConquest collection is between € 2,200 and € 2,350 depending on the bracelet, we believe there are a few considerations to be made about this product launch, which characterises Longines’ spring 2026 collection.
Starting with the one we opened the article with, namely that the refreshed design of this collection continues a trend already seen in other brands. In our opinion, it does not only respond to the need to revamp the look of a product in order to ‘reactivate’ its life cycle, which is destined to fade when it remains unchanged for too long.
Instead, it responds to the need to align the watch with a trend in which enthusiasts or end customers seek excellent details even in mid-range products. This is because they are aware that, in recent years, watchmaking has raised its quality standards and, in order to continue to succeed in the market, collections must necessarily adapt to them.
This does not mean that the old HydroConquest line was not of high quality. Quite simply, its quality was excellent but no longer sufficient in relation to what the market now demands from a watch of this kind. Longines understood this and acted accordingly; not everyone would have done so, especially at a complex time like the present.
By Davide Passoni