Longines Conquest Date, c. 1994

Dealer description — Analog/Shift

Why we love it At Analog:Shift we certainly love our vintage timepieces - but we also have an affinity for faithfully executed re-editions of classic pieces. Long before re-edtions were "a thing," Longines released a seemingly identical to watch to their Conquest collection of the late 1950s. These original Conquest models were known to watches with two personalities, not dissimilar to the venerable Rolex Datejust. They featured automatic-winding workhorse movements, waterproof cases, and classic, versatile styling that were easily at home for casual sporty use or in more dressy applications. Nearly 40 years after the original Conquest was released, Longines issued a brilliant tribute that is nearly indistinguishable from the originals. This particular watch dates to circa 1994 , and features a Tritium dial with matching handset, acrylic crystal, and virtually identical mid-century styling to its predecessors. Faithful re-edition or a vintage piece all on its own? This watch is both, and for that, extremely cool. The Story Founded in 1832 in Saint-Imier, Switzerland, Longines was at the sharp end of the watchmaking spear. Constantly innovating, they were a company to be compared with the other major Swiss manufactures. By 1919, Longines was the official supplier of timepieces for the International Aeronautical Federation, working to develop highly accurate navigation chronometers for many of the era's great aviation pioneers. Most famous among Longines' forays into navigation pieces is probably the Lindberg Hour Angle watch, a wristwatch designed by Charles Lindberg in conjunction with the brand to allow aviators to calculate, with the help of a sextant and their latitude, their exact geographic location. From the 1930s to the 1950s, Longines also put out a series of simply stunning time-only watches. Often referred to as calatravas after the iconic model by Patek Philippe, most of these watches had thin stainless steel cases at 34mm, a standard size for the time. Like the Patek Philippe Calatrava, these watches by Longines were known for their perfect proportions and the elegant simplicity of their designs.