Regardless of an impressively constant run of stable releases lately, Longines stays one thing of a darkish horse within the fashionable fanatic panorama. For 2025, although, the model appears intent on revamping its picture to incorporate a extra up to date, stylish really feel, and to perform this Longines is ringing within the new 12 months with a moody, futuristic tackle a vintage-styled traditional. The brand new Longines Extremely-Chron Carbon brings carbon case building to the model’s lineup for the primary time, alongside a rakish monochrome shade palette and a centered execution that offers this ‘60s-era silhouette an ultra-modern spirit.
Though the general 43mm-wide cushion type of the Longines Extremely-Chron Carbon may be lifted from the usual Extremely-Chron, Longines makes a concerted effort to present this design a singular character. After all, merely rendering this form in matte carbon fiber goes a great distance towards establishing a brand new id for the watch, however the model exhibits spectacular consideration to high-quality element in photos. This shines via brightest in the way in which the carbon case is created. Quite than the random swirling patterns or chaotic flake texture of different carbon forging strategies, Longines makes use of a layered mixture of unidirectional carbon fiber and epoxy resin. This enables for {smooth}, flowing striations of black and grey that work to intensify the linear surfaces of the case sides and the chamfers in photos. That is particularly efficient for the chamfers in photographs, with a mild curvature that highlights the rounded flaring form of the floor handsomely. The higher case surfaces and the caseback aspect are then rendered with the extra widespread flake technique, giving these flat areas a dynamic, futuristic look with out totally shedding the general form of the watch to camouflaging texture. Longines additionally makes large modifications to the Extremely-Chron Carbon’s bezel. Quite than the rotating, bakelite-effect sapphire bezel of the metal mannequin, this new model as a substitute makes use of a set, smooth-edged titanium bezel with a 60-minute insert in matte black aluminum. Not solely does the darker, simplified building go well with the moodier tone of the design properly, however the insert itself is radically simplified, abandoning the complete 60-minute scale in favor of cleaner markings at five-minute intervals. With that stated, there will definitely be some who mourn the lack of a usable rotating bezel right here. Each the screw-down crown and the engraved stable caseback comply with the bezel’s lead with their titanium building, permitting this closely altered design to nonetheless attain a dive-ready 300 meters of water resistance.
Whereas the Longines Extremely-Chron Carbon’s case provides some real bodily modifications to go together with its new supplies, the dial as a substitute focuses on a stark, monochrome presentation of acquainted components. Quite than the khaki tones, polished components, and crimson highlights that dominate the dial of the usual Extremely-Chron, the Extremely-Chron Carbon affords a high-contrast black-and-white shade palette. Each the huge baton fingers and the beveled indices are coated in charcoal grey PVD for a stealthy look, however the shiny white lume fills and full outer seconds scale hold the structure fairly legible in photographs. Outdoors of the colorway shifts, there’s little to distinguish this dial from the usual mannequin, and continued components like a blacked-out model of the utilized Extremely-Chron brand at 6 o’clock work to breathe life into what feels at instances to be a sterile design.
Like its predecessor, the Longines Extremely-Chron Carbon sports activities the L836.6 computerized motion, constructed completely for Longines by Swatch Group sister firm ETA. The L836.6 is a stellar performer, combining a uncommon high-frequency 36,000 bph beat fee with a magnetic-resistant silicon steadiness spring and a stable 52-hour energy reserve. Its actual energy, nonetheless, is its accuracy. The motion, totally cased and assembled into the watch is independently chronometer-certified by Swiss testing laboratory TIMELAB. Whereas it could not attain the heights of sister model Omega’s METAS certification, this does make the L836.6 extraordinarily aggressive at its worth level.
To finish the design, Longines suits the Extremely-Chron Carbon with a woven black cloth strap that includes a titanium buckle. It’s a pure match for the ethos of the watch in photos, and it’s tough to think about a extra conventional leather-based possibility serving the watch properly right here. Nevertheless, for many who worth aftermarket strap selections, this looks like a pure candidate for both rubber or a NATO-style strap.
With so many stable releases lately, Longines appears overdue for higher prominence in fashionable fanatic circles. A lot of this may increasingly come all the way down to model notion relatively than the watches themselves, and modernist, high-quality choices like the brand new Longines Extremely-Chron Carbon may properly be the factor to shift fanatic perceptions in 2025. The Longines Extremely-Chron Carbon is out there now via approved sellers. MSRP for this watch stands at $4,900 USD as of press time. For extra info, please go to the brand’s website.
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