feedthewrist.

This is one of those watches where even after wearing it for a week straight for more than 8 hours a day, I still go “okay, this, is nice” whenever I look towards my wrist. As watch enthusiasts, I guess we constantly find ourselves falling into phases of taste evolution in this hobby. And for the longest time, watches with vintage styling has been my cup of tea. Whether it be actual vintage stuff or modern reinterpretations of a once vintage watch, I love ’em all. So, if you fancy some vintage styling, let’s get into it. We have here a 36mm Longines Legend Diver reference L3.374.4.50.6, a modern take on the original Longines ref.7042 but packaged in a charming 36mm super-compressor case. With the watch being on my wrist as I am writing this, I must say, it definitely does not feel uncomfortable on the bracelet even while resting my wrist on a soft keyboard wrist-rest. With that said, let’s take this charming little diver together as we dive into the details to see if it’s really a legend.

First things first, the feel of it. With a total weight of 98.9 grams, it feels well balanced in terms of weight distribution over the entire watch and therefore, wears comfortably on the wrist as expected. Well, when it comes to how a watch wears, the bracelet or strap of choice definitely plays a role right? As the watch has only been on the original Milanese mesh bracelet so far, I would say that I am relatively impressed by it considering the fact that I am usually not a bracelet guy (with few exceptions of course). The well-made mesh bracelet with a slight taper from the 19mm lug width definitely adds a touch of elegance and charm to the watch. I love that. However, I find that the mechanism of the clasp takes away a certain degree of comfort from the already good mesh bracelet due to the folding metal pieces that extend beyond the inner side of the clasp. With that said, again, it is NOT an uncomfortable bracelet by any means! Aesthetics wise, points to note here would be the positioning of the 30bar(300meter) wording on the clasp which might bother you if you like clean surfaces and of course, the polished finish which increases the chances of picking up scratches. Besides that, the fact that there is no “indent” on the clasp to ease the process of opening the well-detailed safety/security flap also decreases a tad bit of the user experience. Imagine having short fingernails while trying to open it… But hey, at least the clasp looks good.

Now here’s my favorite segment of this watch, what our eyes see the most, the case and the dial. But before the case, let’s talk about what’s housed in the 11.9mm thick case, the L592 movement, a Longines exclusive calibre based on the ETA A20.L11 offering a 45-hour power reserve, nothing too crazy but it is sufficient. I may be a little biased here, but there is a certain charm and character that this 36mm super-compressor case brings to the table which other 36mm competitors at this price point don’t even come close to. However, with the entire case being in a polished finish, this only means two things, it is very dress-watch worthy, but unfortunately, is also a scratch magnet, which to some, might decrease the overall appeal of the watch as a sports timepiece. The case has a lug-to-lug (L2L) length of 44.5mm which is to me, a strong contributor towards the overall vintage aesthetics of the watch. Although a shorter L2L might wear better, it may throw off the proportions of the case (in my eyes at least). Plus, there is visually no overhang anyways as the lugs are downward facing, so the case hugs the wrist pretty well after all! However, if you are a person of minute details, you would notice that the edge of the lugs do not sit flush with the end of the bracelet where the springbars are positioned.

Moving to the crowns, although my first impression was that they could be larger, I take that back as I soon realized how the proportions are not thrown off with the current sizing. Besides, adjustability is not difficult by any means. While we are at it, as expected, the inner rotating bezel may require more effort when adjustments are needed compared to an external rotating bezel which clicks into place effortlessly. But again, I wouldn’t consider it as an issue as I don’t adjust the bezel that much after all. To add on to the dial, although the date window is well proportioned and positioned, the sizing does take away the legibility of the date ever so slightly when displaying dual digit numbers. I guess that’s the price to pay for a date window that doesn’t look as obvious?

So, what about one of the most talked about aspects when it comes to a dive watch, the lume? Well, let me make things simple, in the first place, it wouldn’t be fair to expect crazy lume that shines in your face from a watch that has lume plots at the size of this. I mean, there must be a little give-and-take when it comes to lume performance when the lume plots are done in a similar fashion as the original ref.7042. Therefore, to put things straight, the lume does what it’s supposed to do in the dark, it shows you the time. Although I’d be lying if I said I didn’t wish the lume on the hour hand covered the entire hand (just like the original ref.7042) instead of only the tip, here’s some good news, the faux patina effect definitely makes up for the lack of lume. Heck, it looks pretty darn good under the sun while not looking odd under low light. That alone, has sold me.

With it all said, here’s the money question that everyone wants to know, should you buy one? Well, if you are looking for a sports watch that oozes elegance, has a vintage touch and gives you the ability to dress it up and down without looking out of place, this is the watch for you at $2500 / RM 10790 (with the Milanese mesh bracelet). But if what you are looking for is a true tool watch that screams utility, there are definitely better options out there. Lastly, the best thing about the Legend Diver line-up is the variety that it offers to satisfy different preferences and taste buds. Whether it be the size, the dial colour, case finishing or strap combination, there is a high chance that you will find one that works for you. So, say no more, head out there and try these things on!