Coalescing the accuracy of a chronometer with the rugged appeal of a dive watch, the Longines Ultra-Chron Diver Was an icon of its time. Released in 1968, it marked the first dive watch to be fitted with a high-frequency movement, with the Swiss watch manufacturer already having previously asserted itself as a leader in high-frequency technology, creating a timepiece that measured 1/10th of a second as early as 1914.
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The new Longines Ultra-Chron pays homage to its predecessor, utilising the same design language and retaining the professional dive features of the 1968 model. A notable departure from Longines’ current lineup of dive watches, the Ultra-Chron features the charming cushion-shaped steel case design of the original, albeit sized up to 43mm to cater to contemporary tastes.
The case is fitted with a unidirectional rotating black ceramic bezel with red minute markers as well as a screwed-down caseback and crown, guaranteeing water resistance to 30 bar (300 metres). Designed with legibility in mind, the black grained dial features a white minute track with Super-LumiNova coated batons, a red minute hand, and rhodium-plated appliques.
Flip the watch over and you’ll find the original Ultra-Chron logo embossed on the caseback. The Longines Ultra-Chron is kept beating by the calibre L836.6, an in-house movement whose balance spring oscillates at 36,000 beats per hour, or, 10 beats per second. Additional advancements in shock reduction have also contributed to improved stability of the high-beat movement, with the Ultra-Chron tested by the independent Geneva-based organisation TIMELAB, who awarded it the ‘ultra chronometer’ certification.
Available on a steel bracelet or leather strap, the Longines Ultra-Chron represents a core element of horological history while making a striking style statement.
Words by T. Angel
