War never changes. Watches, however, do. It is nice when reputable brands introduce all sorts of homages to the legendary WWII-time models issued for armies and navies of all parties involved. For obvious reasons, I can’t call this 2015 Longines Heritage Military COSD (ref. L2.832.4.53/73.x) a true “reissue”. However, it is still a nice choice for a person who wants to buy a military-style timekeeper that doesn’t look like it came straight from the Call of Duty: Black Ops. This one was designed with an officer and a gentleman in mind.
The Overall Impression
The Heritage Military COSD doesn’t look like a ‘faithful recreation’ of the original design (not that there was a sort of canonical design since there were different versions produced during the time of war).
Rather, it is a sort of a ‘potpourri’ of numerous timekeepers from the 1940s ordered by the British army (Omega Cal30 T2 British Military and an IWC three-hander designed for the same customer at virtually the same period is probably the first one that comes to mind, but there was also similarly styled Bulova and Hamilton models bought by US Army.)
Its exterior is as simple as the Stan sub-machine gun and seemingly is as functional as the old Fairbairn–Sykes fighting knife. Its dial is as legible as an instrument gauge. Its strap seems to be as durable as that on an assault rifle. What else would you want from a “military” wristwatch? An automatic fire-control system?
Case & Strap
This “homage” arrives in a relatively compact case (compared to the nickel-plated brass of the original, this one is stainless steel though). Measuring just 40 millimeters in diameter, it will fit nicely on almost any wrist, although you should bear in mind that its long horns add about 12 millimeters or so to its total length. Still, given their nicely curved profile, the case won’t look bulky on a normal wrist and will probably look cool even if you prefer a formal suit to a Barbour Steve Mcqueen jacket.
The case is relatively slender for a watch that features a self-winding mechanical movement, although I would probably prefer less polished and more machine-brushed surfaces: this is a “tool” watch after all. Even despite its price of almost $1500, it is supposed to get its fair share of dings and scratches during its time.
What I like the most here is the crown. Designed close to military specs, it is large and bulky and is easy to operate even with numb, cold fingers. At the same time, it is not too big to look like an alien being trying to suck the life out of the timekeeper.
As for the strap, the Heritage Military COSD is available both on a rugged-looking synthetic khaki NATO band and on a more civilized black alligator leather strap. Both are equipped with standard steel buckles.
The Mechanism
Of course, the mechanism is where the main differences between the original COSD model and this “homage” start to appear.
The WWII-time model used a Longines 12.68N hand-wound caliber that was beating at a fairly slow pace of 18,000 vibrations per hour and sported just 17 jewels.
This new model, however, uses the Caliber L619.2 self-winding movement. Based on the good old ETA 2892/A2 ebauche, this mechanism will probably give you decades of hassle-free operation if you take good care of it. Besides featuring an automatic winding, which is more convenient, it also gives you a simple date indicator that, too, makes the L2.832.4.53/73.x more useful.
Frankly, I think that the timepiece’s collectability could have been greatly increased if Longines managed somehow to find a dozen or so of NOS Calibers 12.68 (or similar movements representing the era,) but, well, it is still a good caliber.
The Dial
As is often the case with military-style watches that were styled after real-life models of the past, the dial here is a fine example of an extremely legible design that was taken to a new level thanks to our significantly more advanced technology. It is, of course, a lot more refined, but the overall purposeful aura of a rugged tool is still here.
As I have already noted, this one features a simple calendar function, so the Arabic “3” and “15” of the original are replaced with a medium-sized date aperture. The rest, however, is more or less the same including a bit more elegant version of the railway-style minute track with the usual luminous hour markers.
Available both in black and off-white opaline, the dial is contrast enough in either variation and is readable enough both in total darkness and in broad daylight.
The Pricing & Availability
All in all, the device leaves a great impression of a thoroughly designed job that not only looks good but also has a sort of strong mojo that the Swiss brand’s current model range tends to lack. Perhaps, the only thing that puts me off a little is the price: for the MSRP of €1380 I would prefer to see something more interesting than the standard ETA 2892/A2 beating inside this body.
See also: Elegant And Affordable: Fortis Terrestis Hedonist
Photos: Longines
WWR verdict
Originality 4.5/5
Build quality: 5/5
Usability: 5/5
Legibility: 5/5
Value for money: 4/5
Longines Heritage Military COSD L2.832.4.53/73.x specification
Price: €1380 (MSRP)
Movement: Automatic, Caliber L619.2 (base ETA 2892/A2), Swiss Made
Number of jewels: 21
Movement frequency: 28,800 vph
Power reserve: 42 hours
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, date
Case: Stainless steel
Shape: Round
Size: 40.00 mm
Dial: Black / Opaline white
Numerals: Arabic, black (12/24-hour scales)
Hour markers: Luminous
Hands: Luminous
Water resistance: 30 meters
Strap: Black alligator leather or synthetic khaki NATO strap with steel buckle
Crystal: Sapphire
Back: Solid