While I’m no Scrooge, I’m certainly not a believer in the commercial expansion of the festive season for months on end. To be honest, while it might be November I’m still loathe to admit that autumn is almost over and winter is right around the corner. However, if there’s one thing that can convince me that maybe winter is here it’s the start of the skiing season. And when the ski season starts that generally means one thing, ski themed watches. Kicking off the horological slopes first this year is the Longines Conquest Chrono Ski Edition.
The watch is being launched ahead of the International Ski Federation Alpine World Ski Championships, which takes place in February next year in Saalbach, Austria. You can find the event commemorated on the watch’s caseback as well as in the fact it’s a limited edition of 2,025 pieces. However, even if you’ve never strapped a pair of skis to your feet, this watch might be for you because from the dial side of the watch there’s very little to suggest that it’s skiing themed. Instead, it’s just an incredibly handsome and sporty chronograph.
Starting in the centre of the display you have incredibly clean and legible hands with a line of Super-LumiNova down the centre of the hour and minute indicators. There’s also a 60-second chronograph seconds hand. Moving to the dial itself, it has an anthracite colour with a vertical satin-brushed finish that reminds me of the crisp lines of snow on a freshly prepared slope. Set into that are a trio of black subdials in a tricompax layout that display small seconds, a 12-hour timer and a 30-minute timer.
Adding an extra layer of sportiness are the red hands on the two timer subdials, controlled by the chronograph pushers that flank the crown at 3 o’clock. The colour red is also used to accent the point of each hour marker as well as the tachymeter inscription found on the black bezel and the tip of the chronograph seconds hand. The use of red could be considered a hint at the skiing theme of the watch as it’s reminiscent of the red poles used to mark slalom and downhill routes.
Zooming out from the dial, the Longines Conquest Chrono Ski Edition has a very typical Conquest case, measuring 42mm in steel. I’m always struck by the curve of the lugs and the edge of the case leading into the strap which really screams sporty, active design in a way that lots of sports watches miss. It’s also suitably robust with a 100m water resistance rating.
Inside the case is housed the Longines calibre L898.5, an automatic chronograph movement with a 59-hour power reserve. It’s a really solid movement and has excellent anti-magnetic resistance thanks to a silicon balance spring, which also serves to reduce friction. It’s the same movement found in the standard 42mm Conquest although in the standard versions you can see it through the exhibition caseback as opposed to the Ski Edition’s solid commemorative back.
As mentioned, the Longines Conquest Chrono Ski Edition is limited to 2,025 pieces at a price of £3,900. That makes it a touch pricier than the £3,650 standard models but not by a huge margin. I also prefer the level of detail rendered on the limited edition’s dial as well as the restrained use of colour that really makes the red details pop.
Price and Specs:
More details at Longines.
