Longines sold its first Flagship collection watch in 1957, and 60 years later it has introduced the new Flagship Heritage series. Actress, and Longines ambassador of elegance, Kate Winslet chose the face of this watch, inspired by an original Flagship model she saw during a visit to the Swiss watchmaker’s headquarters. The Flagship takes its name from the ship on which the flag of the fleet’s commander-in-chief is raised, and, as with the original Flagship timepieces, the back of the new commemorative watches feature a stamped caravel, a speedy sail ship.

Available in steel, yellow gold or rose gold with a 38.5mm case, the limited edition numbered models house an L609 mechanical calibre, with gold versions limited to 60 watches and steel versions aptly limited to 1,957.

The brand is also celebrating the 90^th anniversary of the first ever non-stop solo transatlantic flight flown by Charles Lindbergh – which it timed in 1927 – with the launch of 90 numbered limited editions of its Hour Angle timepiece. The original Hour Angle was designed in partnership with Lindbergh following this historic flight and, equally as impressive, the new model measures 47.5 mm and displays the time on a ‘railtrack’ minute circle with painted Roman numerals, featuring a 180° scale for calculating the longitude.

Another model to be relaunched in the Heritage line is the timeless Longines Heritage 1945, a piece first created in 1945, which elegantly marries its sturdy steel case with the warm tones of its brushed copper dial and vintage-looking leather strap. Housed in a steel 40-mm diameter case, the model was originally equipped with a manual winding 12.68Z calibre, but today it houses an L609.3 automatic self-winding movement, providing 42 hours of independent operation.

longines.co.uk