Few watchmakers can lay claim to an archive as meticulously well kept as Longines. The company has documentation of all the serial numbers of watches produced since it was founded in 1832, expertly preserved at its home in Saint-Imier, Switzerland.

It’s this authentic and informed connection to its past that comes through in carefully considered vintage-inspired pieces, such as the Longines Heritage Military 1938. A reinterpretation of a military watch produced in 1938, this handsome model incorporates many features of the original, including a bevelled bezel and ribbed sea urchin-shaped crown, allowing for easy adjustment.

The clean, minimal look of the matte-black dial lends the watch a timeless quality. Baton-style hands and cream-coloured Arabic numerals coated with Super-LumiNova ensure excellent legibility in all conditions, while the dial is finished with an elegant railway-track decoration reminiscent of the era.

In a nod to its origins, the 43mm-diameter case size is typical of 1930s designs, while the watch is powered by a hand-wound mechanical calibre. Limited to 1938 pieces, the Longines Heritage Military 1938 comes with a patinated charcoal grey leather strap and a cognac-coloured NATO-style leather strap, completing the vintage feel.

£2,020; longines.com