This year, the historical hits from Longines keep coming, following in the footsteps of handsome heritage-inspired pieces such as this bold monochromatic duo that nods to the 1940s.

The latest to get plucked from the archives is a Type A-7 model ordered by the US Air Force, which has been faithfully reproduced in the Longines Avigation Watch Type A-7 1935. It pays tribute to the watchmaker’s long legacy of high-performance timekeeping for aviation, with its distinctive look a result of specific technical features required by pilots of the era. Most noticeably this includes the dial that is shifted 40 degrees to the right, allowing the wearer to easily read the indices without having to release the plane’s control yoke. True to the specifications of the original model, the dial features ultra-legible large Arabic numerals, a ‘train track’ chapter ring and ‘cathedral’-type hands. This new model is presented with a sleek black dial, an update on a white-dialled version that was introduced in 2016.

Other flight-worthy features include the fluted crown at 12 o’clock. This was designed to be easily operated while wearing gloves, with the different chronograph functions able to be controlled with just a single push piece.

longines.com