Quick Take: Longines Legend Diver Watch in Gradient Blue and Brown
Introduced in 2007 as Longines’ first remake of a vintage sports watch, the original Legend Diver was one of the earliest entries into the vintage-reissue segment. And it was a faithful recreation that managed to channel the look and feel of the vintage-original ref. 7042, though Longines subsequently added a date display to the model. In recent years, however, Longines begun to inject contemporary style into its remakes, including the Legend Diver, with last year’s 42 mm model in bronze with a striking, green fumé dial being a prime example. This year saw a continuation of the trend with a pair of new dials – in either blue or brown with a smoked finish – for the full-sized Legend Diver Watch in steel. Initial thoughts My first impression of the duo was simple: they are appealing in both design and colour. The design is clearly vintage; the remake stays true to the original. Its best feature is the inner rotating bezel adjusted via a second crown, which immediately sets it apart from typical dive watches that usually have a bulky external bezel. But important is the colour, which unlike the design it is a modern addition. Though fashionable today, gradient or dégradé dials are were actually a thing in the 1970s, though never found on the vintage original. The smoked dials lends the watch a youthful and contemporary feel. The blue is the most striking, though I personally prefer the warm and nostalgic brown dial that evokes a “tropical” dial. While t...
Time+Tide
