SJX Watches
Longines’ Ultra-Chron Classic is a Double-Certified, High-Beat Chronometer
Longines continues to mine its archive to good effect with the Ultra-Chron Classic, a faithful reissue of the brand’s pioneering high-frequency wristwatch first launched in 1967. The Ultra-Chron Classic is more than just a remake of a vintage watch. While it has a clean, period-correct vintage aesthetic, the mechanics are entirely modern, namely a high-beat, 5 Hz automatic movement that is both COSC chronometer and TIMELAB certified. Initial thoughts Longines does well at bringing back beloved designs from the past, but built to modern standards. The Ultra-Chron Classic is the latest in a long line of historical reissues that began nearly two decades ago with the bestselling Legend Diver. The Ultra-Chron Classic is impressively faithful to the original in style, but because of that, not especially exciting in terms of design, retaining the all-business look that was common among high-performance gentlemen’s wristwatches of the era; the same criticism could be leveled at the Jaeger-LeCoultre Geophysic E168 or IWC Ingenieur ref. 666. In other words, the dial, hands, and indices are mostly true to the source material, but this pared-back look may have a harder time standing out in today’s market than it once did. Dressy? Classic? Or plain? Looks aside, the Ultra-Chron Classic is modern Longines at its best: a solid build, a brand-exclusive movement, proper sizing, and sensible pricing. The movement in particular stands out for being notable high-spec with its 36,000 bea...
