The Longines Heritage Classic Limited Edition For HODINKEE

By Charlie Dunne

 

Released in the third quarter of 2021, HODINKEE’s first collaboration with Longines was a commendable reminder of how limited-edition releases should be done. While the Longines Heritage Classic LE for HODINKEE falls under A Moment for Modern’s theme, the watch is quite an awesome example of Longines’ heritage models.

The greatest attribute of the watch is the dial. Along with the Dan Henry 1937 Chronograph, the Longines X HODINKEE is quite possibly the best value one can get for a sector dial on a modern timepiece. Initial impressions raised the question of why it did not feature two thick-hour painted markers at 12 o’clock. Regardless, the execution is highly impressive and complemented by the beige-center section. The ‘Longines Chronometer’ font is also favorable being that it is not too bold.

 
 

The blue-steel baton hands are very minimalistic and tasteful. While I personally would opt for an unsigned crown, it makes sense that the model is branded. Additionally, I would have liked to have seen drilled lugs, but these minor details don’t make or break the watch.

The beads-of-rice bracelet looks fantastic, and the endless leather strap options will surely highlight the watch’s versatility. Even though I would have added my input to go smaller, the dimensions are in a good range for most watch enthusiasts at 38.5mm. With only 500 examples produced at $2,500 I saw a fair amount of collectors not only be able to afford the watch, but also were able to get it before resellers. At the moment, one can find examples online at reasonable prices a bit above MSRP. The overall watch is a great timepiece, and in my opinion, one of the better HODINKEE releases.