As you’ve probably heard, Longines has just recently released the new generation of their most popular watch, the Hydroconquest. We’ve had a sample of the 42mm version ref. L3.788.4.90.6 on hand here at the WRB studio, admittedly only for about 1 week, but it’s given me ample time to get to know the watch, and to translate some of this experience into a quick article for you. During the hustle and bustle of Geneva Watch Week, I failed to specify the sizing I preferred, so the 42mm version is what showed up at the door. This watch also comes in what seems like a perfect 39mm variant as well, that would have been a superior pairing for my 6.5 inch wrist.
We received the black dial with blue bezel variant, which I think is the most unique looking without being over the top. It has a very pleasing deep Blueberry blue baked into the ceramic bezel, with matching “Hydroconquest” text on the dial at 6 o’clock. The other standout colors available are the fume dial common wealth games limited edition, a sunburst green, and an ice blue, each with different bezel pairings and styling.
Softened Hydroconquest Look
Longines is taking a page out of the book from some of the greats. They know they already have a winning recipe with the Hydroconquest, so instead of a big drastic makeover, they’ve moved forward with tasteful and smart modifications to the watch’s case, bezel, and dial. The overall DNA of the Hydroconquest remains intact, and you could probable still ID the watch from across the room should you be in the presence of one.
The first improvements that caught my eye immediately were the bezel, dial layout, and the sculpted crown guards. All three of which just work so much better now than on the previous generation. We’ve gone from a sharp edged blocky look, to a smoother more refined and matured appearance with improved flowing angles.
I’m going to leap ahead here in terms of what I think, and I’m going to invent a word, the new Hydroconquest has been “Submaranized”. That is to say, that while the watch has been resculpted into a classier diver, it now resembles the Rolex Submariner substantially more than the previous model. The previous generation may have been slightly rougher around the edges in appearance, but it retained a more unique look that differentiated the Hydroconquest away from some of the mainstream competitors.
Wearability and Legibility
Both wearability and legibility have been improved on this new iteration. The large arabic numerals on the previous generation have been done away with. In their replacement we now have a more sterile approach of displaying the time with alternating round and baton markers, with a triangular marker at 12 o’clock, and a date window at 6 o’clock. The markers are substantial in size, and are lume filled and applied, making them very easy to spot against the black dial. While the older generation dials had very large arabic numerals, this new version is simplified and easier on the eyes translating to a more pleasant user experience.
The handset remains essentially the same as before, but appear to be slightly larger, matching the inflated size of the applied markers. The bezel is very attractive on this new variant, with what appears to be a very high quality ceramic, and engraved with your generic 60 minute countdown dive bezel. The font, boldness, and spacing of the bezel countdown markers have been slightly improved with a more modern look. The ceramic has an excellent high polished finish that exceeds the quality I’ve personally experienced on a watch of this price point, which by the way is $2400 USD for both sizes on the milanese mesh bracelet. Not only is the finishing exceptional, the depth of the blueberry blue color is striking, which I’ve heard is actually quite difficult to accomplish due to the baking process during manufacturing.
We all know that the 39mm variant is going to be the watch most of us lean towards. After wearing the 42mm version we have here for a few days, there’s no doubt that the 39mm would fit me better, and provide a more fitted comfortable fit on my small wrist. The 42mm version does offer enhanced dial room, but the trade off isn’t worth it for any us with a wrist size smaller than 7 inches. Interestingly, both sizes have the same case thickness of 11.7mm, which is outstanding considering the automatic Longines caliber L888.5 (ETA A31.L11 base) squeezed into this watch. It’s really quite impressive what Longines can do with a slightly modified ETA.
Lug to Lug on the 42mm version is 51.2mm, which is just on the outer limits of my wrist, with the lugs just brushing the boarder of my wrist. This lug to lug distance drops to 48.1 for the smaller 39mm size, which doesn’t sound like much on paper, but would actually translate to a drastic real life size difference. Size and proportions talk aside, this new Hydroconquest looks very sharp on wrist when factoring all the new design elements and its sleeker fitting case.
Lasting Impressions
While I did not get to spend as much time as I would have prefered with the watch, and considering I had the larger 42mm size – I’d certainly conclude that this new generation is a big upgrade from the previous iteration. The proportions have been finagled to excellence, the angles of the case, lugs, and crown guards have all been drastically improved, and the dial is cleaned up and modernized. If you can get past the fact that the Hydroconquest is now one step closer to the iconic Submariner in appearance you’re probably going to greatly appreciate this watch.
The Hydroconquest is probably the best “high end” entry level diver on the market. Directly above it you have the Tudor Pelagos 39 or BB58, both of which are substantially better watches but cost twice as much. Two levels up you’d be considering the Rolex Submariner or the Omega Seamaster. There isn’t too much direct competition for the Hydroconquest without delving into smaller more niche brands.
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