A French Navy Design Resurfaces: Introducing the Longines Heritage Military Marine Nationale


Longines has once again dipped into its archives to revive a watch design for its burgeoning, vintage-look Heritage collection. The Longines Heritage Military Marine Nationale is based on a timepiece exclusive to the French Navy, borrowing its warm colors and subdued aesthetic from the Longines 5574, which served Navy crews during shallow diving missions in the late 1940s. It follows an array of re-issued aviation and military references in the Heritage collection, including the Lindbergh Hour Angle Watch 90th Anniversary, created for American pilot Charles Lindbergh, and the Longines Twenty-Four Hours, a watch designed for Swissair pilots in the 1950s.

The Longines Heritage Military Marine Nationale Ref. L2.833.4.93.2.

The modern timepiece has a case diameter of 38.5 mm, increased from that of its predecessor (pictured below), whose case measured 33.5 mm in diameter. The new model’s caseback, like its 1947 predecessor, references the Marine Nationale, or French Navy: the original used a simple “MN” inscription for “Marine Nationale,” whereas the new timepiece spells out the entire name, along with the watch’s reference number, water resistance, and other stats.

The original Longines Marine Nationale.

The golden opaline dial, like its predecessor, bears the words “LONGINES FAB SUISSE,” the latter phrase an abbreviation of Fabrique Suisse (French for “Swiss Factory”), in black-colored lettering, underneath the painted Arabic hour numeral at 12 o’clock. The hour and minute hands are slightly larger than their predecessors, more extensive, and baton-shaped in blue steel, replacing the vintage watch’s black-colored hands. A domed sapphire crystal sits above the dial, protecting its face; the hour numerals and hands are coated in a brown-colored Super-LumiNova.

The hour and minute hands are slightly larger than its predecessor, opting for more extensive, baton-shaped, blue steel hour and minute hands.

The original watch, issued in 1947, housed Longines’ historical, hand-wound movement, Caliber 12.68N. Replacing it inside the new watch is the automatic Caliber L888.5, based on the ETA A31.L11. This COSC chronometer-certified movement features an anti-magnetic silicon balance spring, runs in 21 jewels, and offers a substantial power reserve up to 64 hours while beating at a frequency of 25,200 vph.

The COSC chronometer-certified movement behind the engraved caseback features an anti-magnetic silicon balance spring.

The Longines Heritage Military Marine Nationale (Ref. L2.833.4.93.2) comes on a cognac-colored leather strap and retails for $2,000; it will be available at authorized Longines dealers later this year. For more information, click here.

Manufacture: Longines Watch Co., Francillon Ltd., Les Longines, 2610 Saint- Imier, Switzerland
Model:Heritage Military Marine Nationale
Reference Number:L2.833.4.93.2
Movement:Longines Caliber L888.5, automatic, ETA base, COSC chronometer-certified, anti-magnetic silicon balance spring, 21 jewels, 25,200-vph, 64-hour power-reserve
Functions:Hours, minutes, seconds
Case:Stainless steel, water-resistant to 30 meters (3 bar)
Strap & Clasp: Cognac-colored leather strap
Dimensions: Diameter = 38.50 mm
Price: $2,000
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  1. Ron Howard

    While it’s an otherwise nice revival, and while it updates the sizing of the case, a watch with a naval heritage that was used for shallow diving but keeps a 30m water resistance rating defeats its purpose, doesn’t it? I mean it should at least be able to withstand swimming (100m water resistance parameter), don’t you agree?

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  2. At sea level we have 1 bar otherwise we wouldn’t be able to breath!!!! Every 10 meters down the sea water, pressure increases by ONE bar therefore a 3 bar water resistance is 20 meters. Lack of knowledge, on purpose or what ever, a lot of companies and mags make this mistake. Please correct me if I’m wrong

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