Like several of its Swatch Group sister brands, Longines has a dizzying array of model lines for buyers to select from. Since 2007, though, the Hydroconquest family has been the sole destination for consumers looking to buy a modern-style dive watch from the brand. Despite a wide range of sizes and color options over the years, the Hydroconquest has historically shied away from adding too many complications to the series. For 2023, a GMT model enters the Hydroconquest stable for the first time, bringing a truly dive-ready alternative to the brand’s already extensive roster of GMT-equipped sports watches. The new Longines Hydroconquest GMT brings together impressive build quality and performance with an athletic modern diver look, while potentially pointing the way forward for the future of this series.
Although it may measure in at the same 41mm-wide diameter as much of the current Hydroconquest range, the new Longines Hydroconquest GMT’s stainless steel case offers a markedly different look. The overall form still follows the classic dive watch conventions – i.e. wide tapering lugs, a broad rotating dive bezel, and a guarded crown – but the harshly angular lines of the current Hydroconquest are softened in favor of something more timeless. As a start, the still-unchamfered lugs take on a more rounded, classically tapered profile, with linear brushed, tightly packaged case sides to replace the polished sides of the standard Hydroconquest. Likewise, the heavy gear-toothed bezel edge of the mainline Hydroconquest is reprofiled with slightly more rounded teeth, paired with a handsomely Seamaster-esque polished ceramic bezel in deep forest green with an engraved gilt scale. Even the crown guards and the crown itself take on a less contemporary look, abandoning the current planar wedge-like guard design and replacing it with organic, rounded guards that flow out from the case sides. The signed crown continues the Hydroconquest’s signature crown groove near the tip, but in keeping with the new design philosophy this accent is far less sharp and pronounced. On the wrist, the case certainly feels bulkier than the current crop of 39mm-and-below divers, but the Hydroconquest GMT wears this extra heft reasonably well thanks in part to a proportional 12.9mm-thick case profile. It’s not going to faithfully recreate the wearing experience of classic ‘50s and ‘60s models the way some of its competitors strive to do, but as a modern sports watch it’s a solid wearing experience. Longines finishes this case with a remarkably straightforward solid engraved caseback and rates the watch for a truly dive-ready 300 meters of water resistance.
While the changes to the Longines Hydroconquest GMT’s case can be missed at a glance, the shift in its dial design is much more immediate. The most obvious change here is the removal of the line’s signature oversized Arabic numerals at 6 o’clock, 9 o’clock, and 12 o’clock, replaced by a much more conventional set of applied diver indices. This naturally scrubs the dial of the edgy 2000s-era sportiness the current Hydroconquest carries, but the new indices bring their own idiosyncrasies. As an example, the circular indices at 6 o’clock and 9 o’clock feel somewhat at odds with the applied rectangular indices that surround them, and the overall dial might have had a more harmonious look if these elements echoed the shape of the line’s signature diamond-tipped hour hand (particularly if the lollipop running seconds hand followed suit). However, what we do have here is still refined and attractive, with warm gilt dial hardware above a deep, richly detailed sunburst dial in dark olive green. In contrast to the more British racing green-style hues common among green dials, this shade brings an undercurrent of warmth and age to the layout, naturally complementing the golden hands and indices. Longines keeps the GMT integration of this model subtle, with a simple black triangle-tipped GMT hand coupled with a muted green-on-green two-tone 24-hour scale around the dial edge.
Inside the Longines Hydroconquest GMT beats the ETA-based L844.5 automatic GMT movement. Manufactured exclusively for Longines, this is an impressively capable powerplant, featuring a hefty 72-hour power reserve at the brand’s unorthodox intermediate 25,200 bph beat rate. GMT aficionados can rejoice as well because the L844.5 offers quickset adjustment for the local hour hand as opposed to the more common “caller” GMT layout in addition to other refined amenities like a silicon balance spring. Longines finishes the Hydroconquest GMT with a clean, stylish H-link bracelet in stainless steel. Outside of polished facets on the edges of the center links, this bracelet is fully brushed for a functional, case-matching look. A quick-adjust dive extension makes this an easy, comfortable wear as well.
Consumers looking to purchase a GMT watch from Longines have no shortage of options, but the new Longines Hydroconquest GMT is far from just another addition to an already extensive catalog. Not only is this the first two-time-zone watch released under the Hydroconquest name, it’s also the debut for a new generation of the long-running series with a timelessly handsome new look alongside impressive build quality, dive-ready capability, and a highly desirable complication. The new Longines Hydroconquest GMT is available now through authorized dealers. MSRP for the Longines Hydroconquest GMT stands at $2,775 USD as of press time. For more details, please visit the brand’s website.
