In 2016, Longines released the first Heritage Military watch in its vintage-inspired Heritage collection, based on a museum piece from 1918 that was worn by soldiers during World War I. For the newest version of the Longines Heritage Military, launched this year, the Saint-Imier-based watchmaker turned the clock ahead to the Second World War, and a specific timepiece worn by a decorated veteran of Britain’s Royal Air Force.
The Longines Heritage Military is a modern reissue of a piece worn by a British aviator during WWII.
The historical watches that provided the blueprint for the contemporary piece were designed for, and issued to, members of the RAF during the 1940s. The model from which the Heritage Military takes its direct design cues was worn by radiotelelegraph operator Stanley Turner aboard an RAF aircraft during World War II, and recovered by a collector in England. (This year, not coincidentally, marks the 100th anniversary of the RAF.)  The watch’s 38.5-mm case evokes the dimensions of the original, which was only slightly more modest in size, at 32.5 mm. The vintage watch’s oversized winding crown, designed for ease of use while at the controls in a cockpit, has also made its way into the design of the modern timepiece, as has the box-form crystal over the dial. The dial’s speckled pattern echoes the oxidized look of those on vintage models.
The opaline dial, which indicates the time via period-appropriate blued steel hands and Arabic nu...