Longines expands the Spirit pillar with a time‑only Pilot and a flyback chronograph
Jason LeeEstablished in Saint‑Imier in 1832, Longines has a long association with exploration and early aviation. The brand’s archives are dotted with instruments that accompanied transatlantic crossings and polar expeditions, and that heritage is the backdrop for the Spirit collection, launched in 2020 to bring flight‑instrument design cues into a contemporary daily watch. For 2025, Longines adds two references—the time‑only Spirit Pilot and the Spirit Pilot Flyback—that tighten the design language and adjust dimensions while leaning on modern movement tech and chronometer certification. Our very own Andrew McUtchen has always had a strong affinity for Longines’ aviation models, which is why he was so excited that the Spirit Pilot and Spirit Pilot Flyback were the topic of the first video he’s shot in his new home recording studio.
Longines positions the pair as an evolution rather than a reboot. The messaging puts “pioneering spirit” alongside “modern precision,” a familiar Longines refrain, but the substantive changes are tactile: slimmer, better‑fitting cases; simplified dials; and component updates that should be felt on the wrist. It’s an approach consistent with the Spirit line’s brief—traditional aeronautical features, but expressed through current‑day ergonomics.
Longines Spirit Pilot
The Spirit Pilot is a straightforward, time‑only watch in stainless steel. Case dimensions are 39mm across, 11.5mm thick, with a 20mm lug width, and water resistance is rated to 100 metres. The crown and case back are both screw‑down, the front crystal is a domed sapphire with anti‑reflective treatment, and the case has been reworked for improved ergonomics compared to earlier Spirit three‑hand models. The case features brushed surfaces with a polished chamfer along the lug line—a restrained, tool‑watch presentation that suits the brief. A new screw‑down case back is called out as a construction change.
The dial is matte black with gilt Arabic numerals and gilt hands, all treated with Super‑LumiNova. In a meaningful edit, the date window and the five‑star emblem are gone, and the minute track is cleaned up for clarity. The result reads more like an “instrument” take on the Spirit aesthetic—less decorative, more legible.
Powering the watch is the Longines-exclusive calibre L888.4, an ETA-based automatic movement with a 72‑hour power reserve, 3.5 Hz beat rate, and a silicon balance spring. It’s COSC‑certified and is claimed to offer magnetic resistance ten times greater than ISO 764.
The Spirit Pilot can be paired with a stainless‑steel bracelet featuring a double‑safety folding clasp and micro‑adjustment, or with straps in brown leather (also with a micro‑adjustable clasp) or a new textile‑style green rubber with a pin buckle.
Longines Spirit Pilot pricing and availability
The new Longines Spirit Pilot is available from October 2025. Price: US$2,700 (on rubber), US$2,850 (on leather), US$3,100 (on bracelet)
| Brand | Longines |
| Model | Spirit Pilot |
| Reference | L3.809.4.53.2 (brown leather strap) L3.809.4.53.6 (steel bracelet) L3.809.4.53.9 (green rubber) |
| Case Dimensions | 39mm (D) x 11.5mm (T) |
| Case Material | Stainless steel |
| Water Resistance | 100m |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire front |
| Dial | Matt black dial |
| Strap | Green rubber strap, pin buckle Brown leather strap, folding clasp with micro-adjustment Stainless steel three-link bracelet, folding clasp with micro-adjustment |
| Movement | Calibre L888.4, ETA base, automatic |
| Power Reserve | 72 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, and seconds |
| Availability | October 2025 |
| Price | US$2,700 (on rubber) US$2,850 (on leather) US$3,100 (on bracelet) |
Longines Spirit Pilot Flyback
The chronograph is the line’s historical anchor. Longines produced flyback chronographs in the early 1930s and filed its patent in 1935; the complication’s one‑push reset‑and‑restart function remains well suited to timing consecutive intervals. The new Spirit Pilot Flyback scales to 39.5mm in diameter and 13.4mm in thickness, with 20mm lugs and 100m water resistance. A box‑shaped sapphire crystal reinforces the vintage instrument look, while a transparent screw‑down case back reveals the movement.
A key external change is the bidirectional rotating bezel. Longines says the rotation mechanism has been improved compared to the previous iteration, and a countdown timer scale appears for the first time on this model line. On the black ceramic insert, triangle pip and markings are filled with Super‑LumiNova. It’s a practical addition that lets you time from a preset interval—useful beyond aviation, from cooking to parking meters—without cluttering the dial.
The dial follows the three‑hander’s template: matte black, gilt applied numerals and hands with Super‑LumiNova. The small seconds sits at 9 o’clock, and a 30‑minute counter at 3, balancing the layout without resorting to a date. The effect is clean and legible, with enough warmth from the gilt to keep it from feeling clinical.
Inside is the cal. L792.4, a hand‑wound column‑wheel chronograph with flyback. It’s COSC‑certified, runs at 4 Hz, and offers 68 hours of power reserve. As with the three‑hander, the balance spring is silicon for enhanced resistance to magnetism. The movement finishing visible through the back is purpose‑driven, and the column wheel is on display. The Flyback comes on a stainless‑steel bracelet or an interchangeable brown leather strap, both using micro‑adjustable folding clasps.
Longines Spirit Pilot Flyback pricing and availability
The Longines Spirit Pilot Flyback is available from October 2025. Price: US$5,350 (on leather), US$5,500 (on bracelet)
| Brand | Longines |
| Model | Spirit Pilot Flyback |
| Model | L3.721.4.53.2 (brown leather strap) L3.721.4.53.6 (steel bracelet) |
| Case Dimensions | 39.5mm (D) x 13.4mm (T) |
| Case Material | Stainless steel |
| Water Resistance | 100m |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire front and back |
| Dial | Matt black dial |
| Strap | Brown leather strap, folding clasp with micro-adjustment Stainless steel three-link bracelet, folding clasp with micro-adjustment |
| Movement | Calibre L792.4, ETA base, manual-winding |
| Power Reserve | 68 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, small seconds, flyback chronograph, timing bezel |
| Availability | October 2025 |
| Price | US$5,350 (on leather) US$5,500 (on bracelet) |
Closing thoughts
As a whole, the new Spirit duo reads as incremental but worthwhile. The three‑hander becomes a cleaner daily pilot with better ergonomics and a stronger spec sheet; the Flyback trims size and adds a functional countdown bezel that broadens its utility. Both keep the gilt‑on‑black visual that anchors this release’s imagery without straying into pastiche. For a line meant to bridge cockpit tools and modern wearability, that feels like the right direction.