Revival of the Longines Pilot Majetek
Once again, Longines turns to its rich archives to remake a cool mechanical timepiece originally designed for aviators.
We got the chance to see, touch and feel the Longines Pilot Majetek at the brand’s regional novelties presentation in Bangkok last month, and the watch certainly packs a punch. While strengthening Longines’s riff on contemporary timepieces designed for aviation, it also bolsters the continuity of reinterpretations from the brand’s abundant archives of pilot and explorer’s instrument watches, replete with their cutting-edge technicality.
The new pilot-themed watch takes inspiration from a 1935 historic model designed for Czech pilots and is now revamped with 21st-century aesthetic and technical codes to measure time with the precision and reliability synonymous with Longines. The first version registered on 1 April 1935 at the International Industrial Property Office in Bern, Switzerland lends its curved cushion case shape to the overhauled Longines Pilot Majetek together with new design cues.
Firstly, the upsized 43 mm case from the initial 41 mm ensures comfort and legibility in line with pilot watches. Next, the eye-catching bidirectional fluted bezel that comes mounted on the steel case is coupled with an internal fluorescent mobile triangle marker or “Starting time indicator”, which it controls while the sapphire crystal is kept stationary as opposed to the 1935 rendition which had the bezel and crystal rotating in tandem. Other interesting details include a commemorative plate etched with “1935” which conceals a newly patented mechanism and which is affixed on the outer case at 9 o’clock, alongside a screw-in caseback, engraved with the watch name and its chronometer certification guaranteeing water- resistance of 100 m.
Visually, the Longines Pilot Majetek’s matte black dial is easy to read with its white Arabic numeral hour indicators coated with Super-Luminova® old radium. Sitting alongside is a railway minute marker as well as rhodium-tipped baton hands which are phosphorescent for optimal night-time viewing, and an oversized small seconds dial at 6 o’clock. The entire watch head, including its exclusive Longines L893.6 calibre equipped with a magnetically resistant silicon balance spring and 72-hour power reserve, is certified by Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres (COSC). Brown or green leather are the colour choices for the two-stitch watch strap, and for a touch of sustainability, a khaki-green NATO-type strap of polyester fibre created from recycled materials is also available.
Visit longines.com to find out more.
