Longines Reimagines Its Historic Flyback in 39.5 Millimetres

Saying Longines has had an illustrious career in the field of aviation is a gross understatement, given that the watch brand boasts milestones that stretch back more than a century, from the first high-frequency timer to measure one hundredth of a second at 360,000 beats per hour, in 1916, to the first wristwatch to indicate a second time zone, in 1925. (For a more detailed examination, read the Legacy 2026 issue’s cover story for a deep dive into the century-long history of Longines in aviation, especially as creators of precision instruments to aid navigation and timekeeping.)

This quarter, as part of its update of its Spirit collection, Longines turned its attention to the innovation that it invented in the early 1930s and then patented in 1935: the flyback chronograph. The new Spirit Pilot Flyback features a slew of subtle but powerful enhancements condensed into a smaller package. Measuring just 39.5 millimetres, with a thickness of 13.4 millimetres, this stainless-steel model is significantly smaller compared with the existing flyback chronographs in the Spirit collection, which come in at 42 millimetres and 17 millimetres instead. The Spirit Pilot Flyback also sports a bidirectional rotating bezel with a black ceramic insert, now for the first time with a countdown timer. And to amp up contrast and legibility, the watch is fitted with a box sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment and a matt black dial — together a tribute to vintage aviation instruments — and gold-coloured hands and applied numerals, all treated with Super-Luminova.

The engine that drives the Spirit Pilot Flyback is the COSC chronometer certified manual winding Longines calibre L792.4, which owes its precision timing capabilities to its column-wheel chronograph mechanism with flyback function, and its magnetic resistance to the silicon balance spring. A power reserve of 68 hours and water-resistance of 100 metres ensure that the watch keeps functioning under nearly all conditions. A see-through screw-down caseback and a stainless-steel bracelet or brown leather strap — interchangeable options, both with a microadjustment folding clasp — complete the timepiece.

Besides the Spirit Pilot Flyback, the Spirit collection, which launched in 2020, also welcomed the new Spirit Pilot. An update of the three-hand model, the Spirit Pilot features a redesigned stainless-steel 39-millimetre case that boasts improved ergonomics, the omission of the date window and five-star emblem to prioritise functionality and benefit legibility, and a refined minute track. Together, these two novelties bring with them an abundance of utility so that they remain faithful to their tool-watch heritage, all while staying true to the aesthetic codes established by the original Spirit collection. Note that the specs below are for the Flyback only.

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