Longines expands its Spirit collection in 2026 with four new references inspired by aviation, all characterized by an elegant matte blue dial and COSC-certified chronometer status. The new lineup includes two versions of the Longines Spirit Pilot and two of the sophisticated Longines Spirit Pilot Flyback, combining the Swiss brand’s aviation heritage with a contemporary interpretation of the pilot’s watch.
The new range embraces a monochromatic aesthetic in shades of blue, stainless steel cases, and mechanical movements equipped with silicon hairsprings. It is an evolution that preserves some of the defining codes that have made the Spirit collection one of the pillars of contemporary aviation watchmaking at Longines.
Longines and aviation: almost a century of history
Talking about the Spirit collection also means talking about Longines’ close relationship with aviation. For almost a century, the Swiss manufacture has accompanied some of the great pioneers of aviation, developing precision instruments designed to operate under particularly demanding conditions.
Among the historical names associated with the brand are Amelia Earhart, Elinor Smith, and Richard Byrd, protagonists of some of the great adventures in aviation and exploration during the 20th century.
This heritage lies at the heart of the Spirit collection, introduced in 2020 as a contemporary tribute to those pioneers. Its watches revive elements characteristic of classic aviation instruments while incorporating the technology and precision standards of modern mechanical watchmaking.
In 2026, Longines once again looks to this legacy with four new versions that share one distinctive element: blue takes center stage.
Longines Spirit Pilot: a contemporary pilot’s watch
The new Longines Spirit Pilot represents the most streamlined interpretation of this new generation. With a stainless steel case measuring 39 mm in diameter and 11.50 mm thick, it opts for balanced dimensions and a particularly versatile presence on the wrist.
Its main visual feature is the matte blue dial, complemented by applied silver Arabic numerals and rhodium-plated hands. Both the hour markers and hands feature Super-LumiNova®, enhancing legibility, one of the essential characteristics of any watch inspired by cockpit instruments.
The dial also features a minute track that reinforces its aviation character. The result is a clean, functional, and recognizable design in which the vintage aesthetic associated with pilot’s watches is combined with contemporary execution.
Longines L888.4 calibre: precision and autonomy
Inside the Spirit Pilot beats the exclusive Longines L888.4 automatic calibre, a mechanical movement equipped with a silicon hairspring and developed to offer high resistance to magnetic fields.
The movement operates at 25,200 vibrations per hour, features 21 jewels, and provides a power reserve of up to 72 hours.
One of its key features is precisely the silicon hairspring, a lightweight material that is resistant to corrosion and less sensitive to temperature variations and magnetic fields. In this model, Longines states that the watch offers magnetic resistance in accordance with ISO 764.
As an additional guarantee of precision, the movement is COSC-certified as a chronometer.
The case features a screw-down crown and screw-down case back and offers water resistance of up to 10 bar, equivalent to 100 meters. The sapphire crystal, treated with anti-reflective coating on both sides, completes the package.
Two options for wearing the Spirit Pilot
The 2026 Longines Spirit Pilot is available with two bracelet and strap options.
On the one hand, there is a stainless steel bracelet equipped with a double-folding safety clasp and micro-adjustment. On the other, Longines offers a Swiss-made blue rubber strap featuring an interchangeable system.
The latter option particularly enhances the watch’s sporty character while maintaining the blue aesthetic that defines the new additions to the collection.
The references corresponding to the new Longines Spirit Pilot are L3.809.4.93.6 and L3.809.4.93.9.
Longines Spirit Pilot Flyback: the flyback chronograph story continues
Alongside the Spirit Pilot, Longines introduces a new blue version of the Spirit Pilot Flyback, a model that takes the connection between the Spirit collection and the brand’s aviation watchmaking history even further.
The flyback chronograph occupies a special place in Longines’ history. In the early 1930s, the company developed this technology, and in 1935 it registered a patent for a chronograph with a flyback function, an innovation that was particularly relevant to aerial navigation and the timing of certain flight procedures.
The flyback function allows the chronograph to be reset and restarted with a single action, without first having to stop the mechanism. It is a solution that reflects the instrumental purpose that has historically accompanied this type of watch.
Initially introduced in 2025 with a black dial, the Spirit Pilot Flyback now adopts blue as its defining element.
A blue aesthetic with aviation-inspired design
The new Longines Spirit Pilot Flyback features a stainless steel case measuring 39.50 mm in diameter and 13.40 mm thick.
The matte blue dial is paired with a bidirectional rotating bezel featuring a blue ceramic insert and countdown scale, creating an almost monochromatic aesthetic.
The silver Arabic numerals and hands feature Super-LumiNova®, while the box-shaped sapphire crystal gives the watch a distinctive personality and reinforces its references to classic aviation instruments.
Inside the case is a movement of particular interest to enthusiasts of fine mechanical watchmaking.
L792.4 calibre: column wheel and flyback function
The Spirit Pilot Flyback is equipped with the exclusive Longines L792.4 hand-wound calibre, a movement featuring a column wheel and flyback function.
It operates at 28,800 vibrations per hour, features 23 jewels, and offers a power reserve of up to 68 hours.
Like the Spirit Pilot, it incorporates a silicon hairspring and is designed to provide greater resistance to magnetic fields. It is also COSC-certified as a chronometer.
The movement can be viewed through the transparent sapphire crystal case back, revealing the architecture and finishing of the calibre.
In terms of functions, the chronograph features a central 60-second hand and a 30-minute counter positioned at 3 o’clock, along with a small seconds sub-dial at 9 o’clock.
Water resistance also reaches 10 bar, equivalent to 100 meters.
Blue as the new language of the Spirit collection
With these four new references, Longines is not simply adding new color variants to the Spirit collection. Blue is used to create a more contemporary interpretation of its pilot’s watches while preserving the elements that define their identity.
The matte blue dials, silver details, stainless steel, and, in the case of the Flyback, the blue ceramic bezel, create a coherent aesthetic throughout the new range.
The result is a collection in which aviation inspiration, mechanical precision, and everyday versatility coexist within a single design.
Two ways of interpreting the Spirit Pilot
Although they share the same DNA, the Longines Spirit Pilot and the Spirit Pilot Flyback cater to different profiles.
The Spirit Pilot focuses on the simplicity of a three-hand watch and an automatic calibre with a 72-hour power reserve. Its 39 mm case and two bracelet and strap options make it particularly versatile for everyday wear.
The Spirit Pilot Flyback, by contrast, introduces greater mechanical complexity through a chronograph with a column wheel and flyback function. Its slightly larger case and ceramic countdown bezel also give it a more technical and sporty presence.
Both, however, share some of the fundamental elements of the new generation: blue dials, COSC certification, silicon hairsprings, stainless steel construction, and water resistance of up to 100 meters.
Longines Spirit Pilot 2026: aviation heritage and contemporary watchmaking
The new generation of the Longines Spirit Pilot demonstrates how a collection inspired by history can evolve without losing its defining identity.
Almost a century after its first ties to aviation, Longines continues to use that heritage as a starting point for developing watches that combine legibility, precision, durability, and design.
In 2026, blue becomes the distinguishing element of four new references. The Spirit Pilot offers a purer and more functional take on the pilot’s watch, while the Spirit Pilot Flyback revisits one of the most important chapters in Longines’ technical history.
Two different interpretations of the same spirit: that of the pioneers who always sought to go a little farther.
