Considering Swatch Group's vast size and influence within the broader Swiss watch industry, it shouldn't come as any surprise that throughout its history, quadrennial sporting events are a recurring theme. Longines -- the historic manufacturer behind such designs as the Spirit and Heritage Classic -- has been the Commonwealth Games' Official Partner and Timekeeper of choice on multiple occasions; and to celebrate this continued association, the brand released the HydroConquest XXII Commonwealth Games earlier this year.
A limited edition made in a very on-theme run of 2,022 pieces, the HydroConquest XXII Commonwealth Games pays tribute to performance. Involving teams from 72 different countries all competing in Birmingham until August 8th, 2022, this is (as previously stated) not the Winged Hourglass's first sortie into official timekeeping. Interestingly, the connection with the Commonwealth's most prestigious sporting event finds its roots in 1960s Australia, when the brand was invited to time the 7th edition of the Games held in Perth.
'Birmingham 2022' design cues notwithstanding, what you'll find with this piece is a fun and eminently wearable iteration of the Hydroconquest DNA. An unusual collection for Longines (in that it's less than 20 years old and doesn't draw on the brand's archival history), the Hydroconquest offers wearers a contemporary, well-priced diving watch -- complete with an integrated bracelet and high-performance movement technology. Built to be worn daily and in every conceivable setting, the HydroConquest XXII Commonwealth Games vaults above the fray of the regular-production Hydroconquest through some thought-out aesthetic choices -- most of which you'll notice straight away.
In the HydroConquest XXII Commonwealth Games dial and bezel, wearers are able to discern a blue-green-yellow palette similar to the one used for the 'Birmingham 2022' emblem. Rather than arbitrarily splashing those shades across the watch's external surfaces, Longines have chosen to replicate the gradient effect present in the Commonwealth Games logo in a way that appears consistent and functional. Beginning at '10', each interval on the diving scale becomes progressively bluer in colour -- a cue that is subtly echoed by way of a similar motif in the chapter ring. Machined in ceramic -- a material prized in the watch industry for its colour-fastness and resistance to corrosion -- this Hydroconquest diver bezel can do a lot more than just time decompression. The ability to measure elapsed times (of up to 60 minutes) means it's useful in a range of daily activities: particularly when cooking, brewing or baking inside this sub-hour timeframe.
The Hydroconquest's traditional screw-down caseback -- an assembly technique crucial to the construction of a true-to-name diver's watch -- lends itself well to engraving, which here takes the form of the Commonwealth Games signature and aforementioned 'Birmingham 2022' logo. The choice to omit any such similar branding on the dial-side is a sensible one: likely intended to give the blue-green-yellow gradient more space to 'pop' against the otherwise classic monochrome backdrop.
Elsewhere, 'classic' is most definitely the adjective you'd use to describe the HydroConquest XXII Commonwealth Games design codes. At 41mm, the case delivers pleasing proportions and robust across-the-board ergonomics. The experience of wearing the HydroConquest XXII Commonwealth Games dovetails with its details: large quadrants of the case and bracelet are finished using a vertically brushed effect, imbuing the watch with a handsome yet understated style. And despite the increasingly slim incidence of luxury sports watches like this being used in their intended environment, the HydroConquest XXII Commonwealth Games is more than capable of going to depths of up to 300m -- a level of water resistance well beyond the needs of most recreational divers.
Rounding out the HydroConquest XXII Commonwealth Games' technical performance is the calibre L888.5 -- a self-winding movement that is at the heart of the Hydroconquest collection. Its robust build quality and use of Swatch Group technology go to the watch's already considerable wearability. At full wind, the movement has a power reserve of 72 hours: meaning that, should you choose, it will continue to run throughout the weekend and be ready Monday morning.
Discover the new Hydroconquest XXII Commonwealth Games and other Longines watches in-store at Grahams Myer Centre today. Wear now and pay later with our range of flexible finance options including Zip, Latitude, and more. Get $20 off your first purchase by signing up for our VIP Club!
