When the storied Swiss watchmaker Longines unveiled its new VHP line in 2017, it set entirely new standards in the quartz watch segment. At the same time, it added a new model line to its Conquest collection, one that combines the sporty elegance of a collection that has been popular for decades with the latest watchmaking technology. The brand has now taken the positive response to the new line as an occasion to launch a new model with a GMT function.
The Quartz Watch for the 21st Century
As is well known, watch enthusiasts have mixed feelings about quartz watches. Some see them primarily as mass-produced goods that flooded the markets and put traditional watchmaking in Switzerland and other European countries under severe pressure in the 1970s and 1980s. They expect luxury watches to be powered by mechanical movements.
Others, by contrast, value quartz watches for their high precision, which no mechanical watch can surpass, and consider it only natural that high-end luxury watches should be equipped with the most precise watch technology available. To appeal to both groups of customers, some renowned watch manufacturers offer certain models in both a mechanical version and with a quartz movement.
This also applies to the Longines Conquest collection. With the introduction of the VHP line, however, the brand went beyond its established practice of offering quartz and mechanical versions of Conquest models side by side, creating a stand-alone quartz line that sets itself apart from all other Conquest watches in appearance alone and, so far, has no mechanical counterpart within the collection. With these models, Longines has in a sense created the quartz watch for the 21st century: one distinguished not only by extreme precision but also by remarkable resilience against the various influences that could impair its accuracy and reliability.
Very High Precision: A Maximum Deviation of Five Seconds – per Year!
The individual models of the VHP collection can be recognized at first glance by the abbreviation "V.H.P." on the dial just above six o'clock, highlighted in red. It stands for "Very High Precision" and makes clear the high standard the brand sets for these watches. With a maximum deviation of no more than five seconds per year, that standard is fully met.
For comparison: a COSC-certified mechanical chronometer may deviate by up to five seconds per day. If the movement is less than 20 millimeters in diameter, up to seven seconds per day are permitted. Even quartz chronometers are "only" required to achieve an average rate of no more than ±0.07 seconds per day at a temperature of 23 degrees Celsius, with no requirement for a maximum deviation of around five seconds per year.
Incidentally, with the launch of the VHP collection, Longines' engineers and watchmakers were able to build on a precision record the house had already set in 1984, which caused quite a stir across the industry at the time.
The Longines VHP GMT – Maximum Precision for an International Lifestyle
With its latest releases, the collection has now been expanded to include a selection of watches with a GMT function. The GMT Flash Setting features an additional central hand that can display the time in a second time zone. To rule out confusion, particularly with the central seconds hand, and to make reading easier, the GMT hand has been given a striking red-and-white triangular tip.
This additional function is useful not only for frequent travel across different time zones, but also for anyone who often communicates with business partners, relatives, or friends overseas. A quick glance at the dial is enough to know whether they are likely to be reachable or whether a call might jolt them awake, possibly in the middle of the night.
GPD System and Flash Setting: More Technical Highlights of the Longines VHP GMT
Exceptionally high precision and the display of a second time zone are not the only highlights that set the collection's GMT watches apart from other watches: for one, they are also equipped with a Gear Position Detection (GPD) system. And for another, they feature a Flash Setting function.
The GPD system ensures that the hands are returned to their correct position as quickly as possible if their movement has been affected by external influences such as a shock or a strong magnetic field.
The so-called Flash Setting function is designed to make the watch easier to use. It allows you to set the time without using the crown. Instead, the necessary settings are made via a smartphone app and transmitted to the watch by a sequence of flashes from the camera's flashlight. For this purpose, the watch has a small opening in the dial, visible as a tiny dark dot on the "1" of the numeral "12".
Last but not least, the Longines VHP GMT displays the date in addition to the time. Thanks to a perpetual calendar, there is no need for constant readjustment; instead, the correct date automatically appears in the small window at three o'clock until the year 2399. While that is not perpetual in the strict sense of the word, it is easily enough to keep several generations of the VHP owner's heirs informed of the correct date.
Different Sizes, Dial Designs, and Color Combinations of the Longines VHP GMT
Like the first models of the Longines VHP collection, the GMT versions are each available in two different sizes.
The larger cases measure 43 millimeters in diameter, while the smaller cases come in at 41 millimeters. The case is made of stainless steel in every version – as is the bracelet in most cases.
In addition, a blue or black rubber strap is also available. In some versions, the case and steel bracelet feature a black PVD coating. The dial is clean and easy to read and resembles that of the core Conquest models in many details. The 12 and 6 are rendered as Arabic numerals, while all other hours are marked by baton indices.
The minute track appears in the same red as the V.H.P. abbreviation, and the rehaut carries a 24-hour scale with Arabic numerals for the GMT function. The hour and minute hands as well as the hour indices are coated with luminescent material so the watch can be read in the dark. On the Longines VHP GMT, the dial is available in black, white, or blue. There is also an anthracite version with a carbon texture. Two small red symbols at two and ten o'clock, depicting an airplane and a house respectively, point to the watch's ability to show both local time and home time simultaneously while traveling.
All in all, the various sizes and color combinations result in a remarkable range of looks – from rugged and sporty to classic and elegant. With evening wear, the VHP GMT comes across as a little too sporty, but it is a perfect match for almost every other occasion and can be worn with a formal business outfit just as well as with a casual weekend look.
