The Longines Legend Diver Ref. L3.774.4.50.0, or LLD for short, is a modern modification of an old classic.
In the late 1950s, Longines released the Nautilus Skin Diver model. It was their response to the burgeoning popularity of dive watches at the time. Indeed, the period from the 1950s to the early 1960s gave us some of the most iconic dive watches, such as the Rolex Submariner.
Longines did not stop with this design. Moreover, they expanded it by releasing the Reference 7042 model, a more powerful dive watch that was among the first to use the Super Compressor principle. This patented process relies on water pressure to achieve better sealing. Essentially, the case has a slightly loose fit.
As you dive deeper, water pressure increases, causing the case to fit more tightly together. The deeper the dive, the more secure the seal. The crowns are also very well protected from intrusion, thanks to hidden pins that do not have holes around them.
Two legends side by side
The Legend Diver model draws its inspiration primarily from the Reference 7042. However, it also borrowed the more popular hands from the later 7594 model. The LLD model is even equipped with a date window at the “3 o'clock” position - a modern feature not found on earlier models of this series.
In fact, the very first series of LLD was released without a date window, which makes this series unique. Finally, the LLD model is equipped with modern screw-down crowns, which were not yet invented during the release of the 7042 model.
So, is this a worthy update from a long-standing manufacturer, or did Longines miss the mark with this model? I managed to get my hands on one of these new watches, and here's what I found.
Case and Crystal
The Longines Legend Diver watch has a slim, round profile, with a diameter of 42mm and a thickness of 12.7mm. This allows the watch to sit comfortably on the wrist while keeping its weight minimal. The 22mm lugs accommodate medium-sized straps, offering plenty of options if you don't like the included strap.
The steel is brightly polished, has a smooth surface, and lacks a bezel. In fact, the steel seems to prematurely curve towards the crystal, making the already pronounced crystal appear even more protruding.
The sapphire glass itself is scratch-resistant and has an anti-reflective inner surface. This makes the dial easy to read, although the arched design will obscure details at a wide angle.
As you might expect, many features of the Legend Diver are geared towards top-notch underwater performance. The crown has a screw-down design, ensuring it won't accidentally pull out if snagged. The case back also has a screw-down design. This allows for an ultra-strong gasket, further enhancing water resistance. Finally, there is an internal diving flange that tightens as water pressure increases, as with the older 7042 model.
All these features combined provide an impressive water resistance of 300 meters. Despite the absence of any other diving features, this is a reliable underwater watch.
Rich Monochrome Dial
The dial of the Legend Diver features a classic monochrome design: white numbers and indexes are applied on a black satin lacquered background. The outer index consists of bold hashes, with the five-minute marks being larger. Arabic numerals are sparse, located only at the “6”, “9”, and “12 o'clock” positions. At the “3 o'clock” position is the aforementioned date window. All index marks, as well as the date window, are painted using Super-LumiNova coating, which glows brightly in the dark.
The minute hand is similarly painted, has a slim profile, and a stainless steel skeleton that is as elegant as it is functional. The hour hand is shorter and thicker, with an arrowhead tip coated with Super-LumiNova and a thicker frame. The second hand is almost as thin as a needle and nearly invisible in the dark.
Reliable Movement
The LLD model uses a modified Longines ETA Caliber L888 movement. As expected, this is an automatic, self-winding movement that continues to operate as long as the watch is worn. Moreover, it will keep running for a long time afterward. With a 72-hour power reserve, you can take off the Legend Diver on Friday and wear it again on Monday morning, with almost a full day to spare.
This is an impressive movement, with an accuracy of +/- 5 seconds per day. Additionally, it operates very smoothly, with a frequency of 25,200 beats per hour.
Embossed Leather Strap
The Legend Diver watch comes with an attractive black leather strap, which is stitched along the edges and reinforced with nylon at the lugs. It is mostly smooth, but the inner side of the strap is embossed with the Longines logo, which you might not even notice.
For more information, visit the official Longines website here.