Legend Diver 59

An emblem of the brand for more than six decades, the Legend Diver has earned a unique place in watchmaking history. The newest chapter in this storied collection unveils a model that remains faithful to the 1959 original in every detail, and proudly bears its name. 

Recognizable at first glance thanks to its dual crowns and internal rotating bezel, the Legend Diver seamlessly merges Longines’ historic diving expertise with contemporary precision and enduring design codes. 

The grained black dial offers exceptional contrast and readability while preserving the unmistakable DNA of the collection. White indexes and raised Arabic numerals, paired with satinated arrow hands, are all coated with “light Old Radium” Super-LumiNova® to ensure reliable visibility in all environments. An additional safety feature for divers is the seconds hand with its luminescent tip that serves to confirm that the watch is running, even in the dark. 

A domed sapphire crystal, featuring a black metallic coating and multi-layer anti-reflective treatment on both sides, protects the vintage-style dial. 

This version is paired with a finely crafted stainless-steel Milanese mesh bracelet, offering exceptional flexibility, wrist comfort, and a refined appearance. The bracelet is equipped with a micro-adjustable, double folding safety clasp that balances technical performance with understated elegance. An additional black rubber “tropic” style bracelet is also included. 

Staying true to the proportions of the original 1959 model, the timepiece features a brand new 42-mm stainless-steel case. The internal rotating bezel — a Longines innovation first introduced in 1936 — remains housed safely inside the case and is operated via the screw-in crown at 2 o’clock. Graduated on a 60 minute scale and topped with a luminescent triangle, the bezel enhances safety by preventing accidental manipulation or external shocks. 

It preserves the original 1959 aesthetic with its grained black finish and metallic indexes. 

In line with Longines’ commitment to technical excellence, the new Legend Diver model is ISO 6425 certified as a diving watch, offering water resistance up to 30 bar (300 metres). The fully assembled watch carries official chronometer certification from the COSC (Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres), guaranteeing superior accuracy under all conditions. The timepiece is equipped with the exclusive Longines calibre L888.6 featuring a silicon balance-spring and advanced anti-magnetic components, providing magnetic resistance up to ten times greater than the ISO 764 standard and a power reserve of up to 72 hours. 

With its blend of heritage-inspired aesthetics and cutting-edge innovation, the expanded Legend Diver collection embodies Longines’ enduring philosophy: Elegance is an attitude. More than six decades after the original timepiece debuted, the Legend Diver continues to express a timeless elegance that remains as iconic today as ever.

Longines and divers’ watches 
From the first water-resistant models to the Legend Diver 

The Swiss watch brand began producing its first water-resistant watches in the 1910s. In 1937, it launched the first chronograph with water-resistant pushers, which it patented the following year. In the 1940s, Longines helped the UK Hydrographic Institute design the very first diving wristwatches for Royal Navy divers. Previously solely the reserve of the military and scientists, diving eventually opened to the public, who embraced it with growing appreciation. Deep-sea exploration was becoming more accessible, attracting a growing number of enthusiasts. As well as aqualungs, regulators, masks, and fins, diving requires technical equipment including a depth gauge, a pressure gauge, and a reliable divers’ watch for measuring immersion times accurately. 

At the end of the 1950s, Longines began producing divers’ watches. These instruments followed in the footsteps of those manufactured by the brand for countless pioneers at sea, on land, and in the air throughout its history. In 1958, Longines introduced the Nautilus Skin Diver. It had a case that was water-resistant up to 12 bar (120 m) and a stainless steel bracelet with a fine-adjustment system for wearing over a diving suit. In 1959, Longines developed what was to become the Legend Diver: a model specifically designed for underwater exploration, water-resistant up to 12 bar (120 m). To protect the rotating bezel from external exposure, the Longines technicians moved it under the glass. Invented by Longines in 1936, this ingenious feature, the internal rotating bezel, was featured in the Legend Diver for the first time ever and would go on to inspire many other watch brands. It was operated by an additional crown at 2 o’clock, all protected by a revolutionary Super-Compressor case. Over the course of the 1960s and 1970s, water-resistance was further improved with several generations of models. 

In the 2000s, the brand revived this iconic watch by including it in its Heritage segment. Today, the Longines Legend Diver combines cutting-edge technology and iconic design while celebrating a unique history.

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