I couldn't get over the line..AGAIN

It looks like an Explorer with a huge Watch crown sticking way out there. BB58 crown on steroids.

The sales assistant had unscrewed the crown fully out..so it looks a little big

For me after trying the Longines Spirit then ordering a Alpina Startimer it turn me away from the Longines Spirit . If money was no issue I would have them all! now If you mention the Longines Avigation big eye now that's a different animal.

If you're toeing the line, have you tried on the Longines Spirit Titanium? Same watch, two different sizes 40/42, grade 5 titanium, and no date. I have the 40mm on an Artem Strap and it's become my every day go to. Hope this helps. 

I got the blue dial 40mm version   very happy with it, keeps great time definitely a keeper.

I tried the blue on as well and it was also stunning 

I’ll have to check it out in the flesh 👍

37mm one brother 100% The lug to lug is what is probably bugging you, on the 37 it's going to be that 3mm smaller that may get you across the line 👍

Love the watch, but the long lugs, or shape of them is maybe not in proportion of the whole watch🤔

Maybe it has a bit of a Japanese touch in a Swiss design...

I have the original Spirit, the 42mm, these watches have a massive lugtolug measurement but once off the bracelet work much better on the wrist! Since they are pilot watches, similar to iwc ones I would say, they are meant to be larger for clarity. I have the blue dial one as well and it's superb, the ar coating is superlative as well so you can admire the dial in the day and the lume is very good as well to admire the indices after dark too ! I have three Tudor watches too (BB58's and a Royal) but still glad I got the longines too👍 hope this helps

Yeah, happens to me a bit! The main thing for me is how it wears on my wrist. I've had to give up many a watch that I was super keen, just because physically on me, they looked ridiculous. Breaks your heart, but I have to be realistic. Because if I did pull the trigger, every time I'd look at it, all I would see was how it was not right for me. 

That is a tremendous watch, but these are two things that I didn't like when I tried it on:

• Crown sits too far from the case because of its design
• Case back is too plain and its design is a little bit "meh" for me

ok, I might have to re-visit and give the 37mm a go

cheers Tony

I did notice that crystal and the AR was superb

Thanks Carl

Guess it's a matter of whether it speaks to you or not. Took me a while to buy my 40mm, had a number of other options to consider, but ultimately I bought it on account of having fallen in love with it at first sight. You'll find it difficult to find a pilot's watch with better specs and finishing for the money- the Spirit gives far more pricey pieces a run for their money.

The 37mm is more compact, and in theory would suit me better (even though the 40 feels right for me), I still prefer the 40 on account of the sandblasted hands that offer legibility superior to polished ones of the 37. However, you simply can't go wrong with the 37mm Spirit either.

Thanks Tony, now you've thrown a spanner in the works bro..🤪

Just get the Zulu Time👍

My biggest issue with the Spirit collection and the new ETA movements in general is the reduced beat rate.  25200 vph just looks off and wrong to my eye.  I know it's silly, but I haven't been able to pull the trigger on anything other than a 28800 vph movement.

Thats a fair call

My friend and I tried that watch on at an AD and both really liked it, but our main gripe was the male endlinks on the bracelet protrude too much and make the watch feel huge. We both agreed that if we were to buy, we'd put on a leather or fabric strap. 

Same for me between the new Longines Zulu Time and BB GMT. I think my initial hang-up was 'brand' prestige between both but I'm trying to get over my inherent bias toward Tudor. 

Both have superb build and movements and Longines has recently upped their game with the entire Spirit line. Don't think you can go wrong. 

Just have to decide which one makes you "feel" more. Whether that feeling is pride or joy or peace is deeply personal. 

Towards the Tudor BB GMT and the Longines Zulu, I think the Tudor is objectively the 'better watch (and the MSRPs would seem to agree).  The WR rating alone on the Tudor is twice that of the Zulu. Tudor is using a built from scratch movement in the BB GMT which was designed solely for the GMT application. No matter how Swatch Group/Longines want to claim that the Zulu uses an 'exclusive' movement, at the end of the day, it's still just a 2893-2 built using a slightly modified GMT module, more modern materials, and with its beat rate slowed from 28800 vph (4Hz) to 25200 vehicles (3.5Hz) to get the power reserve up to approximately the same level as the Tudor. 

What is interesting to me is that ETA/Longines haven't shown off the movement at all in the marketing, which leaves a bunch of questions unresolved...such as whether the movement comes with a traditional regulator that can be adjusted by a watchmaker, or if it is laser set at the factory like the Powermatic 80s, which I don't particularly care for, since the timing will invariably drift with each knock of the watch.

Save enough money to afford another watch such as the Tudor. And then buy the Longine. I’m not saying you can’t afford both, but use the Jay-Z rule. “I won’t buy it until I can buy it twice.” -Jay-Z

To be fare, Tudor didn’t “build” anything.. Kinessi did. Same GMT movement sold to Norquin. Tudor acquires movements through Kinessi similar to Longines getting their “exclusive caliber” from ETA and claiming it to be “in-house”… but I don’t have a problem with either. 
 

The beat rate criticism is fare, but Omega uses the same and it just takes some getting used to if you have never seen in person. Video frame rates make it look worse than to the naked eye. 

Kenissi was founded by Tudor along with other investors to be its movement producer.  Even though it's technically independent, Tudor has a 50% stake in it, with Chanel owning a 20% stake.  Most of the engineering basis for the movements comes from Rolex's movements (which were made by Angler until Rolex bought them out in 2004).

Norquain and Fortis both use Kenissi movements, but as far as I know, they only buy movements from Kenissi, they don't own any part of the company, unlike Tudor.

So, no Omegas?

I don’t presently own any, no.  I have a JLC, Tudor, Tag and Longines, but no Omegas.  If I were going to get one, it’d probably be a Speedy, where the lower beat rate is less noticeable on the small seconds.

Trying on a few other brands might help you discover the missing thing that‘s holding you back. I like the Spirit in the smaller size, as well as Breitling Aviator8 41mm day-date (the one I own), IWC in the 36mm, Alpina, Fortis. The last 2 are less expensive and gorgeous, though I haven’t seen them in the flesh.

I wanted the 37mm champagne dial.. was completely set on it until I tried it on. The 40mm with the blue or black dial just did not do it for me! All be it absolutely perfect on the wrist in every way.. size, legibility, comfort, I couldn’t justify the purchase. I think for the price point I felt there were alternatives out there doing the same thing but cheaper. More so the price of the Longines spirit, I sort of thought the watch should be doing more. It’s perfect but it didn’t wow me. Anyway time moved on. Neither the spirit or an alternative were bought. I think the instinctive hunch may not always be a bad thing.