The Longines HydroConquest Gets a Proper Makeover for 2026

Sitting in Mexico City with Longines this past week, we had a pretty clear idea of what to expect. The Longines HydroConquest hadn’t seen a comprehensive collection refresh since 2018, and while it still felt “current” in its existing guise, we knew the much-loved dive watch collection would be the lead talking point. In recent years, the brand’s new designs have been especially charming — the current Legend Diver, last year’s Ultra-Chron, and the much loved Spirit collection come to mind. In turn, the new HydroConquest ticks all of the right boxes and then some.

In total, twelve new references are on offer — six configurations, each offered in 39mm and 42mm variants — boasting a host of both visual and technical improvements. Any time a redesign like this happens, the enthusiast community isn’t short on opinions, but after handling the set in person, it’s hard to find any fault that could be chalked up to anything beyond personal preferences.

First things first: the colour choice and dial execution found throughout the collection is just wonderful. Longines has dropped the use of Arabic numerals on the dial for proportionally appropriate baton, triangular, and round indices that balance the dial while bringing an additional technical benefit; the larger indices allowed for the application of more Super-LumiNova luminous material, improving the collection’s low-light legibility.

The immediate standouts are the three colourways being offered on a new mesh bracelet: an ice blue dial with a contrasting black ceramic bezel and a pair of black dials, fitted with either blue or grey bezel configurations. The cool, light blue hue is a scarce one in the dive watch category, despite bold colours becoming more prevalent across the board. Perhaps the most subtle, the use of a grey bezel gives the HydroConquest a sort of faded, retro charm without leaning on other “heritage reissue” quirks.

The more conventional references — navy blue, black, and green — are simple in concept, but getting them right wasn’t without effort. The new dials are all executed in a polished lacquer (rather than the sunray brushed finish of prior editions), and the colour matching between this lacquer and the ceramic used on the rotating bezel inserts is perfect. In an industry where, so often, we see that matching done as “close enough”, we’re going to give Longines a nod for this one.

Speaking of those rotating bezels, the new HydroConquest also benefits from redesigned bezel mechanics that deliver smooth and precise adjustment. It’s a minor tweak, but comparing old and new models reveals a tangible (and welcomed) improvement. Looking to its bracelets, a new mesh bracelet design has been added to the HydroConquest. Finely finished with polished edges, the mesh bracelet is nicely suited to the new diver, tapering down to an updated bracelet clasp that now adds a micro-adjustment function to the collection for the first time. The adjustable clasp is carried over from the Longines Spirit collection, and is fitted to both available bracelet types, offering four adjustment step positions.

The Longines caliber L888.5 self-winding movement is fitted throughout the new collection — the latest iteration of the ETA-based Longines movement, delivering a 72-hour power reserve and significant resistance to magnetism through the use of silicon componentry. Perhaps the most interesting factoid on the caliber is the brand’s ongoing choice to have the movement running at 3.5 Hertz instead of 3, which is far more prevalent, not to mention being the standard beat rate of the base movement that Longines builds the L888.5 from. Broadly speaking, a higher beat rate helps improve overall movement accuracy and stability. However, from a user/wearer standpoint, the increased frequency isn’t something you’ll notice as you watch its seconds hand sweeps across the dial.

Lastly, it’s also worth noting that the sizing and proportions of this new collection are exactly where they need to be. Its case thickness has been nominally trimmed down (on both case sizes), and the bracelet has been widened on the 39mm reference to balance things out a bit. Ditching its previous 19mm lug width for a more conventional 20mm is a subtle tweak, but it makes a world of difference for those with a penchant for swapping their dive watches onto aftermarket rubber or NATO straps.

We’re not here to persuade anyone that this latest collection is the most innovative or exciting thing we’ve ever seen, but at the same time, this new Longines HydroConquest collection is still everything we could have hoped for from the beloved St. Imier watchmaker. It’s clean, it’s compelling, it’s thoughtful, and it presents an excellent value for those on the hunt for a new dive watch that doesn’t encroach on the $10k price bracket. Canadian retail pricing comes in at $2,900 on h-link bracelet and $3,100 on mesh bracelet — which is an increase between $200 and $500 over previous editions — but as is the case with just about everything from Longines, it’s hard not to see this as solid value.

Learn more about the Longines HydroConquest here.

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