# Longines Baselworld 2012 Saint-Imier Collection



## nboey

Fellow Longines fans....

Awareness thread on the new range introduced by Longines for 2012. All looks quite good to me, and i notice that they have introduced quite a few more column-wheel chronos :-!

Longines - Baselworld 2012

http://the-longines-saint-imier-collection.longines.com/en#!/en/collections


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## nboey

more official photos:


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## robattopper

*A few pictures from Baselworld 2012 apointment of Saint-Imier Collection*

Here are some pics from the show of some of the Saint-Imier watches I liked the best in person.

*Basic Automatic
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*Automatic Chronograph*



















*Sunphase-Moonphase Retrograde
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*Automatic GMT
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## Bergarn

*Re: A few pictures from Baselworld 2012 apointment of Saint-Imier Collection*

I have to say that they made a real mistake on the retrograde by putting those hands and arabic numerals on it. I would have preferred the classic hands that are on the roman version and arabic numerals in a more stylistic italic design, then it would have been a real winner.

Ah well, someone else will probably love it


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## SlvrSrfr

*Re: A few pictures from Baselworld 2012 apointment of Saint-Imier Collection*

I guess they were going for a sporty-casual look with this collection by dressing down the classic-dressy Master Retrograde, thus the different hands with lume. Definitely prefer the previous collection for the Master Retrograde, but the Saint-Imier chronograph is very good looking!


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## matateduh

*Re: A few pictures from Baselworld 2012 apointment of Saint-Imier Collection*



SlvrSrfr said:


> I guess they were going for a sporty-casual look with this collection by dressing down the classic-dressy Master Retrograde, thus the different hands with lume. Definitely prefer the previous collection for the Master Retrograde, but the Saint-Imier chronograph is very good looking!


Excuse me,

So it is confirmed that the hands on the Master Retrograde and the Heritage Retrograde, even the ones with black dial, are not luminous?

Thank You


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## CitizenM

*Re: A few pictures from Baselworld 2012 apointment of Saint-Imier Collection*



matateduh said:


> Excuse me,
> 
> So it is confirmed that the hands on the Master Retrograde and the Heritage Retrograde, even the ones with black dial, are not luminous?
> 
> Thank You


The non-St. retrograde models do not have lume.

I definitely prefer the originals. Actually, they seem to be getting worse by the year. I preferred the old model with the pushers.


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## SlvrSrfr

I'm not sure which specific models you were referring to, but if it was luminous, you should be able to see the lume strip. As far as I know, the Master retrogrades don't have lume.


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## matateduh

Nope, I couldn't see the lume strip on Master and Heritage, I just need to be sure about that. Will the Saint-Imier models come in black dial with power reserve indicator? I know one version of the Master that replaces the small second at 6 o'clock with power reserve display.


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## RogerP

Very sharp. I particularly like the black dial chrono.

Roger


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## CitizenM

matateduh said:


> Nope, I couldn't see the lume strip on Master and Heritage, I just need to be sure about that. Will the Saint-Imier models come in black dial with power reserve indicator? I know one version of the Master that replaces the small second at 6 o'clock with power reserve display.


Currently, I don't think there are any plans of doing new designs with the power reserve subdial on the retrograde watches.


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## matateduh

CitizenM said:


> Currently, I don't think there are any plans of doing new designs with the power reserve subdial on the retrograde watches.


That's too bad..... *sigh*


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## WnS

I like the basic watch and the gmt, thanks for the pics, Rob.


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## Blue bird

I really like the GMT but can't find any info on it. I wonder when it will hit the AD's.


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## CitizenM

matateduh said:


> That's too bad..... *sigh*


I'm kind of divided on it myself. PRs are one of my favorite complications, and I actually use my PRs all the time. But the retrograde seconds is certainly cooler and more interesting.


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## matateduh

CitizenM said:


> I'm kind of divided on it myself. PRs are one of my favorite complications, and I actually use my PRs all the time. But the retrograde seconds is certainly cooler and more interesting.


Oh is it now? Hehe... well okay I think I can sort out the "not knowing when it will stop ticking" worries by simpling putting it on a winder anyway... if the price is within my range, I might end up adding this Saint Imier Regrograde to my wish-list.. for now I am pushing myself to get the Oris Artix Complication first, because the Master Moon Phase with full circle date pointer doesn't come in 42mm and doesn't have luminous hands ...


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## CitizenM

The Oris Artix Complication is a nice piece, but just so you know ahead of time (you probably do already) a lot of companies like ML and Raymond Weil (a little more well hidden with the dial) use that same movement, as you may want to cross shop. I like Oris more than those anyway, but just FYI.


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## matateduh

Thanks a lot for your info, as a matter of fact I have checked on ML Lune Retrograde, it's a manual winding watch, it does have PR but costs more than twice of the OAC ... 
My next target after the OAC is simply the Saint-Imier Retrograde, which is the luminous version of Master/Heritage Retrograde.. and I prefer Arabic numerals to Roman...

I dont know why but I am also a bit reluctant to see a person's name on my watch's dial ...


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## CitizenM

Ah, here's the one I was referring to from ML. I think most of the entry level Swiss casers offers this calibre now in various incarnations:








Regardless, I like the Oris more and it's probably still much cheaper.


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## matateduh

Yes it is less expensive but not less beautiful.. :-D... by the way I read somewhere here in WUS that apparently ML is not a person's name....


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## CitizenM

matateduh said:


> Yes it is less expensive but not less beautiful.. :-D... by the way I read somewhere here in WUS that apparently ML is not a person's name....


That's true, it was made up in a board room or in a focus group. It's a fairly new company in the scheme of Swiss watch companies.


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## albert I

All watches with date, uuff,


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## matateduh

To me it makes soooooooooooooo much more sense to see date day and month on a watch, rather than countdown timer.... I can use my mobile phone or other digital device for that purpose... (I barely need it anyway). When I wake up in the morning, I wish to know what day/date it is (other than the time of course), not how much time I spend to crawl from my bed to my bathroom LOL...

Well.. it's just me..


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## matateduh

CitizenM said:


> That's true, it was made up in a board room or in a focus group. It's a fairly new company in the scheme of Swiss watch companies.


Despite being new, I have to admit that their watch designs are very creative to my taste... two that I really like are the Lune Retrograde and the Cinq & Cinq 5 hands (the one with colorful days marker, black dial)


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## CitizenM

matateduh said:


> Despite being new, I have to admit that their watch designs are very creative to my taste... two that I really like are the Lune Retrograde and the Cinq & Cinq 5 hands (the one with colorful days marker, black dial)


I totally agree. I do wish they had a more interesting history, but I think they're a nice avant garde standout among the mid-tier Swiss brands. Actually, I think that Longines should sort of be moving in that direction, getting more customized or in house movements and developing some nice design eccentricities to set them apart from the other big eta-clone brands.


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## matateduh

CitizenM said:


> I totally agree. I do wish they had a more interesting history, but I think they're a nice avant garde standout among the mid-tier Swiss brands. Actually, I think that Longines should sort of be moving in that direction, getting more customized or in house movements and developing some nice design eccentricities to set them apart from the other big eta-clone brands.


So did you finally purchase a Longines? Pics please?


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## kaostical

I am very interested in the Saint-Imier chronographs, think they look stunning. Especially the black dialed version. I am new to Longines and the L688 movement so did some research on the movement, and found that it recieved 10/10 for rate results in Watch Time (http://www.watchtime.at/archive/wt_2011_06/WT_2011_06_068.pdf). Here it was they wrote as conclusion for the rate results: "Near-perfect rate results and exceptional amplitudes in every position, even when the chronograph is running. During the wearing test, the watch showed results that rival those of a radio-controlled watch." Impressive!
Also found a nice virtual catalogue which shows how the movement works (LonginesInfo_ColumnWheel).

Hope my local AD has one in stock


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## vaskes

I think the Saint-Imier moon phase retrograde is gorgeous. Hard to decide between the silver dial version with blued steel hands and the black dial version with silver colored steel hands. Grateful for the Arabic numbers, as I prefer them to Roman. I wish it was a chronograph too, but one can't always have it all...
Definitely in my wish list.
Cheers

The Longines Saint-Imier Collection


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