Perfect Timing: A Longines Holiday 2024 Gift Guide

From outstanding timepieces with varied vibes and appeal to apt watch accessories, from contemplative reading material for the more cerebral watchonista to a skiing Olympic gold medalist’s recommendation on a ski destination, consider this gift guide from Longines as your one-stop resource for holiday gift-giving success.

With Oscar-winning screen star Jennifer Lawrence as a model ambassador, Longines’ elegant Mini DolceVita timepieces (debuted in 2023) already came pre-loaded with notable sophistication and fashionable appeal.

However, the elegance of the most recently released additions to the Mini DolceVita family, featuring magnificent quartz-based 18k yellow and rose gold executions with multiple gem-set and strap/bracelet options, takes that aforementioned appeal to new levels by beginning to blur the lines between jewelry and horology.

That is because, despite its chic 21.5mm x 29mm rectangular case, the Mini DolceVita projects a lot of personality to make an instant sartorial statement and an excellent gift.
 

This season, a new limited-edition version of Longines’ popular Conquest Chrono model is hitting the slopes! Called the Conquest Chrono Ski Edition, this wintery-cool 2,025-piece limited edition chronograph commemorates the 48th FIS Alpine Ski Championships that will be held in Saalbach/Salzburgerland, Austria, in February 2025.

In addition to riding on the wrists of Longines’ Ski Ambassadors Marco Odermatt and Mikaela Shiffrin during the competition, the rock-solid 42mm steel automatic chronograph also includes FIS World Championship badging and engraving on the caseback and features the exclusive Longines L898 automatic calibre with a silicon balance-spring and a power reserve of up to 59 hours.
 

It’s amazing how a kiss of yellow or pink gold can take a travel-friendly GMT timepiece to even higher elevations. The 40mm Longines Master Collection GMT is limited to 500 pieces each in both shimmering 18k yellow gold and eye-catching 18k pink gold on sleek anthracite grey leather straps.

Plus, a magnetic-resistant Longines L844.5 self-winding calibre with a 72-hour power reserve drives these timepieces and their handy second time-zone setting function, making it the perfect dress watch to gift the jet setter on your list.
 

Fans of the latest versions of the classic steel Longines Conquest will not only appreciate the new gender-flexible 30mm and 38mm case sizes and compelling dial colors but also the model’s attractive strap options.

For an additional CHF 150, you can opt for some very nice rubber strap colors if you’d prefer not to gift the Conquest on the traditional steel bracelet. For example, the 34mm Conquest with a saucy pink dial (CHF 1,950) can be tailored to your recipient’s taste with a contrasting, powdery light green or light blue rubber strap.
 

For the book-obsessed watch aficionados on your list, the book Longines through Time, The Story of the Watch by noted author Stéphanie Lachat, makes the perfect gift.

Available in French and English, both editions of this coffee table book-sized, 284-page tome delve thoroughly into the history and profound societal impact of Longines’ time-keeping heritage and perspective, from the 19th century to today.
 

When Longines’ Ambassador of Elegance Marco Odermatt, who entered his first ski competitions at the age of 4, chimes in with a ski gear recommendation for where to go for excellent skiing, snow fans should perk up their ears.
 

“My favorite place to go skiing is the Titlis region in Switzerland. I spent dozens of days skiing on that mountain when I was young, and every time I go there, it brings back amazing memories,” Odermatt told Watchonista. “It’s in the middle of the Swiss Alps, and when the weather is perfect, the view is absolutely breathtaking.”

Fortunately, the nearby four-star Alpenresort Eienwäldli-Engelberg has rooms starting at about $200 a night and presents a sophisticated base of operations for your Titlis explorations.