Longines Brings More Horological Mastery to the 2026 Master Collection

In June, we first covered this year’s updates to Longines’ sophisticated Master Collection, which the brand originally introduced in 2005.

However, with an enviable roster of celebrity spokespeople like film stars Henry Cavill, Jennifer Lawrence, Kate Winslet, Zhao Liying, and Josh Yu, we were eagerly awaiting the brand’s next updates to this core collection, which represents Longines’ pinnacle expressions of the watchmaking arts.

Does a new first-for-the-collection chronograph monopusher, chronograph moonphase (and calendar, btw), and additional, elevated three-hand Master Collection models sound worthy of the star treatment? We thought so too.

In fact, the watchmaker is taking the opportunity to present the fully realized collection in a new “Home of Elegance” campaign, casting this narrative with all the star power of its “ambassadors of elegance” in a shared vision of refinement, balance, and character. Let’s take a look at the star-scape, both cinematic and horological.

Two steel 41mm models comprise this inaugural execution of the Master Collection’s monopusher chronograph (which is also becoming something of a signature complication for the brand).

Certainly, the ease of use of a “single button” chrono carries some fittingly elevated horological function, but loading everything onto a single, integrated crown/pusher at 3 o’clock makes the feel of the entire case cleaner and more elegant.
 

Furthermore, the chronograph function was designed to feature a central chronograph hand that runs along a vintage-inspired outer pulsometer scale. Pulsometer timepieces were first designed for – you guessed it – physicians taking a person’s heart rate. However, its specific, offset gauging just smacks of a knowing level of technical and very cool uniqueness. For more standard timings, a 30-minute counter sits at 3 o’clock and a small seconds sub-dial rides at 9 o’clock.
 

The 68-hour power reserve, column wheel-based, manual-wind calibre L799.5 powers both new monopushers, as you “pick your prognosis” with either a silvery opaline dial (Ref. L2.960.4.78.2) or a frosted blue “barleycorn” patterned dial (Ref. L2.960.4.93.2), which we saw used to great effect in some of the first part of the Master Collection novelties.
 

Expect snail-engraved sub-dials, sand-blasted edging details, either rhodium-plated (for the barleycorn blue dial version) or 5N rose gold-plated (for the opaline version) Arabic indices and matching hands, and a specifically curated leather strap approach (with an anthracite alligator strap for the blue dial and an Oxford-polished brown alligator strap for the opaline dial). Both new monopushers list for $3,900.

I don’t know if it was deliberate, but the addition of a classic moonphase function to the collection can certainly help draw a line to some of “rom com” films of the Longines ambassadors (like Henry Cavill’s cameo turn in Woody Allen’s 2009 Whatever Works, Kate Winslet in 2006’s The Holiday, and pick your Jennifer Lawrence rom-com role).

The two variations of the 41mm steel Master Collection Chrono Moonphase artfully work in another classic Longines signature complication, a moon phase indicator, into an elegant two-pusher chronograph design. The moon phase mechanism is right where it should be at 6 o’clock (along with an integrated 12-hour counter), a combined small seconds and 24-hour sub-dial lives at 9 o’clock, and the noon position tallies the 30-minute interval as well as the day and month.
 

Along with a fourth, half-moon-tipped hand running outside of the traditional chronograph gauge for the separate central chrono hand that indicates the date, this timepiece is also a form of full-fledged calendar watch, but Longines just doesn’t make too big a deal about that detail.
 

The Ref. L2.962.4.73.2 is presented on a blue leather alligator strap, while the Ref. L2.962.4.73.6 carries a sportier steel link bracelet. Other than the attachment, both moonphases share a silver barleycorn dial, modern “stepped” chrono pushers (at the traditional 2 and 4 o’clock positions), blued Arabic indices, a 30m water resistance rating, and an automatic L687.5 in-house movement with a 66-hour power reserve. Both also share a $4,250 price tag.

The heart of the collection centers on the trio of three-handed models introduced in June, but today’s three-handed releases, which include new blue-dialed models and two-tone bracelet options, provide some telling new riffs that further enhance those core executions. Fortunately, like the “phase 1” models, these newbies are available in 30, 34, 39, and 41mm steel executions, with the commensurate movements for each size.
 

For the steel-braceleted Ref. L2.449.97.6, a frosted blue sunray dial is adorned with 11 Top Wesselton diamonds for its indices (with a date window occupying the 3 o’clock marker).

The Ref. L2.449.5.87.7’s dial is crafted of mother-of-pearl and framed by a yellow-gold capped bezel and capped link bracelet components, 18-karat yellow gold crown and hands, and a yellow gold oscillating rotor, along with its above sibling’s diamond indices and date window.
 

Take that package, switch the metal message to rose gold, and you’ll know what you need to know about the third addition: the Ref. L2.449.5.89.7.

The 30mm versions of the Master Collection additions start at $2,850 for the blue-dialed execution, with the added metal jumping bringing the starting price to $4,250.
 

Of course, pricing goes up as case sizes increase (and reference numbers change), and at both the 39mm and 41mm sizes, the blue sunray dial becomes a more elaborate blue barleycorn-textured execution; the dial loses the diamonds for Arabic indices; and an anthracite leather strap joins the steel bracelet as a sartorial option.

Debuting today, you can get full details on these new Master Collection timepieces by visiting the Longines website.