Review the Longines Avigation BigEye Titanium Gradient Blue Dial Watch Replica

Review the Longines Avigation BigEye Titanium Gradient Blue Dial Watch Replica

The story of Longines Aviation's BigEye Titanium replica began in the 1930s. At some point in that decade, the original BigEye was born, but no one knew the exact time or purpose. Its existence has not been exposed until recently, when a collector contacted Longines to obtain information about Longines watches from the 1930s. Look, Longines has no record of this watch, which means it may be a one-off prototype. But it caught the attention of their watchmakers, and they quickly decided to re-release it, it's Longines Avigation BigEye Titanium gradient blue Dial replica L2.816.1.93.2.

Blue Dial

The first thing that grabs attention on this new Longines Avigation watch replica is its stunning smoked petrol blue dial. Starting with a bright blue hue at the center and culminating into a deep shade of black towards the outer periphery, this dial is quite dynamic. The other noticeable difference on the dial compared to its elder sibling is the use of custard colored lume on the Arabic numerals. 

Now, I would have preferred the numerals to be painted white, however, the beige color does seem to add slightly more warmth to the dial. The rest of the layout is quite familiar. There are 3 sub-registers at 3, 6 and 9, that can be used to track the chronograph minutes, hours, and running seconds. And just like the previous version, this one also gets an oversized chronograph minute counter that gives the watch its Big Eye name. The hands are still baton-style and the dial remains highly legible and devoid of any clutter. 

41mm Case

The Longines Avigation BigEye Titanium replica has a 41mm diameter that presents a medium wrist presence. It’s perfectly round, with a fat, knurled crown at 3 o’clock, and a pair of smaller pushers at 2 and 4 o’clock. The pushers have a narrow, retro design, and there’s an embossed Longines imprint on the top of the crown.

The case back has a screw-down design, which makes the watch easy to service. At the top, there’s a narrow bezel, another classic touch that also provides more space for a big, broad dial. The crystal is significantly raised, with curved edges that protrude markedly over the bezel. This is another beautiful, classic touch, and it distorts the dial slightly when viewed at an angle. When viewed head-on, there’s no distortion whatsoever.

In all of these respects, the Avigation BigEye Titanium is identical to the original BigEye. However, there’s one important difference, and that’s the material. Because it’s made of grade 5 titanium, this case is much lighter weight than the original. This makes it feel like a smaller watch than it actually is. In addition, titanium is more durable than steel, and has a slightly bluer shine than a straightforward silver-colored stainless. The only real downside is if you were looking a more faithful replica to the original watch. Then again, if that’s what you want, you can always just buy the stainless steel version.

Calibre L688 Movement

Under the screwed caseback is a well-known movement, the Calibre L688. Also named ETA A08.L01, it is a heavily modified Valjoux architecture that now features a column wheel for smoother and more accurate operation of the pushers. This rather noble movement is also providing multiple upgrades and modern features, such as a longer power reserve of 54 hours. Its escapement, classically beating at 4Hz, is also equipped with a silicon balance-spring for enhanced resistance to magnetic fields.

Price

The new Longines Avigation Big Eye replica L2.816.1.93.2 comes with a smooth brown leather strap that doesn’t distract from the watch itself. It has a beautiful vintage appearance, with reinforced stitching near the lugs and a titanium buckle that matches the case. It’s understated, but it’s comfortable to wear and compliments the watch well. and is priced at EUR 3,230 or CHF 3,200.

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