INTRODUCING: Longines Pilot Majetek
The revival of a Longines icon is giving us all the feels.
Longines has been associated with civilian aviation for nearly a century now – we’re just a few years shy of the centenary of Charles Lindbergh’s historic Atlantic crossing. In fact, this year is the 95th anniversary of Amelia Earhart’s comparable feat and the year Lindbergh developed his Hour Angle watch concept.
It’s no wonder then that Longines’ CEO Matthias Breschan is leaning in hard on celebrating its historic connections with aviation. This started with the Spirit collection that was launched last year, celebrating Longines’ invention of the dual time zone watch. Now the brand has dropped a new limited-edition model recalling a handsome and highly desired collector’s timepiece – the Pilot Majetek.
The 1935 Majetek Vojenské Spravy
The reference 3582 Majetek Vojenské Spravy (which is Czech for ‘Property of the Czechoslovak Army’) was developed to the specifications of its air force and included a unique detail: a rotatable bezel with an arrow-marker that could be used to set the starting time of a flight, with luminous paint to ensure visibility in the dark. It was also a massive watch at the time, measuring 41mm.
For early aviators, this was crucial: precise timekeeping was needed to manually map out their flight path in pre-radar days. It was also needed to help them keep track of fuel consumption, so they could gauge when to begin their descent. Just a few minutes off, and they could wind up kilometres away from their planned destination. In fact, this design was so valuable Longines patented it on 1 April 1935 and went on to incorporate it in their aviation dashboard instruments for renowned pilots like Charles Lindbergh.
The original Majetek watch had a cushion-style case but with lugs that curved outwards and a coin-edge bezel that supported the inner arrow marker. Sharp angled lines gave the watch a rugged presence, with a large small seconds counter, above which the words ‘Anti-Magnetique’ were printed. This was another crucial element to ensure the watch did not stop and, as a result, affected the accuracy of the flight time.
A New Pilot Majetek
The new Longines Pilot Majetek has been updated to modern Longines specifications, with an even larger case size at 43mm (though today, it’s not considered oversized). It retains the cushion-case form, but the lugs follow the curve of the case middle and are rounded off to give the watch a softer, more ergonomic look. On the left side of the case, a screwed-in plate with the year 1935 references the origin of the watch.
An improvement has also been made to the starting time indicator function of the watch, with a gear mechanism behind it that’s patented. The bezel and inner arrow marker now move together while the sapphire crystal protecting the watch remains fixed. This ensures the watch remains water-resistant for up to 100m. In the original Majetek, the crystal, bezel, and arrow marker all rotated in unison.
On the dial, a matte black display ensures maximum legibility, with oversized Arabic numeral hour markers coated with vintage lume displaying the time clearly, even in the dark. Powering the watch is a COSC-certified, ETA-based L893.6 calibre that’s exclusive to Longines, with a silicon balance spring for magnetic resistance. It offers a 72-hour power reserve, an impressive performance for a very affordable and handsome watch.
The watch comes with three strap options: a brown or green leather strap with beige topstitching, or a recycled polyester NATO-style strap, which will definitely bring Top Gun vibes to the wrist. A special box set offering a leather and NATO strap with a lug-adjustment tool is available only at Longines boutiques.
The Longines Pilot Majetek is available from S$5,630, and the box set at S$5,780.
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