Reviewing the Longines HydroConquest XXII Commonwealth Games Limited Edition

Reflecting the colours of the Commonwealth Games event, official timekeeper, Longines has released the Hydroconquest XXII Commonwealth Games Limited Edition watch, exclusive to 2,022 pieces worldwide and soon to be made available for order.

Paying homage to its rich watchmaking heritage and its heavy involvement as an official timekeeper to many sporting events in the past, the new Longines Hydroconquest XXII Commonwealth watch marks the up-and-coming multisport event due to take place this June in Britain. The event happens every four years and sees athletes from all over the world come together to compete against each other. This special relationship between globally-recognised Swiss watchmaker, Longines and the Commonwealth games began back in 1962 in Perth, Australia, followed by the 2014 event in Glasgow, Scotland and once more in 2018 in Gold Coast, Australia. As confirmed in 2020, Longines is set to be the official timekeeper for the event this year, as well as the year 2026 and in the year 2030. To mark its involvement in the Commonwealth Games this year in Birmingham, Longines has released a model from its robust, aquatically-primed Hydroconquest watch collection. The Longines Hydroconquest XXII Commonwealth Games watch is a limited edition watch and is exclusive to just 2,022 pieces worldwide.

The Longines Hydroconquest XXII Commonwealth Games watch features a 40mm-sized stainless steel case. The design also bears the colours of the Commonwealth logo upon the surface of its unidirectional rotating bezel. Longines’ Countdown Clock in Birmingham’s Centenary Square has been keeping track of the remaining days, hours, minutes and seconds to this major sports event and last year witnessed her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II place her message to the Commonwealth into the Baton, where many cultures and communities came together to witness the special occasion.

Simultaneously, Longines gets to showcase some of its most impressive technologies, whilst pledging to fulfil its trusted role as official timekeeper to the event. The popular Hydroconquest watch is an affordable luxury diving tool, whose range offers models in ceramic, steel and golden elements, as well as chronograph automatic movements that are fitted with column wheels for improved mechanical performance. Longines has been producing the Hydroconquest watch since 2007. Every model from the range is fitted with a unidirectional bezel, features luminous accents on its dial for enhanced legibility and is equipped with a screw-down crown and caseback for upholding an impressive water resistance.

Longines Hydroconquest watches are robust enough for diving but smart enough to pair with dry-land attire. Aside from 300-meter water resistance, the rubber straps and stainless steel bracelets attached to these models are equipped with a diving extension feature to enable the watch to be worn over the top of heavy diving gear. There’s also a choice of quartz or automatic movements for the chronograph versions. For more information on these, you can check out our range of Longines Hydroconquest watches here at Jura Watches.

The new Longines Hydroconquest XXII Commonwealth Games Limited Edition watch

The Longines Hydroconquest XXII Commonwealth Games watch is limited to just 2,022 pieces worldwide and features a robust 41mm stainless steel case executed in a mix of brushed and polished finishes. The model's rich sunray black dial features applied Arabic numeral hour markers and circular indexes that have been treated with a generous layer of Super-LumiNova. This special material glows richly in dark conditions or when, for example, exploring deep and daring underwater depths. In addition to this, the sunray black dial of the new Longines Hydroconquest watch features a date window at 3 o’clock. These are the signature features of the Hydroconquest watch. Where the model differs from others, however, is in colours of the Commonwealth Games, used for the 60-minute dive scale seen on the surface of the watch’s polished black ceramic unidirectional rotating bezel. As with all counter-clockwise turning bezels, this feature ensures that the wearer won’t accidentally extend dive time whilst underwater. The toothed finish in steel around the edge of the coloured bezel is designed for easy grip under the fingertips. The spectrum of colour is then repeated in the detailed minute track around the periphery of the dial and the date at 3 o’clock. The silvered and polished central hands are also treated with Swiss Super-LumiNova and are protected underneath a lens of anti-reflective and scratch-resistant sapphire crystal glass.

Inside the 300-meter water-resistant stainless steel case of this Longines Hydroconquest XXII Commonwealth Games Limited Edition watch is the automatic L888. This self-winding calibre has been used through a wide array of Longines ranges and is trusted for its 25,200 vibrations per hour and impressive 70-hour power reserve. Concealed behind a steel caseback, the automatic movement performs effortlessly, hidden underneath an engraved surface bearing the Birmingham 2022 lettering. The movement also features a silicon balance spring to resist the damaging effects of magnetic fields. These features extend Longines’ warranty to 5 years This Longines XXII Commonwealth Games limited edition watch is fitted on a robust polished and brushed stainless steel bracelet, securing with a double folding safety clasp and an integrated diving extension.

Aimed at demanding athletes, daring underwater explorers and, of course, fans of the Commonwealth Games – there is no denying that the Longines Hydroconquest Commonwealth Games watch is an appealing collectable. Enhancing its desirability furthermore is its unique bezel, minute and a date window that proudly flaunts the colours of the event, along with an engraved caseback featuring the “Limited Edition - 1 out of 2022” lettering.

Technical Specifications of the Longines Hydroconquest XXII Commonwealth Games Limited Edition watch

• Case: 41mm – stainless steel – 300-meter water-resistant – brushed and polished – sapphire crystal glass front – caseback engraved with the “Birmingham 2022” lettering and “Limited Edition - 1 out of 2022” lettering – screw-down crown – screw-down caseback – black ceramic unidirectional rotating bezel with Commonwealth Games colours
• Dial: Sunray black - luminous hour markers and indexes – date window at 3 o’clock – Commonwealth Games-coloured minute track and date
• Movement – Automatic Calibre L888 – 70-hour power reserve – silicone balance wheel – 25,200 vibrations per hour
• Strap: Stainless steel bracelet – brushed and polished – double folding safety clasp – diving extension feature
• Reference: L3.781.4.59.6
• Price: £1,600
• Availability: Limited to 2,022 pieces worldwide