Horological Meandering

Dear fellow purists,

Sometimes, the things that haunt us the most, draw us back to them. Much like a girl whom one would like to associate with, but never mustered the guts to talk to, then finally one gets to talk to her, and the stars align.

As many of you would be as well, we like to be able to use a watch for it's true purpose. Whether it is using a Rolex Explorer for caving, or the Omega Proplof for diving, the thrill is of taking one's best friend to see what is intended - like the ultimate purpose of meeting one's maker.

Today, the U1 and Longines Legend Diver Date finally caught up with me. Both are of the same price point. Guess which one came home with me?

It's gotta be...

 

 

I almost got the U1 until I pulled out the crown to adjust the date, and the stem felt flimsy, much in contrast to the sturdy exterior of the watch. I didn't like the buckle because it could drop off underwater for sure.

Then I saw the legend diver, a piece I always admired in Bimbeano's collection. The strap is simple and not prone to dropping off. I could slip it over a dive cuff easily. What about the dings and scratches steel is prone to? It only brings more character and life to a watch. The LLDD is almost archaic. like a yellow pages phone book we used to use, but don't anymore. If you've seen how beautiful plexiglass is side-on, you will lament on sapphire. Sure it scratches more easily, but i could deal with that.

If there's one watch to become my dive companion....it's gotta be this one.

This message has been edited by Cookies on 2011-05-17 05:30:20

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my apologies, clicked submit before i posted the pic and wrote more.

It's all up for your eyes only now.

Have a great week,

Cookies

 

 

congratulations it is a great watch.

Best regards,

 

George

...Lovely watch, though I do prefer the no date. One on the list for sure.

When you get it wet, could you check something for me? How easy/difficult is it to adjust the crown underwater/all set up? The screwdown on the bezel crown....don't know what to think of it.

the crown can only be operated when dry. Surely, it will have water intrusion on adjusting the internal bezel underwater.

Therefore, will only adjust it on the boat, before backrolling into a dive.

Will definitely take this on my next trip in a few months and field test it.

 

 

... this is one of the technical shortcomings of the integrated bezel solution, compared with the standard, exterior bezel. In fact, the integrated solution only has disadvantages: needs a second hole in the watertight case, needs a larger, thus more expensive and more prone to damage crystal, cannot be set with gloves, needs a lot more time to be set even without gloves on .....


.... BUT LOOKS SO INCREDIBLY COOL!!!!

Congratulations from a fellow LLD wearer!

...The IWC Aquatimer, with an internal bezel, is designed to be used underwater to a certain depth and then disconnects after that depth. The disconnect mechanism is based on the pressure on the bezel crown. I can't at the moment recall whether this is to protect the water resistance or to protect the diver from unintended changes which could cause decompression problems.

I have an older model of the current Aquatimer with this feature, but it has never seriously been in water.

is a remarkably flashy dive watch i would love to have. Is it the one with the wood from the Calypso?

you take beautiful pics, and i still recall the blue nautical theme maxi marine u spot

What makes you say that? I completely agree that it is probably unwise, but unless the sealing arrangement is understood, it's hard to say.

In fact, if it cannot be adjusted wet (not submerged), Longines hasn't thought too deeply about the seals. The original, like all SC cases, while fiddly, was able to set wet.

All of which doesn't take a no-date LLD off my wishlist.

... the re-downscrewing of the crown, which forces the humidity into the case, in spite of the gaskets. this is the reason why - with very few exceptions - you must not use the chronograph pushers under water, even if the watch itself is tight in spite of unscrewed pushers.

Maybe "definitely" was a bit too strong of a word, since it is not a 100% rule that screwing down a pulled crown in water brings humidity into the movement, but the chance is high.

The system of the interior diving bezel has two technical advantages:

First, once set and locked, it cannot be moved, while a conventional, exterior diving bezel normally can be moved, albeit only counter-clockwise.

And second, sand cannot lock the bezel ring.

For desk divers like myself, though, the inner bezel solution is a lot slower for setting the starting point for the boiling spaghetti measuring. I once timed the difference of setting an arbitraty starting point with the IWC GST Aquatimer (the one with the external bezel that has to be pushed down to unlock) and the IWC Aquatimer shown above. With the latter one needed always between three and five times as long to set the time, not included the time needed for unscrewing the crown and rescrewing it. IMHO, the old GST Aquatimer had the best diving bezel ever made, since it was easy to be dismounted for cleaning as well.

Regards,
Marcus

...did you still get al dente spaghetti with the Aquatimer?

Thanks for the reply. I think the moisture being forced into the watch will depend on the sealing design (axial or double axial vs face seal). But all good points. My understanding of not using the pushers or playing with wet crowns is less forcing moisture in than the possibility of distorting the o-ring and wrecking the seal, but I also think the issue is overstated a little.

It is good advice, but having examined the scarily tiny o-rings on a G-shock that has been operated at 30+m...it dos make me wonder. But then, if you don't service your G-shock for a few years and it floods....no big deal. The same with a Daytona? no smiles anywhere.

...to locate a cross-section of that crown to see about adjusting when wet, but to do suspect you're right.

Looking for farward to seeing your field report.

 

And very happy to see you joining the happy community of LLD owners.

A watch you will appreciate more and mlore with time.

Huge congratulations.

Nicolas.

You and Bimbeano have lured me to this beauty....

Not with a sales pitch, but with logos and appeal to reason.

 

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Hello Cookies,

I have both the U1 and LLD. These watches are not together with my "collector's watches" but in the equipment bag together with other diving gear.

In my opinion the LLD is a nicer watch for every day use but U1 is unbeatable for tough diving. This watch is impossible to scratch and it is also very readable under the surface.

When I go diving, I'm having either or as my tool watch for wreck dives, etc. and in the evenings then I'm waering a Rolex Submariner, Fifty Fathoms Sea Hawk II, TTP or something similar.

Anyhow, both LLD and U1 are both representing outstanding value for the money.

Best, Kari

wear in the very best of health

J

Great pickup on an iconic piece!  Congrats and wear it in good health!

..why didnt you opt for the non-date version? I think the non-date is more pure.. Anyways, do share underwater pics with this one!! Nice catch.  I like the way you describe the "experience with a girl you admired and have enough courage to speak to and then stars aligned".. pleasant way of describing you falling in love with a beautiful watch. This message has been edited by KCKL on 2011-05-17 08:24:23

it was for convenience I took this one. There was no stock for the no date version at the AD, and I forgot there was a no-date version. So i took this one. Hahaha

..right decision for a close to vintage model Longines reissued.  this watch was also featured as a collectors item in one British watch publication when it was first released. 

this has to be right up at the top of the tree....

 

Really is beautiful.

Read your post on rock climbing.

You know the answer now.

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Glad to see you joining the club, Cookies!  Kong has been goading me to take my LLD into the water more (I did...briefly.), but I rinsed it off right after I dunked it into the ocean.  What can I say?  I'm a girl.

I love my LLD!  You'll love yours! 

Cheers,
Daos

it's the best thing that happened to longines, don't you think?

I need to take this to the sea soon.

I know you will take it to where it belongs.

...as is apparent from the responses on this thread:  it is a real community watch.  It seems that many here not only share your enthusiasm for this Longines watch but also own it.  I am at least in the camp that agrees that this is a special watch, one of the few divers that I think really works both in and out of the water. 

Congratulations! 

Best,

respo