The Longines Heritage 1945 | family history
The Heritage 1945 is Longines doing what Longines does best: reaching into the archive and producing a faithful recreation that costs a fraction of comparable vintage examples. The 1945 original had a cushion case, large Arabic numerals, and a dial layout that was simultaneously functional and beautiful. The modern version is 35mm, honest to the original proportions, with the L893.5 automatic and the correct vintage-style dial typography. It is one of a very few sub-$1,500 Swiss watches where the design is doing the work rather than the brand name.
Longines’ archive-driven re-issue program: faithful modern reproductions of the brand’s 20th-century catalog. The Heritage 1945, Lindbergh Hour Angle, Avigation BigEye, and Legend Diver references all live here; each leans on a specific period piece in the Saint-Imier museum.
2007-2015 · Original revival generation
Longines launched the Heritage 1945 reissue in 2007 with steel and gold cases, drawing directly from its own archive references. The 35mm case size was controversial at the time when the market had shifted toward 40mm+, and that same controversy made the watch more interesting to serious collectors.
No references from this era in the catalog yet.
2015-present · Refinement and current production
The current Heritage 1945 carries the L893.5 automatic (72-hour reserve) and keeps the 35mm case. The subsidiary seconds at six o'clock and the large Arabic numerals are period-correct. This is not a watch trying to look vintage; it is a watch built from vintage DNA with modern reliability.
How to read this family
Two honest questions for any Heritage 1945 buyer:
- 35mm: too small or correctly sized? The 35mm case is not a limitation; it is the point. If you wear a 34-38mm watch comfortably, the Heritage 1945 wears beautifully. If you need 40mm+, this family is not for you, and there is no correct 40mm version.
- Heritage 1945 or Record for the same budget? The Record has COSC certification and a silicon balance spring. The Heritage 1945 has the better dial design. If precision rate performance matters, buy the Record. If you want the most beautiful Longines you can own at this price, buy the Heritage 1945.
Related families: Longines Conquest Heritage · Longines Record
Sub-lines
- OpenThe 47.5mm Hour Angle Watch, designed in 1931 by Charles Lindbergh after his transatlantic flight as a navigation aid for celestial-fix calculation. The modern L2.678.4 reference is a direct revival of the period piece, with the L699 caliber inside.
References in this family
Which ref to buy
The Heritage collection draws directly from Longines' 190-year archive. The Lindbergh Hour Angle is historically significant as a navigation instrument designed with Charles Lindbergh. The Heritage line is for buyers who want a specific historical connection rather than a generic vintage aesthetic.
- 1Open
Lindbergh Hour Angle Watch -- historically significant navigation instrument; the most important Longines Heritage piece.
- The case for it:
- Based on the watch designed with Charles Lindbergh in 1931 for celestial navigation. The rotating rotating outer ring and the rotating seconds chapter ring allowed pilots to calculate longitude. A functioning navigation instrument, not a mere retro design. The historical connection to transatlantic aviation is genuine -- Lindbergh collaborated on the design.
- Consider instead if:
- The Lindbergh is a large watch with a specific historical identity. Buy it because the navigation history matters to you, not as a general daily wearer.
- 2Open
Heritage Diver -- vintage-specification dive watch from Longines' 1960s archive.
- The case for it:
- Cal. L888.2, automatic, 42mm, re-creation of a 1960s Longines diver. The Heritage Diver offers vintage proportions and aesthetics without the condition anxiety of an original. The ETA/Longines movement is reliable and serviceable for decades.
- Consider instead if:
- The Tudor Black Bay and Seiko Prospex offer more collector cachet at similar or lower prices. The Longines Heritage Diver is the correct choice for buyers who specifically want the Longines name and history.
- 3Open
Heritage 1945 -- the rectangular Longines, the correct choice for buyers who want a non-round case at this price.
- The case for it:
- Cal. L888.2, automatic, rectangular case re-creating the 1945 model. Very few automatic movements fit correctly in a rectangular case -- Longines solves this cleanly at a price that makes it accessible.
- Consider instead if:
- Rectangular cases have a narrower market. Buy for the aesthetic specifically.
Rankings last reviewed 2026-06-06. Editorial perspective only. Not financial advice.