by Brent Robillard
First in Flight
When I saw Longines’ 2025 novelties earlier this year in New York, two pieces stood out immediately—the new Spirit Pilot and the Spirit Pilot Flyback. That’s no small statement in a year that also gave us a white-dial Legend Diver and the evocative Spirit Zulu Time 1925 (which I now own). But if the Zulu Time carried forward Longines’ global traveller heritage, these new Spirit models take the brand’s aviation lineage to new heights.
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A Line that Revitalised Longines
Ever since its launch in 2020, the Spirit collection has been quietly transformative for Longines. That first three-hand model was more than just another pilot’s watch—it set a new benchmark for the brand in terms of design clarity, technical legitimacy, and sheer wearability. The Spirit has since become the standard-bearer for a refreshed Longines identity, a collection that not only honours the brand’s aeronautical past but also seems to fuel renewed energy across its wider portfolio, from the Ultra-Chron Diver to the Legend Diver, and the HydroConquest GMT.
The new Spirit Pilot and Spirit Pilot Flyback continue this momentum, refining what already worked and layering in the kind of technical credibility that ensures they are more than just vintage-inspired designs.
Key Features of the new Longines Spirit Pilot and Spirit Pilot Flyback
The Longines Spirit Pilot: Streamlined and Focused
The new Spirit Pilot three-hander takes what was already a strong formula and pares it back to essentials. The 39mm stainless steel case has been subtly reworked for improved ergonomics, while the matte black dial sheds some of the visual clutter of earlier versions. Gone are the applied five stars and the date window—details that, while distinctive, often divided enthusiasts. What remains is a stripped-down tool watch aesthetic: a crisp minute track, bold applied numerals, and gilt-coloured hands that add just enough warmth without softening its utilitarian clarity.
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Inside, the Spirit Pilot is powered by the Longines calibre L888.4, a chronometer-certified automatic movement with a silicon balance spring, magnetic resistance well above ISO standards, and a 72-hour power reserve. The addition of a screw-down caseback, a first for the collection, makes the watch feel more robust and purposeful.
This is a watch that doesn’t try to reinvent itself. Instead, it evolves the Spirit DNA into something more mature—more confident in its simplicity. On both bracelet and strap options, it feels like a versatile companion equally at home in the cockpit, the office, or the weekend.
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The Longines Pilot Spirit Flyback: A Renaissance in a Compact Package
If the Spirit Pilot is a refinement, the Spirit Pilot Flyback is a revelation. Longines, after all, essentially invented the flyback chronograph in the 1930s, patenting it in 1935. The complication has always been a point of pride for the brand, and the new 39.5mm Flyback is perhaps the purest modern expression of that legacy yet.
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The proportions alone will win over many skeptics. Where the earlier 42mm Flyback pushed nearly 17mm in thickness, this re-engineered version sits at just 13.4mm, making it far more wearable. On wrist, the difference is immediately apparent: the watch has presence without bulk, gravitas without clumsiness.
Check out the Spirit Flyback in Titanium and 18K Gold
The design leans hard into cockpit-instrument aesthetics. The matte black dial, gilt hands, and applied numerals (all lume-filled) are crisp and legible, while the box sapphire crystal adds a touch of vintage curvature. The bidirectional bezel, now with a countdown timer, is more functional than ornamental, and includes a reworked rotating system.
But it’s what’s inside that really sets this watch apart. The calibre L792.4 is a hand-wound, column-wheel chronograph built on a deeply reworked Valjoux 7750 architecture. With a flyback function, silicon balance spring, anti-magnetic tech, and COSC certification, it marries heritage with modern precision. A 68-hour power reserve ensures real-world reliability, and the transparent screw-down caseback allows you to admire the mechanics of a complication that Longines made famous.
True, this isn’t the 13ZN. This movement is far more industrial—produced exclusively by ETA for the brand. But it is still a sight to behold and a giant step in the right direction.
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Specs: Spirit Pilot
| Case | 316L Stainless Steel 39mm Diameter 47.2mm Lug to Lug 11.5mm Thick 20mm Lug Width Screwed Down Case Back & Crown 100m Water Resistance | |
| Dial & Crystal | Domed Sapphire Crystal Matte Black Applied Indices Sword-styled Hands Super-LumiNova | |
| Movement | L888.4 Automatic COSC-certified 21 Jewels 25,200vph 72 Hour Power Reserve | |
| Strap | Stainless Steel Bracelet, or Leather Strap |
Specs: Spirit Pilot Flyback
| Case | 316L Stainless Steel 39.5mm Diameter 47.4mm Lug to Lug 13.4mm Thick 20mm Lug Width Screwed Down Case Back & Crown 300m Water Resistance | |
| Dial & Crystal | Domed Sapphire Crystal Matte Black Applied Indices Bi-Compax Layout Sword-styled Hands Super-LumiNova | |
| Movement | L792.4 Hand Wound Column-wheel Flyback Chronograph COSC-certified 23 jewels 28,800vph 68-Hour Power Reserve | |
| Strap | Stainless Steel Bracelet, or Leather Strap |
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Final Thoughts
I’ll admit, keeping these watches under wraps for six months was not easy. The moment I handled the Flyback in New York, I knew it was going to be a highlight of the year. It’s not often you see a brand take a familiar movement architecture and reimagine it so thoroughly, especially in a case size and thickness that feels just right. For enthusiasts who found the earlier Flyback too bulky, this new iteration finally delivers.
Together, the Spirit Pilot and Spirit Pilot Flyback embody what has made the Spirit collection so important for Longines: they look back with authenticity while moving forward with confidence. Remember, these are not heritage pieces, but expressions of a brand that has rediscovered its pioneering edge.
For me, the Flyback is the star of the show. It represents the bar Longines has now set for itself—one that feels both aspirational and achievable, timeless and timely. And in a year of strong releases across the brand’s portfolio, that’s saying something.
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Pricing & Availability
The Longines Spirit Pilot Flyback retails for $6950 CAD on the bracelet and $6650 CAD on the strap. While the three-hander Spirit Pilot retails for $3850 CAD on the bracelet and $3450 CAD on the strap. Check them out on the brand website for more details.
About the author
Brent Robillard is a writer, educator, craftsman, and watch enthusiast. He is the author of four novels. You can follow him on Instagram.
Off The Cuff articles are full-length, hands-on reviews of the watch in question and represent the opinion of the author only. All photos are original, unless specified otherwise. If you would like to have your watch reviewed on this site, contact us here.
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Leather first for me, always—bracelets don’t tell the miles the way a strap does. This Spirit Flyback feels like Longines remembering what their tools are for. The size sits right (39.5 with a sane lug-to-lug), 20mm lugs so I can throw it on rough-out or canvas, and that matte dial with gilt hands under a box sapphire has the kind of warmth you don’t have to explain to another watch person.
The bit that hooks me is mechanical, not marketing: a column-wheel flyback you can actually live with, hand-wound L792.4 with a long reserve, silicon and COSC—modern bones—but what matters is how that reset will feel under the thumb. Add the countdown bezel (useful anywhere from a dock to a kitchen), screw-down architecture, and you’ve got something serviceable instead of a sealed art project.
I’ve been hunting old Longines—30L, 12.68Z—hoping to rescue a tired movement and shoehorn it into a case. This one makes me want to fix, not hack. It breathes old air without cosplay: lineage you can sense (you can hear the 13ZN whisper) but built for today.
Beautiful pick, Brent. This is the kind of “back to basics” that gives the industry a little oxygen: utility, honesty, and style that earns its keep.
Your comments always make me smile. “It breathes old air without cosplay…” That’s great. Cheers!