The story of the Avigation BigEye is shrouded in mystery. Unlike many watches in Longines’ Heritage collection, the BigEye’s origins are not well-documented in the brand’s archives. The design was reportedly inspired by a vintage military chronograph brought to Longines by a collector. This original piece, which was not part of Longines’ museum collection, is believed to date back to somewhere between the 1930s and the 1970s (which lets face it is quite a long span!). Its exact provenance remains unclear, adding an air of intrigue to the watch’s history.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding its origins, Longines saw the potential in the design and decided to create a modern interpretation. The result was the Avigation BigEye, a watch that pays homage to aviation timepieces of the past while incorporating contemporary features.
The Avigation BigEye is characterized by its bold and functional design. The most striking feature is of course the oversized 30-minute sub-dial at 3 o’clock, which gives the watch its “BigEye” name. This asymmetrical layout is not only visually distinctive but also enhances legibility, making it a practical choice for pilots. Having a 30 minute register for minutes and oversized markers every third minute makes it quicker and easier to read the dial than a 60 minute register where your eyes are trying to distinguish between smaller gaps between the markers. Its only a small detail, but one that counts when using the chronograph in the real world.
The watch features a 41mm stainless steel case with a brushed finish, a domed sapphire crystal, and a black dial with large Arabic numerals. Looking at the dimensions alone you may be mistaken in thinking that this is a large watch due in part to the the depth of the watch AT 14.5mm however numbers only tell half the story. Due to its proportions and the way in which the case is divided as well as the way in which the lugs are designed, the watch sits remarkably snug to your wrist.
The overall design is both rugged and elegant, reflecting its military-inspired roots through its minimalistic implementation. The dial is not adorned with any superfluous details or unnecessary text. The pushers are oversized, allowing for easy operation even while wearing gloves—a nod to its aviation heritage.
Inside, the watch is powered by the Longines L688.2 movement, an automatic column-wheel chronograph with a vertical clutch. This movement ensures precise timekeeping and adds a touch of modern sophistication to the vintage aesthetic. The column wheel not only serves to provide a beautiful tactile engagement of the chronograph, but also to prevent someone from wrongly pushing the reset button while the movement is running as it disconnects the lower pusher from the mechanism – preventing an unwanted and expensive trip to the servicing department to repair a damaged movement. It would have been easy to have adopted a much simpler or cost efficient movement, however this is exactly where Longines displays its class – where it cant be seen but details matter.
The Avigation BigEye has not only won the hearts of watch enthusiasts but also garnered critical acclaim. It received the “Best Revival” award at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG), a prestigious recognition in the watchmaking world. This accolade underscores Longines’ success in reimagining a historical design for contemporary audiences.
What sets the Avigation BigEye apart is its combination of mystery, functionality, and design excellence. It bridges the gap between past and present, offering a timepiece that is both a tribute to history and a modern powerhouse. Its enigmatic origins only add to its allure, making it a conversation starter and a cherished addition to any collection.
The chronograph market is quite a saturated space with some of the most famous watches in the world including the Omega Speedmaster Professional, the Rolex Daytona, Breitling Navitimer, Heuer Carrera and IWC Pilot’s Chronograph just to name a few – but this watch from Longines embodies a level of class that quietly delivers all of the goods at a price point putting the rest to shame.
Longines has itself a number of chronographs in this space so what sets this particular chronograph apart, why is it so good and yet so affordable? Well firstly the dial is almost stark by most measures. A simple clean aesthetic clearly showing both the time and chronograph counters with minimal text or unnecessary design it has become ironically simplistic in its delivery of information. Bearing only the words “Longines” and “Automatic” on the dial many will concur that certainly in this instance; less is more. Moreover in terms of design language, while the conquest chronograph and the spirit chronograph are clearly part of their respective product lines, the Avigation Bigeye stands alone with its own unique identity – and therein a sense of purity.
Where the Avigation Bigeye really scores is in its incredible sense of value – delivering an automatic column wheel chronograph, with modest proportions that almost anyone can wear, killer aesthetics and from one of the oldest watch brands in the world – all for under £3000 – half the price of an Omega Speedmaster Professional or IWC Pilot Chronograph.
Could this be the best value proposition for a chronograph? – a heritage inspired watch, accessibly sized with classic aesthetics and a column wheel movement with a vertical clutch – from one of the oldest Swiss watchmakers – and all for under £3000.
As always we recommend you experience this for yourself – however if you’d like to see someone else’s opinion on it, we lent this very watch to a good friend Adrian Barker (Bark&Jack) and you can see what he thought of it here:
The Longines Avigation Bigeye is available from www.Longines.com for £2950
But what do you think? – Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
