Longines presents the new version of its CONQUEST chronograph, created in collaboration with Swiss multi-champion skier Marco Odermatt. This 42 mm model is both sporty and elegant, symbolising Longines’ close links with alpine skiing over the last century.
On Saturday 18 March 2023, Swiss skier Marco Odermatt – at only 25 years of age – established himself as a legend. After two dream runs in the final FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup giant slalom of the season in Soldeu (AND), he wiped a 23-year-old record off the books. In doing so, he set a new record of 2042, the highest number of points obtained in a single season by a male skier. Today, the Longines athlete and the winged hourglass brand are unveiling the special edition Conquest Marco Odermatt with the back engraved ONE OF 2042, in tribute to this extraordinary feat.
The Conquest collection occupies a special place at Longines. It was the brand’s first watch line to have its name protected by the Federal Intellectual Property Office in 1954. Both sporty and elegant, this collection reflects Marco Odermatt’s character and the sport in which he excels. During a visit to the Longines workshops in Saint-Imier (Switzerland) last June, the champion had the opportunity to experience the brand’s know-how and to be involved in customising this watch. He said, “Longines and I share the same vision: to push boundaries while remaining true to our roots. This limited edition Conquest is the perfect expression of our collaboration. It’s an honour for me to have my name associated with a piece like this.”
The emblem of the Alpine Skiing World Cup, the Crystal Globe, which the Swiss champion has won consecutively over the last two seasons, is illustrated in a decal on the watch’s transparent back. The watch is driven by an exclusive Longines L898.5 calibre equipped with a silicon balance-spring and innovative components, offering a magnetic resistance ten times greater than the ISO 764 benchmark standard. This extremely precise self-winding mechanical movement has a power reserve of up to 59 hours.
A resolutely sporty watch, the Conquest Marco Odermatt has a 42 mm case with alternating polished and satin-finished surfaces. Water-resistant to 10 bar (100 m), it is crowned by a tachymetric bezel with a blue ceramic insert. Topped by a sapphire crystal with multi-layer anti-reflective treatment on both sides, the model features a sunray blue dial contrasting with the sub-second dial at 3 o’clock and the silver-toned counters at 6 and 9 o’clock. Under the applied indexes, the dial has also been given a special snailed finish, adding vibrancy and intensity to the overall design.
Like the overlaid hour markers, the silvered polished hands are coated with Super-LumiNova®. For optimum legibility, the tip of the chronograph’s central seconds hand and the two hands of the 12-hour and 30-minute counters are tinted red.
This special edition comes on a blue fabric strap with white stitching and four red stitches, echoing the colours of the hands. The strap has a folding clasp with a micro-adjustment system for a comfortable, non-slip grip on the wrist. It is complemented by a second NATO strap in the same colour.
