Longines Legend Diver 39mm Review: Authentically Vintage And A Little Idiosyncratic

The Longines Legend Diver is one of the brand’s most popular and lauded vintage-inspired watches due to its distinct style and tremendous value for money. The original Legend Diver that serves as the template for the contemporary iterations is the Super Compressor Diver Ref. 7042 that was launched back in 1959. In 2007, Longines debuted the Heritage Revival, which was a faithful reissue that was followed up with a date-window version in 2009. Fast forward to 2017 and Longines began to expand this collection to include options like a Milanese bracelet as well as a 36mm iteration to join the existing 42mm model. Then in 2023, we saw the Longines Legend Diver debut in a 39mm wide case that serves as the template for the white-dial iteration I review here. Of course, this is a truncated version of the Longines Legend Diver story, and you can read the full version by our resident historian Mark Bernardo here.

There are currently eight dial-color variations in the Longines Legend Diver family: beige, black, blue, brown, green, grey, orange, and white, which is the most recent and the one I am going to get into here. If I had to pick a favorite, it might actually be the orange, which is more of a muted terra cotta that looks just excellent. That said, the white-dial model introduced earlier this year is a sleeper diver that stays with you long after you first see it. It’s not too difficult to nail a watch when you’ve mastered dial color techniques the way Longines has, but making a white dial look this good isn’t always easy. Fortunately, the execution of the dial is immaculately done without clashing with the quirky dual-crown case design and excellent proportions.

Longines Legend Diver Case & Bracelet

The basics here are all carried over from the existing collection, with the stainless-steel case measuring 39mm wide and 12.7mm thick with a 47mm lug-to-lug height. This is pretty universally wearable and comes in well under that 50mm lug-to-lug measurement that’s often used as a metric for a lot of people who prefer their watches on the smaller side. Also it’s worth noting how slim the case is when you consider the 300 meters of water resistance here. The case is thoughtfully finished, with brushed sides and polished surfaces that cohesively come together just wonderfully.

Of course you’ve got those dual screw-down crowns at 2 and 4 o’clock that have a nice vintage-inspired, cross-hatched finishing. The 2 o’clock crown operates the bidirectional rotating internal bezel while the 4 o’clock crown allows you to manually wind and set the time.

There are bracelet and strap options catering to all tastes, as well. Let’s start with the bracelet, which would be considered excellently finished even at a substantially higher price point. The “beads of rice” bracelet (which I would posit should be called “grains of rice,” but who cares, really) tapers nicely from 20mm at the lug down to 16mm and has a milled clasp with five points of micro adjustment. The bracelet is really nicely finished, with two outer links flanking the five “beads” at the center. The brushed finish on the outer links really makes for a nice contrast with the polish on the beads. And, I know some people don’t like a polished clasp due to the high likelihood of scratches, but I think it looks nice and those scratches give a watch some character. In addition to the bracelet, there is a NATO-style nylon strap and a leather strap, as well.

Longines Legend Diver Dial

The relatively thick, domed sapphire crystal has healthy AR coating, which certainly helps with legibility here. The dial is immediately framed with the sloping internal bezel that adds a lot of dimensionality and dynamism to a dial that, while undeniably handsome, could veer into blandness with the monochromatic color. It’s also a clean dial, with the brand logo and insignia at 12 o’clock and the word “automatic” in a nice script font at 6 o’clock.

There really is something so striking and unique about a white-dial watch, especially as seen here. While I actually do love the aforementioned dial colors the Longines Legend Diver comes in, the white stands out due to its uniquely clean and confident disposition. It’s highly legible, with contrasting black numerals and markers (that are ever-so-gently raised) against the white lacquer finish. The hands should be familiar to a lot of people, with the distinctive design on the pointed hour hand, tapered minutes hand, and arrow-tipped seconds hand. All are treated with lume, as are the hour markers and the pip at 12 o’clock. That said, the lume is just not the strongest out there.

L888.6 Movement

Turning the Legend Diver over reveals the enclosed steel caseback, with a finely embossed image of a diver at the center and some basic text around it. Inside is the Longines Caliber L888.6, which is an ETA-based automatic movement. This movement has some appreciated contemporary bells and whistles, most notably a silicon balance spring that is very helpful against both shocks and magnetism. It operates at a quirky 3.5 Hz and has a substantial 72-hour power reserve. You’ve also got hacking seconds and hand-winding functionality. Finally, the L888.6 is a COSC-certified movement, which means it is accurate to within -4/+6 seconds/day.

Price & Final Thoughts

There was some understandable griping when the 2023 Legend Diver refresh came with a price bump from something like $2,300 to $3,250. That said, I doubt anyone in 2025 would say that the price is unfair considering just how much watch you are getting for the money. Yes, the bracelet model comes in at $3,550, but you have to put that in context. I would say the Tudor Black Bay 58 is a solid competitor and that is priced at $4,725 on bracelet. The TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 300 Date comes in at $4,250 on bracelet in 36mm. But, if the Longines Legend Diver is just too much money, the Rado Captain Cook and Oris Divers Sixty-Five each come in just around $2,850.

The Longines Legend Diver has so much going on for it, with an ideal case size, robust water resistance, a distinct design with real vintage history, highly refined finishes, and a solid price point. If the compressor-style dive watch is something that appeals to you, then I think we have a no-brainer here, especially with the white-dial model adding to a robust dial color lineup. You can learn more at longines.com.