Watch Reviews 4U - The Longines 1832 Black Dial l4.826.4.52.0 watch

Watch Reviews 4U - The Longines 1832 Black Dial 40mm l4.826.4.52.0 watch 

The Longines 1832 Black Dial l4.826.4.52.0 - 

Celebrating 190 years of watch building excellence

The Longines 1832 model celebrates 190 years of Longines watchmaking. Available in either moon phase, annual calendar or a plainer non-complication model, the dial colour options are either black or a dark cream colour.

This Moonphase version features a date dial

around the Moonphase window

The 1832 has a stainless steel case and the design is quite modernist in appearance which I like, it is sort of 'retro vintage' with elements of modernity but also some quite obvious reference to the classic Longines watches of the past. 

The dial is quite uncluttered and looks very business like with the dagger shaped hands harking back to the vintage era of the Longines Silveriness and Silver Arrow of the late 1950's.

The minimalist version less moon phase and annual calendar - 

I think this looks very striking and attractive and none of the 

symmetry of the design is lost with the simpler layout.

 The moon phase window might draw the eye away from the dial -

 with both types being 40mm sized, nothing is really lost in choosing the 

simpler dial version and is what I would go for.

 The exhibition glass back case shows the beautiful movement off to perfection

Inside the stainless steel case is a nicely finished ETA automatic movement, as you can see here it really looks first class. The back case is engraved with the 1832 name and the usual waterproof depth marking, seal and model numbers as you find on this level of watch.

 Whether you wear it for work, formal or leisure, this watch fits all occasions.

 The 40mm diameter case is modernistic and vintage at the same time.

The straighter lugs share the modernist Bauhaus aesthetic of the watch

dial design and layout and I think the design works well.

The 20mm wide strap is a simple buckle and pin type - 

most comparable in the Longines price bracket similar to this have

the deployment clasp type straps which are around 4 times more expensive.

 The dial is pure form and function in one package

the black version really shows the contrast perfectly.

 

At around £1950.00 GBP for this watch with the Moonphase and Date ring complication, some might think it highly priced for what it is, but a number of Master Collection watches have been in the same price bracket, new. The simplest one is around £1400 GBP new I have seen.

Some might think the lug design is too full and angular, but I like the design, think the Swiss railway clock and you can see the sense in the similarity. 

The criticism of a cheaper clasp strap may be valid at this ticket price, but if you are harking back to vintage influences of the late 1950's Silvergines and Silver Arrow watches, they were appointed in this similar mode of plain leather strap with a buckle, or a 'fixo-flex' metal bracelet if that was your preference. I have a vintage Silvergines with the original metal bracelet.

So what is my impression? Personally I like this watch, the Moonphase looks the one to have for those looking for the bigger visual impact, but for something more old school vintage, the plain one with small date window really appeals, as it has the symmetry of design, unbroken by the moonphase window drawing the eye to it.

With all the 3 versions sharing a case size of 40mm, you lose nothing on size overall. The silver dial furniture on the black dial is very sharp and striking and perhaps modernist, it is a style I particularly like and seeing the plainer design dials, I am drawn to that one in black if one comes up at the right price!

Although this watch may have its detractors, I like the design, it harks back to a postwar Longines watch but has the larger case size of 40mm over the 32-25mm of those older watches typically had. 

40mm is about the smallest size I would go and having a few of this size from Longines I find them a good size on the wrist and not overpowering and not undersized. I think the 1832 is an understated piece and in the plain black dial version, certainly is my preference.

Watch Reviews 4U Longines Master Collection L2.793.4.92.2 Automatic 40mm Blue dial Watch

 

Watch Reviews 4U 

Longines Master Collection L2.793.4.92.2 Automatic 40mm Blue dial Watch

The Longines 40mm Master Collection Automatic with Blue Dial

This is a super looking watch in the Longines Master Collection series, the fabulous L2.793.4.92.2 Blue sun ray dial automatic watch with matching blue strap.

This is a watch you can wear in a business or leisure situation, it will look stylish, elegant and striking and will grab attention for all the right reasons. It is delightfully understated too.

The beautiful Longines Sun Ray Blue dial surface

This Longines Master Collection 40mm watch takes me back many years to 1983 - to a Seiko '5' model 7009-4040 I purchased new in November 1983, with a blue dial and the silver baton markers in a similar general style to the Longines. I still have six identical Seiko 5's the same  in my collection, it was a design that looked right then as it does now.

For the sake of comparison and old times - 

Left: the Seiko 5 Blue from 1983 and Right: The Longines Master 2021

Both great classics in their own right! The Seiko 5 still looks great 40 years on.

The Seiko 5 Blue dial is beautiful to look at and the best version of the watch I think.

Longines have in this L2.793.4.92.2 got the 'modern retro' style just right - a watch that looks modern and classic but equally at home in an earlier era. Good design and style doesn't date. It is not thick in case height either, so will fit under a sleeve unobtrusively. This is another case of Longines getting the design right across all considerations for a watch.

Also available with a metal Longines strap -

I have just purchased this version used but like new condition 

but changed the strap to a new Longines 21mm Blue deployment clasp type

as I feel this really sets the dal colour off nicely and the leather strap is lighter.

At 40mm in case size, (there is a 38.5mm one available), this watch is just right for many what I would call 'average' wrist sizes. It looks right sized but not too large. 40mm might be a good size for the market in Asia, not too large but large enough for those customers who might have smaller wrist measurements in that region.

Perhaps at 42mm it would just look that bit larger, but with many customers from the far east market who prefer smaller watches, this one at 40mm is going to meet the need pretty much all round. I wouldn't really want anything smaller than this at 40mm. 

On the wrist (I would say I have an average size wrist) the 40mm size watch looks about the perfect size. Given that I tend to go for 41mm + size watches, I am pleased with how this looks, not 'undersized' by any means. In fact, it looks and wears just right. 

I have a Longines Record Chronometer 40mm in blue and that is another great watch, I do like the Blue dials, they just looks so good. The L3.793 on review here is also available in other dial colours including black and green. 

The elegant 21mm Deployment Clasp Strap in Blue

The watch is well appointed with either a 21mm wide strap - Alligator faced outwards with a Calf leather inner layer or a superbly finished Stainless steel metal strap. The leather strap is lighter than the Stainless one, the Stainless strap looks great but the blue strap / blue dial combination just looks so good.

Longines have produced a number of watches with this unusual 21mm size width strap and it does have on this watch the aesthetic solution to not having to make the lugs too widely spaced - for a 22m strap, perhaps on a 42 or 44mm watch case then the 22mm gives a similar sense of proportion. 

Also the lugs are well proportioned and not too heavy, they look graceful  and slim. The case is superbly designed and finished and the exhibition glass back shows off the decorated movement nicely.

Simple classic design always works and never dates - 

Longines have made similar designs in the 1950's and these still look great!

The dial is available in a number of colours including an unusual Green shade but the one that really appeals to me is this lovely blue one. The metal hour markers, the hands and the Longines logo in bright silver just work so nicely in contrast to the ocean blue dial.

The bevel angle Chapter ring really suits this design -

the minutes indices are very useful have to view -

the chapter ring also helps the dial look more complete

The hands are elegant in their 'leaf' shape and look delicate but easily readable, there is a date window at 3 o'clock and  the chapter ring in matching colour to the dial is a bevel shape which allows a nice way of finishing inside of the watch case and tends to make the dial look larger than it is face on, as it adds depth.

Beautiful finishing extends to the movement and case back

Setting the watch is easy - pull the crown out one click to set the date and the second stop on the crown pulled out allows you to set the hands and hack the watch for setting to a time signal. Nice and easy to operate. From run down, wind the crown clockwise about 12 times to start the mechanism.

The watch is also available with this steel bracelet

which is comfortable to wear and superbly finished

The watch case is a stainless steel material with the usual superb design and finish you would expect from a watch at this level. The lugs are set nicely so the watch follows the wrist and does not look lost or badly positioned, the ergonomic fit is nicely thought out here.

At 40mm case size on the wrist - 

it is not too large but reassuringly large enough

The blue ray dial can be seen to effect here

The dial colour is cleverly applied so that as the name suggests it does give a sun ray Blue effect. It isn't a flat solid colour gloss navy blue from any angle, but the colour alternates across the dial as the natural light finds the dial surface almost glowing in colour. Topping the fabulous dial off is a sharp sapphire crystal glass with anti reflective coating and it is a viewing pleasure every time you check the time.

The strap at 21mm is an unusual size - 

The Blue colour really just adds the finishing touch here

As with most of these comparable Longines pieces, a 30m 3atm water resistance is standard, this is pretty well adequate for most of the situations you'll be wearing the watch in.

Elegant from any angle

If you are looking for a dressy and casual elegant watch with an eye-catching colour dial, then I think that this would fit the bill. At an RRP of £1950.00 in most places it is a quality timepiece and can be had at around £1400 or under for a used example in good condition with box and papers. 

I saw some ranging from £899 to one that had been worn and was a few years old to £1395 for now that was some years old but in nice condition. There are bargains to be had if you can find them.

The beautiful Sun Ray Blue dial surface

Longines have produced a really sharp looking watch that gives you quality, beauty and wearability without breaking the bank. They are not easy to find used so they are obviously highly sought after.

I have just picked up a 2021 made example of this Longines up on Ebay for just over £900, the same watch is on the Longines site for £2000 new, so I think this is a great bargain. I am very pleased with the look, feel and weight (it is not a heavy watch). 

Watch Reviews 4U The Longines Master Collection Automatic Chronograph 40mm L26294783 L2.62.947.8.3

 

The Longines Master Collection Chronograph 40mm L26294783

Welcome to another Watch Reviews 4U article. 

Today's subject  for review is from the Longines Master collection range and is the Bi-Compax 40mm diameter case  L26294783 Chronograph with silver textured dial.

The Silver textured dial and Blue hands are outstanding

                                 This watch is is also available with a metal bracelet

Harking back to the aviation and sports chronographs of the late 30's era, the Longines L26294783 is a modern incarnation of those glorious and now very hard to find, not to mention expensive old chronograph watches.

As part of the Longines Master Collection, this watch is as you would expect stylish and sufficiently retro in its appeal. Measuring in at 40mm across the case without the crown, it is a good size when compared to original vintage Longines wristwatches that were typically smaller, from say 32-38mm size case sizes, with a Chronograph of that era typically being towards the 38mm size, sometimes rarely as large as 40mm in size.

 Understated but beautiful at the same time

Although I like the larger size of watch and own a 47mm case Longines Avigation, the 40mm size case is a good size and not too small, but about as small as I would like to go on a watch. 

The one I am reviewing here is  a one owner watch from an owner who purchased it new and it has been worn carefully and not very often. 

 At around 11.7mm thickness, it is thinner than a Valjoux movement Chrono

The case is stainless steel and beautifully finished with no sharp edges, the strap is a 21mm width strap at the lug pins and this is an unusual size, the strap is Alligator top hide with a calf hide lower and is slightly padded, having contrasting white stitching which looks very stylish. The case is waterproof to around 30m, but you're hardly likely to go swimming in it!

 The simple but effective deployment mechanism

It has a deployment catch mechanism which also helps the watch from coming off your wrist and becoming damaged by being dropped if the strap comes undone.

The outer chapter ring is bevelled and silver finished showing the seconds intervals marked at 5 second intervals with numbers and straight bar markings for each second interval otherwise.

 Even the watch Crown has a Longines logo too

at 11.7mm thickness it is not over deep

The dial is silver coloured and finished in a 'Barleycorn' texture, in a guilloche (engraved) pattern style. The date window is at 6 o'clock and is set from the first stop of the winding crown when pulled out. 

The hour numerals are paint applied and stylish, thin but easy to read. The Longines flying hourglass emblem in Silver metal stands out nicely from the dial.

 On the wrist it is large enough but not 'overwatch'

The Chronograph sub dials are finished with a radial groove pattern which stands out from the main dial texture nicely. The hands are all blue finished and look impressive, the running seconds are on the right hand small dial with the main 'second' hand being operational on the chronograph function only.

The chronograph mechanism is a separate mechanism under the dial and can be replaced and serviced separately to the rest of the watch. The chronograph dials are slightly oversized and eat into the 9 and 3 numbers which is quite common on watches with this layout. However, these sub dials do make the watch more eye-catching and add to the wow factor of the observer.

The ETA watch movement powering this fine watch is visible through the exhibition window on the rear of the watch, a feature that is quite prevalent on the Longines brand watches but not always specified on the 'retro' types as some 'Heritage' styled watches have plain or embossed stainless steel case backs, as the vintage watches used in the past.

 The rear of the watch is beautiful too, with an engraved rotor

and on other parts of the movement.

The chronograph operates on the familiar two button type operation with the top button used to start and stop the chronograph and the lower push button used to reset the chronograph. It is the 'flyback' style of operation where the hands literally fly back to the vertical zero position.

Setting the watch is easy, the main winding crown is pulled out one stop to allow the date to be set and to two stops for hacking and time setting. Having the hacking  ability is very useful for setting the watch time to a time signal or other source.

 Presentation is everything - 

from the wooden watch box to the comprehensive owner's manual 

this is a top quality watch and care is taken to present it as such

Powering the mechanism from a stopped condition is done by either winding the crown clockwise about a dozen times or a gentle shake to wind the mechanism to get things started. The seconds hand moves very smoothly, a demonstration of how nicely made the movement is.

Presented in a white Longines outer box with a nice wooden presentation case, this is a quality watch without question.

Wearing the watch, I found it not heavy and very comfortable, you forget it is there, the strap was comfortable and the dial was easy to read. The chronograph start's top button is a bit hard to push in but probably many of the users won't even use this function!

It is a nicely understated watch but has a nice design and style about it with a decent size, I personally find 38mm case diameter and less watch sizes a bit too small, this one at 40mm sits nicely on the wrist and does not look 'lost'. It is a lot of watch for the money and a nice size for  me.

A 42mm larger version is available for around £2650 at the time of writing. 

The retail price is around £2400 GBP Sterling and at £1400 used for the 40mm version, mine at £1200 was a good buy for a 4 year old hardly worn watch. I looked at about four other similar ones and this was the best condition and had the box and papers, being from the original owner was a bonus too as was it had been hardly used.

Overall I am very pleased with the watch as it has the box and papers, plus it has had little use and signs of use and in better financial circumstances could easily be worth around £1700. 

Wearing the watch it feels good without being obtrusively heavy for the size and is not too large for me. 

It is a great quality piece and I think of the used ones I have seen, was probably one of the best that was available and at a competitive price, as the market at this time is usually around £1600 -1700 at least for one in this condition and with the original box and papers.

British Electric Vehicle factory British Volt - has it run out of juice - is this the end of the road for Electric vehicles in the UK?

 

British Volt factory - the end of the road?

is this the factory that never was?

This is just an artist's illustration

The British Volt factory looks set to close following a reported collapse of its share price in recent weeks -  so is this the end of the road for the electric vehicles given that the Tesla concern is also now reportedly heavily discounting the ticket price of its cars?

An electric TFL Bus only a few years old - in a Barnsley Bus scrapyard

at over half a million quid to buy new - was this really good value for money?

When British Volt was established, the Boris Johnson government seemed to believe with some sort of evangelical zeal in the future of the electric vehicle - a pledge of £100 million in funding support to British Volt never materialised as there seemed little in firm orders to secure this finance. 

Perhaps the issues of high inflation, the Ukraine War and cost of charging electric cars are contributory factors leading to people going 'cold' on the wonder machines that are heavily advertised to us as being 'the future' - they are clearly not it would seem and people are now waking up to the realities and pitfalls of owning an EV and avoiding them or getting out whilst they can still get a half decent price for them. And going back to Petrol and Diesel vehicles in many cases.

The primary 'schoolboy error' of the electric vehicle industry was that no one thought at the outset of this quest to establish a common charging plug and socket size, shape and format common to all. 

This was the most egregious, inexcusable, avoidable and fundamental error. 

The recent christmas break led to many electric vehicle owners to make their pious journeys to visit relatives across Britain and finding a lack of chargers, a lack of chargers with the right plug for their car and a lack of the charger actually working has now come home to them.

A driver recently reported a day and half's journey time by EV from the Isle of White to the Lake district, thanks to having to recharge so often and having to leave a 50 mile reserve of battery power showing on the gauge in order that they might get to a charger that worked and that was available on their way. A 'normal' car would have had you there by early evening the same day, on the same tankful of fuel. Probably for less cost.

Many drivers are now waking up to the reality that their few years' old EV batteries are past their best and the cost of replacing the car at half as much again versus a 'normal' car are coming at the wrong time. Or if a battery can be changed, that it will cost around £10,000 plus to change it.

When you plug into a public charging point, they can charge you what they like for your charge and you are stuck with it, you can't just go to another garage or 'fill up from a can' as with a Petrol or Diesel car - if the electric car's car battery is that low your options are limited. 

You've got the prospect of an up to 2 hours waiting time whilst charging takes place, rather than the 5 minutes to refuel at a garage for Petrol or Diesel fuel. A Jaguar battery charged at home can take a day and a half to charge off a 13 amp domestic supply. 

Currently there are 39 electric vehicles to 1 charger. Not counting the fact that not all chargers fit all cars so it is no surprise to see many motorway charging points now empty as many drivers abandon EV's for long distance driving.

Tesla has a new EV Semi tractor unit, problem is unless you dump the trailer, the space for a charger bay would have to be 60+ feet to take the lorry. Then it takes time to charge, the whole EV thing is just becoming a joke.

Probably the full charge of a large EV car battery could now cost the equivalent of the domestic house consumption of electricity for 6 weeks in one go. They use a 60 amp plus charge circuit even when drawn from a domestic supply network via a special link to the mains supply.

The electric vehicle is good for the city and the ultra urban drive, but the interest is just not there nor is there the 'wallet' to indulge in this voltaic whimsy despite the flashy adverts trying to seduce us into the abandonment of the internal combustion engine.

I don't see that many EV's on the road, they are quite a rarity, 2 a day I counted. I view that they are over-hyped and the 'lots of people own them' line is just marketing guff, there are 32 million vehicles on the UK roads and the EV is not making the impacts on ownership that was predicted - perhaps partly why British Volt has not worked out?

The future is synthetic and Net Zero Petrols and Diesels, both viable and in production now. Motor manufacturers are being led up the garden path by governments and influencers who grasp the electric vehicle nettle with some sort of religious zeal. Battery ingredients are finite, the synthetic fuels are not.

The problem is that these people on the electric vehicle hobby horse often do not have the technical and/or practical knowledge of the realities of this sort of entity and are just rose tinted blind to them. 

In the early 1900s there were many electric vehicles around but cheap gasoline and the development of the internal combustion engine led to the demise of ev's then.

Perhaps history will repeat itself again?

It is suggested that an Australian 'startup' Recharge has started to look at taking over British Volt, how far will that go if the British concern had no real firm orders? But if there are no firm orders, is that going to also fail?

The last information was that Recharge, the new interest was not investing in producing purely electric vehicle batteries at the yet to be built Volt factory - which is still a piece of rough ground - which is a telling situation - perhaps it was hoped they might produce battery cells for the electric car industry by an optimistic government?

The lack of real sales of these electric vehicles is likely due to customers waking up and seeing that these vehicles are not going to fulfil their transport solution. ICE engine ones will.

And with the rising costs of these cars, the charging and operation issues, the electric vehicle market is open to failure. sometime soon. People are hanging on to those old cars, they are the future.

Brian Jones the Rolling Stones founder - a Cheltenham town statue to Brian is overdue! - No Brian Jones, no Rolling Stones!

 

Brian Jones - Rolling Stones founder

A statue in Cheltenham to him is long overdue!

This is a call to arms of sorts, but around 60 years after the Rolling Stones broke onto the music scene, the time is now overdue to honour the late Rolling Stones founder Brian Jones with a statue in his home town of Cheltenham.

This talented multi-instrumentalist is one of the most recognisable stars from the 1960's and his untimely death in 1969 should not result in the end of this great musical talent's presence. A musical legacy on video and on record keeps his memory alive but more is needed!

If Liverpool can have the Beatles in statue form, then Cheltenham must have Brian Jones. I can think of no better image to use for this statue than Brian playing his iconic white Vox teardrop guitar, used on the Top of the Pops clip of 'This can be the last time', perhaps even including the famous Vox amplifier that Brian used in that tribute. 

This was Brian's golden era and how many of us would like to remember him.

The early Rolling Stones music up to 1969 used the multitude of musical talent Brian was able to contribute to the music through the many instruments he played from Banjo, Recorder, Harmonica, Marimba, guitar, sitar, harpsichord, piano - to name just a selection.

In my view no Brian Jones, no Rolling Stones.