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 Seiko 5 Blue Dial 7009-4040 Automatic Watch Japan review

 A look at the Classic Seiko 5 Blue Dial 7009-4040 model Automatic Watch

Seiko 5 Blue 7009-4040 On a leather strap

The Seiko 5 Series designed in the early 1970's from Japan is rightly a design classic and as it approaches its 50th anniversary, I'd like to do a review on what is probably my favourite version of the Seiko 5 watch.

Clean and unfussy, the Stainless back on this model

has been updated with a glass back on the modern version

I first came across Seiko watches in the early 70's - my uncle had come back from working in the USA and purchased a Seiko watch there which fascinated me. 

I hadn't seen anything as modern looking before, my grandfather's old Oris manual wind seemed so  old fashioned and uncomplicated in comparison. The Seiko with its alarm was just like something from outer space!

 

Striking blue dial and simple design

My first Seiko I owned was a Blue dial Seiko 5 7009-4040 with a Blue dial, purchased in 1983 for over £90, about 2 weeks wages then. It served me for over 12 years until the dial became disconnected and I should  really have had it fixed.

It was a tremendously accurate watch and I was just lucky to have chosen a design classic that worked as well as it looked. Powered by a Seiko movement, it was just a simple but modern dial and case design and was worn daily. 

I couldn't fault it and although I prefer larger 40mm + size watches now, this one is still a favourite even at the c. 37.5mm case size, I can read the dial easily and that suits me. Which Is why I have a few in my collection!

With the famous multi-link strap

The watch had an adjustable metal strap and I had to take a few links out of mine to get it the right size but it was very comfortable to wear, although some complained it caught the hair on the arm and pulled a bit. The bracelet was a nice multi-link design and seems better quality than the modern SNK version of it.

This design looks modern even now

The 'hair trapper' bracelet

The modern SNK Version of the old Blue 5 7009 series

Likely due to popular demand Seiko has brought a version of this old Seiko 5 to a new market. Still with the same sized sub 40mm case about 37.5mm, it looks the part. 

Now powered by a Citizen Miyota automatic movement, you still get a dependable and accurate piece that looks the part.

This modern SNK incarnation looks the part and is now Miyota powered

Seiko has obviously had its eye on the retro market in vintage watches and has likely seen the retro appeal of the Seiko 5 as a reason to effectively reissue it or responded to customer demand. Having owned both the original and the modern, the modern one stands up very well.

However, I have managed to find a few original 7009-4040's in Blue dial finish so I have gone 'back to the roots' and now have a few of those. The new version has a special 'wave' patterned guilloche dial which is nicely done, but the old classic blue is what appeals to me.

The Longines Master collection 40mm watch

A £2000 watch with similar styling to the old Seiko 5 in Blue

In conclusion, I have owned a good many watches over the years and in my opinion the Seiko 5 series ones I have owned have and continue to be in the collection because they are so good. The SNK ones are a more modern take on the old 7009 but still stand up very well in comparison. In the 1970's Seiko had a lot to prove and their quality of design and manufacture still shows - quality sells and these old ones are still popular.

If you get a chance to buy an old Seiko they are well worth having and are now truly vintage in their own right, servicing is fairly inexpensive and will keep your watch going for some years. Plus the sabres situation is still good.

Going back in time - The classic Seiko 5 7009-4040 blue face 17 jewel automatic watch

Going back in time - The classic Seiko 5 automatic watch

The classic Seiko 5 7009-3040 automatic watch with blue face
virtually identical to the 4040 except the bezel is more vertical than angled

I first became aware of Seiko watches when my uncle brought one back from the United States in the 1970's. I was intrigued with this watch which had an alarm even though I was only about 6, so I hoped one day to own one. I was mechanically minded then.

Inside the Seiko 7009-4030 - the 17 jewel engine

I had to wait until 1983 to buy my own Seiko watch, going through a selection of mechanical and digital efforts from Timex, Solus, Casio from the age of about eight onwards, I purchased a mechanical watch in 1982 just after I started working but it wasn't very nice quality and what would you expect for £17 then? 

The Seiko it had to be

A walk past the local James Walker jewellers in my local high street back in 1983 presented me with a plethora of watches at a range of prices, the one I decided on was a Seiko 5 series with the dark blue dial. A 7009 - 4040.

I thought that the midnight blue colour dial really set off the stainless steel construction and it remains my favourite colour. I think from memory it cost me £90 which was at the time about 2 weeks wages and some more. 

It really was a great quality watch after my previous one, there was just no comparison. The 'made in Japan' quality was sought after around this time and was a guarantee of quality, Tokai guitars I also liked at this time had this same great build quality and finish. 

The Seiko stamped clasp on the jubilee strap

later ones have the Japan word stamped on too, some have the '5' logo.

I can remember having to have the strap altered on the blue Seiko as it was somewhat too large! It was certainly a hard wearing watch and really quite accurate, I wore it for about 15 years until I had a problem with the watch and should really have had it repaired.

The nicely finished case and strap has no sharp edges

The later straps have less pieces in them and the pieces are bigger. 

Nice modern design, even now it looks good.

This was designed in the early 1970's and hasn't aged in look.

I started a quest to replace my long lost Seiko 5 about 10 years ago, but I was not aware of the model number of mine from long ago. I was delighted then to see a modern version of my old one and bought one, but it just wasn't the same.

After much detective work, I managed to find one 7070....

And then another two! Now I have three!

Suddenly about a week ago, I found a Seiko 5 just like my old one in the dark blue, which I think was a rare colour back then I believe. 

And then found out the magic model number - 7009-4040 the designation for the blue one just like mine. Almost immediately I found two more Seiko 5's the in blue, so took a punt and have the three, as they were reasonably priced. 

Maybe buying an old Seiko 5 is a bit like turning back the clock, but I am certainly glad to have these in my collection. Although these are smaller than many current watches of the 40-45mm size - which seems the fashion and are easier to read, I do like the smaller Seiko, in fact I am wearing one now and it is keeping great time.

Another later Seiko 5 type, 21 jewels -

at the money, a good buy. No 4.

As a collectible watch, these Seiko 5's are still affordable and coming out of people's drawers after years of not being worn onto the market, so there are still some nice examples out there, also a few road worn ones too, but the prices are usually quite low, under £100 for a nice one still and £30 to 50 for quite usable ones.

But be aware, there are Seiko 5's being faked.... A lot are being done in India and are called 'Feikos' by the collectors - usually under £20 when they should be about £80 if genuinely original, some are 're-engined' old Seiko 5's and others well, just repros often using old parts. The stamping on the backs also often gives them away too, as well as the poor dial details.

Anyway, I am glad to have finally found some nice original Seiko 5s.