When thinking of the best value proposition Swiss watch, the Longines HydroConquest is often unfairly overlooked. It does well enough for itself in dive watch categories, but the newly redesigned collection for 2026 has all the right ingredients for a hit recipe. Some haven’t changed, and that’s good – there’s still a choice of multiple sizes, plenty of water-resistance, a ceramic bezel, and an ETA A.31 calibre; but it’s the subtle improvements that really make this new HydroConquest so compelling. We’ll get into them in more detail, but at a quick glance, they’re hard to argue against. Longines has made their premier diver slimmer, outfitted it with an anti-magnetic, silicon balance spring, and perhaps most importantly for mass appeal, ditched the outdated looks in favour of a design more akin to the HydroConquest GMT. What’s not to like?
What is it?
The HydroConquest is a longstanding model in the Longines collection, and the time-only model is now getting some love, with aesthetics very similar to the HydroConquest GMT released a couple of years ago. Gone are outsized numerals, replaced by round indices that featured everywhere on the older models, which themselves have been swapped for a set of rectangular markers. The minute track has also been adjusted to allow for more spacing between it and the date window, with the dial overall appearing to have shrunk slightly to allow for a wider bezel. As for colours, you can choose between a sunburst light blue, or lacquered black, dark blue, or green.
The changes to the case, while less immediately obvious, are also notable. The 2026 HydroConquest is available in either 39mm or 41mm, with a lug-to-lug of 48.1mm and 51.2mm, respectively. Most impressive is the height, which, for a 300-metre diver, has dropped all the way down to 11.7mm. Matching the case’s steel construction is the pair of available bracelets – Longines will let you choose between an H-link or Milanaise mesh, the latter at an extra charge, but both with toolless micro-adjust clasps. Rather than using a sliding clasp design, the mesh is actually composed of a longer, woven piece on either side, and then several removable link sections to ensure good fit.
The main reason for the new HydroConquest’s thinness is the movement, which is the Longines-branded ETA A.31, in this case the L888.5. This is based on ETA’s 2892A2 architecture, known to be the more premium, thinner alternative to the 2824. Compared to the previous HydroConquest, the 2026 model has the same, three-day power reserve, but gains a silicon balance spring.
First impressions
Not to toot my own horn, but I do believe I summed it up pretty well in the introductory paragraph – what’s not to like here? Basically every change is either an objective upgrade like a slimmer case or anti-magnetic escapement, or a not-so-subjective one like the cleaned-up dial and revised crown guard shape. I do have to mention again that 300 metres and 11.7mm is quite impressive, almost reaching Formex Reef levels (that one sits at at 11mm flat). Longines has also consolidated the offering to just two sizes, going for a middle-ground 41mm and ditching the 41mm and 43mm variants.
They’ve updated the lug width of the 39mm model to a standard 20mm, giving the HydroConquest some real strap monster potential, though if you do choose the 42mm model, you’ll have to put up with 21mm lugs. That’s no longer the impossible task it once was, but I do think they could’ve easily stuck with the more standard size.
I’m also really glad to see Longines adopt this new dial design for the time-only HydroConquest. The oversized 6-9-12 did have a sort of 2000s charm, similar to something like the Breitling SuperOcean, but I do think we can all agree this was the right way forward.
Okay, there is one thing not to like, both for its execution and the fact that I don’t understand why it wasn’t changed. Not only did Longines add a line of text to the dial, they also kept the clumsy depth rating declaration with awkward kerning. “30bar [300meter]” – brackets. Really?
I don’t want to end this introduction on a negative note, however, because that is not at all how I feel about this watch. Longines has long been the stalwart of decently-priced, big brand watchmaking for budding enthusiasts looking to get their first taste of luxury, and while the 2026 HydroConquest is around A$500 more expensive than the outgoing model, I think it’s not just a fair price increase considering what’s on offer, I think it’s also a bit of a bargain. It’s competing in a similar space as the Doxa SUB 300T and Oris Aquis, neither of which come close to the Longines’ spec or price (or both), with only the aforementioned Formex Reef putting up a good fight, with admittedly a different aesthetic. More of the same please, Longines, thanks!
Longines HydroConquest 2026 pricing and full specifications
The new Longines HydroConquest is available in 39mm and 42mm sizes, and is now available. The light blue sunburst model is exclusive to Longines boutiques and the brand’s e-commerce website. Price: A$3,375 (H-link bracelet), A$3,550 (mesh bracelet)
