There is perhaps no more romanticized complication in watchmaking than the moonphase. Although it may have next to zero application unless you happen to be a sailor or a werewolf, few things are as universally evocative as the night sky, and capturing a slice of that majesty on the wrist for a moonphase complication is inherently compelling. Of course, it also helps when the moonphase watch in question is classically handsome, like the latest release from Longines. Inspired by a classic reference from 1957, the new Longines Flagship Heritage Moonphase continues the brand’s recent streak of classic designs reimagined with modern performance and sizing sensibilities. However, this may well be one of the cleanest, best-proportioned, and most cohesive efforts to come from the brand’s historic collection in quite some time.

Measuring in at 38.5mm-wide and 12.4mm-thick, the Longines Flagship Heritage Moonphase’s stainless steel case may not be quite as small as some of its competitors in the current 37mm-and-below sizing trend. With that said, deft proportioning and a deceptively simple shape make this a handsome and wearable design on the wrist. In particular, the lugs are a major factor in this case’s success. Longines has taken the community’s feedback about its lug lengths to heart in recent releases, and the Flagship Heritage Moonphase certainly reaps the benefit of this shift in philosophy. As a start, these lugs are on the shorter side, eliminating on-wrist overhang and helping to visually compact the case as a whole. The finishing is where these elements truly shine, though. The broad, uncontoured chamfers are wider than the actual tapering upper surface of the lugs, but both of these planes are mirror-polished. From above, the entire case takes on a dressy, fully polished look, while the lugs both catch the light vibrantly and appear far slimmer than they actually are. Longines tempers this with smooth, light brushing along the case sides, while the narrow smooth bezel adds another layer of polished brightness. The 3 o’clock crown is somewhat undersized, and sits below the centerline of the case as a possible result of a modular movement layout. The brand finishes off this case with a truly stellar solid caseback design. Caseback medallions are a rarity in the modern watch industry, but Longines channels the style and elegance of the ‘50s original here in a gold and enamel depiction of a man-o’-war ship under full sail. The level of engraved detail is genuinely striking here, with elements like the pennants atop the foremast and mainmast, along with each of the cannon ports along its three gun decks, rendered with painstaking finesse. Despite the nautical theming, however, the Flagship Heritage Moonphase is rated for a miniscule 30 meters of water resistance.

The Longines Flagship Heritage Moonphase’s dial is classically appointed and excellently balanced, delivering a refined midcentury dress watch look. The midnight blue sunburst dial surface is elegantly muted with a soft, satin-like sheen that emphasizes the subtle domed curvature near the dial edge. Longines plays with proportion in multiple ways for this dial, beginning with the handset and indices. The tapering profile of the classic, broad dauphine handset is echoed by the wedge-like indices, albeit far narrower. This both gives the dial a unified look and directs visual attention toward the hands, emphasizing legibility. The brand also highlights proportion through the use of concentric circles. Of course, the largest circle is the dial edge itself, but the positioning of the minimalist printed minutes scale on the inner edge of the indices forms an effective visual boundary for the timekeeping elements and helps the dial to feel smaller and more intimate. Lastly, there’s the multipurpose subdial at 6 o’clock. This smaller ring is comparatively dense but supremely well balanced against the rest of the dial, distilling the watch’s most intricate visual details into a single focal point. The outer pointer date ring of this subdial adds its own sunburst texture to the design, while the central segment opts instead for deep azurage. The brand’s use of bright polishing for the moon and stars on the moonphase disk brings a brighter highlight to this element, but also unifies it with the surrounding dial hardware. Taken as a whole, this dial is a simple dish, prepared well – with thoughtful detailing, deft proportions, and a loving reimagining of midcentury dress watch cues.

Inside the Longines Flagship Heritage Moonphase beats the L899.5 automatic moonphase movement. Manufactured by ETA exclusively for Longines by parent company Swatch Group, the L899.5 sports many of the features we’ve come to expect from Longines movements in the past few years. For instance, there’s a silicon balance spring here, along with the unorthodox intermediate 25,200 bph beat rate. This helps the L899.5 to a solid amount of magnetic resistance, alongside a weekend-proof 72 hour power reserve. To complete the classical look, Longines fits the Flagship Heritage Moonphase with a midnight blue alligator leather strap. Its matte texture and muted coloration go a long way towards reinforcing the premium feel of the watch overall, and it offers an impressively soft and supple wearing experience out of the box.

Few if any complications are as evocative as a moonphase, and the new Longines Flagship Heritage Moonphase captures the emotional core of a classic ‘50s moonphase design while updating this classical style with impressive modern finishing and performance. The new Longines Flagship Heritage Moonphase is available now through authorized dealers. MSRP for this watch stands at $3,050 USD as of press time. For more details, please visit the brand’s website.