Longines first introduced its first Diver watch in 1959 with a super-compressor case and gaskets that made it more water-resistant the deeper it went under the water, up to around 400 feet.
It also introduced a 60-minute internal bezel to keep time of dives. Unusually, the bezel turned in both directions, but was unlikely to be knocked out of place because it is set using a second crown.
The format of the Longines Diver, more recently renamed Legend Diver, has changed very little over many reissues in the past 66 years, and a new version launching this month borrows heavily from the original design and functionality.
Its biggest difference is a bright matte white dial, a departure from the usual black, and it comes on an elegant and flexible integrated bracelet with beads of rice links down its center.
Longines has used a modern 39mm steel case that stands just 12.7mm tall. Its water resistance has doubled to 1000 feet since the 1959 original.
That is small for a dive watch, but Longines has ensured it has a highly legible monochrome dial with raised hour markers and hands filled with green lume framed in black.
It is powered by an ETA-based Longines L888.6 automatic three-hand movement with a silicon balance spring and 72-hour power reserve.
The new Legend Divers can also be worn on a choice of new blue or black rubber straps.
It joins a collection of 39mm models with blue, black, brown, grey or green dials priced at $3,550.
