{"id":63649,"date":"2026-08-03T00:18:08","date_gmt":"2026-08-03T00:18:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/63649\/"},"modified":"2026-08-03T00:18:08","modified_gmt":"2026-08-03T00:18:08","slug":"the-wind-up-our-team-goes-watch-shopping-at-longines-sydney-boutique","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/63649\/","title":{"rendered":"The Wind Up: Our Team Goes Watch Shopping at Longines\u2019 Sydney Boutique"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Rob<\/a><\/p>\n

Readtime: 8 min<\/p>\n

Every product is carefully selected by our editors and experts. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Learn more.<\/a> For more information on how we test products, click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Roll up, roll up for another round of The Wind Up, the weekly wrap where we explore the horological encounters, events, and developments that have caught Man of Many\u2019s attention this week. I\u2019m Rob, one of our team\u2019s watch cranks, and it\u2019s my pleasure to be with you again.<\/p>\n

This week, we\u2019re kicking things off with a Man of Many team visit to the Longines<\/a> boutique in the heart of Sydney\u2019s CBD. Three of my colleagues and I headed there with a plan for each of us to finally purchase one of the excellent new HydroConquest<\/a> references. How did we go? Read on to find out. After that, we have the latest TAG Heuer<\/a> collaboration with Team Ikuzawa (it looks like another winner for Team TAG from this vantage), as well as the new Baltic Aquascaphe MK2.<\/p>\n

As ever, there\u2019s no time like the present and not a second to waste, so let\u2019s dive into the latest instalment of Man of Many\u2019s The Wind Up.<\/p>\n

\"LonginesLongines Conquest Heritage Central Power Reserve (ref. L1.648.4.92.6) | Image: Man of Many On the Wrist: Longines HydroConquest, Conquest Heritage Central Power Reserve, and Legend Diver 59 <\/p>\n

After much in-office chatter around the new Longines HydroConquests that launched back in March, this week, a contingent of the Man of Many team decided it was time to finally pull the trigger and make a purchase.<\/p>\n

We met at the Sydney boutique on Market Street, where we were warmly greeted by the Longines team. First came a little hydration, and then we eagerly started trying on a range of HydroConquests, with most of our conversation focused on simply how good the watches look in person and whether to opt for the 39 mm model or the 42 mm.<\/p>\n

Further Reading <\/p>\n

Having already attended a preview event back in March that let me explore the full range, I had my heart set on the 39 mm model with the black dial, grey ceramic bezel, and stainless-steel Milanese mesh bracelet. That said, once we were in the boutique, I developed a renewed appreciation for the green incarnation (it\u2019s a no-brainer for those who love the Hulk but can\u2019t justify a Rolex purchase right now), and even the navy-blue dial gave me a moment\u2019s pause. Nevertheless, I stuck to my guns.<\/p>\n

Some of my colleagues, however, were less committed. While our auto expert, Ben, and Sales Director, Elliott, both intended to pick up the 39 mm HydroConquest in green, only the latter followed through. After careful consideration, Ben opted for the 39 mm black model instead, with the intention of adding a rubber strap down the line. It\u2019s typically chic of him and a commendable choice.<\/p>\n

\"LonginesMy Longines HydroConquest of choice (ref. L3.779.4.70.6) | Image: Man of Many <\/p>\n

The most wild-card selection came from a member of our sales team, Marcus. He was as enamoured with the HydroConquests as the rest of us (he\u2019s been the proud owner of an older model for almost 20 years). However, once I asked the Longines team for a look at the new blue-dialled Conquest Heritage Central Power Reserve, it was game over for our poor colleague. I can see why.<\/p>\n

Whether you prefer the stainless-steel H-link bracelet or the grey leather strap, this new take on the Central Power Reserve is a gem. Personally, I was all-in on the leather strap until I felt the bracelet on my wrist. It feels incredibly malleable, given its material. As the links roll around your wrist, you\u2019d be forgiven for thinking it\u2019s some sort of new material, but no, just reliable stainless steel corralled into its perfect form. The grey leather is also beautiful. It feels a little stiff at first, but that will certainly soften with time. With its 38-mm diameter, the watch is understated and elegant, while the complication at the centre of that lovely blue dial gives it a subtle (and useful) lift. Long story short, Marcus opted for the grey leather. I will be asking to borrow it as soon as he allows.<\/p>\n

Finally, I couldn\u2019t leave the Longines boutique without trying on the new Legend Diver 59. Heartbreakingly, its 42-mm size makes it a little large for my 6.7-inch wrist. But I\u2019ve long been an admirer of arguably Longines\u2019 most unique dive watch, and I was happy to see it reintroduced earlier this year. With a similar stainless-steel Milanese mesh bracelet to my HydroConquest of choice, that internal rotating bezel, a bold, almost orange-coloured Swiss Super-LumiNova, and the twin crowns (as well as the date-free design, which I prefer here), I\u2019m hopeful a similar 39-mm version might come to market at some point in the future.<\/p>\n

With spirits high and orders placed (these HydroConquests are in high demand, so we have to be a little patient), we bid farewell to the good folk at Sydney\u2019s Longines boutique. And in the wise words of Homer Simpson, now we play the waiting game. The waiting game sucks. Let\u2019s play Hungry Hungry Hippos.<\/p>\n

Longines HydroConquest Key Specs:
\nCase: Stainless steel with ceramic bezel Diameter: 39 mm or 42 mm Thickness: 11.7 mm Water resistance: 300 metres Bracelet: Stainless-steel Milanese mesh or H-link bracelet, both with micro adjustment Movement: L888.5 Power Reserve: 72 hours Price: From AUD$3,375
\n \"TagTAG Heuer x Team Ikuzawa and Bamford (ref. CBS221M.EB0435) | Image: Supplied TAG Heuer x Team Ikuzawa x Bamford <\/p>\n

The award for most fun watch release of the week undoubtedly goes to this collaboration between TAG Heuer, Team Ikuzawa, and Bamford. A second for the trio, this time they\u2019ve opted to use TAG\u2019s immensely popular 39-mm Carrera \u201cGlassbox\u201d shape as a foundation upon which to play with that signature white-and-red colour scheme. <\/p>\n

A celebration of Team Ikuzawa\u2019s racing and fashion pedigree, the watch features a white Clou de Paris dial (i.e. a classic geometric design of tiny, raised pyramids), framed by a black flange with a 60-second scale. This maximises the impact of arresting red accents across the hands, the minute counter at 3 o\u2019clock, the date window\u2019s numerals at 6 o\u2019clock, and the Carrera, TAG Heuer, and Team Ikuzawa branding. <\/p>\n

The watch is water-resistant to 100 meters, powered by TAG\u2019s in-house Calibre TH20-10, which offers an 80-hour power reserve, and comes with a stainless-steel, seven-row bracelet. Plus, it\u2019s accompanied by a white textile strap with red stripes and a perforated white leather racing strap with red stitching and lining. The whole package arrives in a very cool presentation case inspired by vintage pit-lane toolboxes. This houses the timepiece, the additional straps, a travel pouch, and exclusive Team Ikuzawa charms. Limited to 150 individually numbered pieces, it\u2019s not available in Australia, sadly, but we can admire it from afar. <\/p>\n

TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph x Team Ikuzawa Key Specs:
\nReference: CBS221M.EB0435 Case: Steel fine-brushed\/polished Diameter: 39 mm Thickness: 13.9 mm Water resistance: 100 metres Dial: White Clou de Paris Bracelet: Stainless-steel, seven-row bracelet \/ white textile strap with red stripes \/ perforated white leather racing strap with red stitching and lining Movement: TH20-10 Power reserve: 80 hours Price: AUD$15,850
\n \"BalticBaltic Aquascaphe MK2 Blue | Image: Supplied Baltic\u2019s Date-Sporting Aquascaphe MK2 <\/p>\n

When Baltic launched the Aquascaphe MK2 in 2025, it was rightly praised as a step in the right direction for the French brand. Now, we have a new take that adds a date window to the refined case, updated dial, and improved ergonomics introduced last year.<\/p>\n

Powered by the Japanese automatic Miyota 9015 movement, rather than the Miyota 9039 of the no-date model, the watch otherwise appears the same, which is by no means a bad thing. Depending on whether you opt for the 39.5-mm or 37-mm option, the 45-mm or 47-mm lug-to-lug remains the same, and the 12.9-mm thickness hasn\u2019t shifted. A handsome 120-click unidirectional bezel, wide lugs, a flat-topped crown guard, a double-domed sapphire crystal, and a sapphire bezel insert remain the order of the day. Plus, the screw-down crown and sturdy stainless-steel caseback mean you can confidently dive into the briny depths while checking the date at your leisure.<\/p>\n

Available in silver, grey, green, and (my pick) blue colourways, it\u2019s simply an understated and modestly proportioned dive watch done well.<\/p>\n

Baltic Aquascaphe MK2 Date Key Specs:
\nCase: Stainless steel Diameter: 39 mm or 37.5 mm Thickness: 12.9 mm Water resistance: 200 metres Crown: Screw-down Strap: Vulcanised rubber \/ steel beads of rice bracelet \/ steel Flat link bracelet Movement: Miyota 9015 Power reserve: 42 hours Price: AUD$1,068<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Readtime: 8 min Every product is carefully selected by our editors and experts. If you buy from a…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":63650,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[76230,247,76231,76232],"class_list":["post-63649","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-sydney","tag-longines","tag-sydney","tag-tag-heuer","tag-the-wind-up"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/63649","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=63649"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/63649\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/63650"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=63649"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=63649"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=63649"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}