Longines’ New Ultra-Chron Variant Is Its First-Ever Carbon Fiber Watch

Back in 2022, Longines revived one of the most iconic movements ever: the Ultra-Chron. As one of the world’s first high-beat mechanical movements when it debuted in 1967, the Ultra-Chron’s 36,000vph nearly doubled the rate of most watches of the time and had a second hand sweep that seemed impossibly smooth — not to mention, it was also incredibly precise at only 1 minute per month.

The 2022 reintroduction came in a reissue of the Ultra-Chron Diver ref. 7970 from 1968, updating the movement with the in-house L836.6 caliber. Now, the Ultra-Chron is back again with a new carbon fiber case — the first ever from the legendary Swiss brand.

A Brief Intro to Carbon Fiber

First introduced around the mid-20th century, carbon fiber has now become more prominent in the modern-day gear space for its unique aesthetic, high durability (about 5x tougher than steel and 2x as stiff), and lightweight nature (about ⅓ the weight of steel). Designers also love carbon fiber’s malleability, which makes it much easier to work with than most metals.

While it’s been a common sight in the automotive and aerospace industries since the ‘80s, the material’s woven appearance took a bit longer to catch on in the watch world. Although the material has been used in some capacity since the ‘80s when IWC first tapped it for the case of its Ingenieur, carbon fiber has definitely increased in usage over the last couple of decades, now making its way into the world of prestigious luxury watchmaking.

Longines Ultra-Chron Carbon Basics

Still beating at 5Hz, the Ultra-Chron Carbon revives all that we love about the standard Ultra-Chron, including the L836.6 automatic movement, but brings a stealthier, more modern aesthetic with the introduction of the carbon fiber case. This is a stark comparison to the regular models, which have a decidedly vintage look.

The cushion-shaped Ultra-Chron Carbon still features a 43mm case size, 14mm thickness, and 300m of water resistance (up from 200m of the 1968 original), but the new material brings the weight down to a whopping 80g, including the black fabric strap. For this case, the carbon fiber is mixed with epoxy resin not unlike the material used in G-SHOCK’s indestructible watches. It’s then heated and compressed under pressure to the desired Ultra-Chron case shape. 

Longines has swapped out the rotating bezel of previous models with a fixed titanium bezel with a black aluminum insert — an admittedly strange decision for a dive watch. Nevertheless, the 300m dive rating is impressive, as is the ISO 3159 standard and chronometer certification by TimeLab, but fervent diving enthusiasts will likely be frustrated with the lack of movement on the 60-minute scale. Hiding the same L836.6 is a closed caseback also made of titanium.

To add to the stealthy look, Longines implemented a matte anthracite dial and a gray handset. Past models have put the minute hand in a different color. Likewise, Super-LumiNova has been added to all the hour markers and indices, unlike the lesser-utilized lume of previous versions. Above it all is a box sapphire crystal with AR coating. This really is a handsome timepiece regardless of the lack of literal diving function.

Spec Sheet

Pricing & Availability

Not limited in edition size, the Ultra-Chron Carbon will be available in the coming weeks for $4,900. Head over to Longines’ website to learn more.

Longines Ultra-Chron Carbon

Longines made its first-ever carbon fiber watch, tapping its legendary Ultra-Chron diver that reissues its 1968 diver. The titanium bezel is fixed, rendering the dive function insignificant but this still gives you 300m of water resistance.