Okay, so I’ve been messing around with this Longines Spirit watch lately, specifically the leather strap version. Let me tell you, it’s been a bit of a journey. I got this watch a while back, and initially, I was pretty stoked about it. I mean, Longines, right? They make some decent stuff.
First thing I did was really take a good look at the watch itself. This Spirit line is kind of cool because it mixes that old-school, vintage vibe with a more modern, sporty look. Longines says it’s inspired by aviation, but honestly, it just looks like a solid, everyday kind of watch to me.
- Check the movement: Inside, it’s got this automatic L888.4 movement. I popped open the back – it’s a screw-in type, by the way – just to take a peek. I don’t know, for me it is a must-do action after I get a new watch. It is said that this movement runs at 25,200 vibrations per hour and has a 64-hour power reserve. I didn’t test it scientifically, but it seemed to keep time pretty well in my daily use.
- Examine the dial: Then I looked at the dial. It’s a matte black, which I like, and the numbers and hands have this Super-LumiNova stuff on them. It glows okay in the dark, not the brightest, but you can read the time.
- Assess the water resistance: The watch says it’s water-resistant up to 100 meters. I didn’t go diving with it or anything, but I did wash my hands and got caught in the rain a couple of times. No problems there. This is a little bit beyond my expectation.
Now, the main thing I wanted to mess with was the strap. It came on this leather strap, and while it looked nice out of the box, it felt a bit bulky. So, I measured it, and the taper goes from 19mm to 18mm at the buckle. I thought maybe a 16mm buckle would feel better, less chunky on the wrist. I went to a watch store to find some new strap, but failed.
I did some digging around, trying to find a replacement strap. It wasn’t easy, honestly. I wanted something that would fit right and also feel comfortable. It’s a bit of a hassle, but I kept at it. Finally, I found a strap that I thought might work. Ordered it, and when it arrived, I swapped it out with the original one. It was a bit of a fiddly process, but I managed.
My feeling
After wearing it with the new strap for a while, I think I like it better. The watch feels a bit lighter, and definitely less bulky on my wrist. It’s still not perfect, but it’s an improvement, at least for me. This whole strap thing taught me a bit about how the small details can really change how a watch feels. I mean, I liked the Spirit before, but now I’m digging it even more. It’s funny how something as simple as a strap can make such a difference.
