Longines has added to its VHP – or ‘Very High Precision’ – range of quartz watches, incorporating a chronograph on a NATO-style rubber strap, in blue and black.

Longines debuted its ultra-accurate quartz watches in 1984, breaking precision records, and production continued into the 1990s. The model was then discontinued before being brought back last year in the Conquest line, with the addition of the new chronographs.

This time around, Longines has added a smart NATO-style strap made of rubber, with triple safety folding clasp and push-piece opening mechanism.

The Longines Conquest VHP chronograph: accurate to ± 5 seconds per year

Inside is the L289.2 based on an ETA E57.211, a movement developed exclusively for Longines that is accurate to ± 5 seconds per year. Yep, that’s right – per year. To put that into context, most quartz watches are accurate to 10 or 15 seconds per month; the Grand Seiko 9F is also accurate to ± 5 seconds per year.

The Conquest VHP chronograph comes in two different sizes, although at 42 and 44mm how different they actually look on the wrist is up for debate. It also comes in steel or black PVD, and with a navy blue, black, silvered or carbon fibre dial.

The Conquest VHP chronograph features a GPD or Gear Position Detection system, allowing the hands to resynchronize after an impact or exposure to a magnetic field, and is water-resistant to 50m.

Each watch also incorporates an “intelligent” crown for easy setting and changing of the time and date, and not one but two indicators to signal to the owner when the battery is nearing the end of its 5-year life.

A price has been set at CHF1,550.

This article was first published on Salon QP