Spirit 40

The Spirit 40mm is Longines restating their military watch heritage in a modern package without nostalgia-tax pricing. The L888.4 caliber uses silicon parts in the escapement and balance spring, giving genuine anti-magnetic protection to roughly 1000 gauss without a soft-iron cage. For a steel automatic under $1,500 with a clean sector dial and serious movement engineering, there is very little competition.

What it is

Longines introduced the Spirit line in 2020, positioning it as the direct successor to the Heritage Military watches while moving to the in-house developed L888 caliber family. The reference L3.810.4.93.6 covers the 40mm steel case on a steel bracelet; a leather strap variant (L3.810.4.93.2) runs alongside it at launch. The L888.4 is based on the ETA A31 architecture but Longines re-engineers the escapement and balance spring using LIGA-process silicon, differentiating it from standard A31 deployments.

A date-free configuration is intentional and consistent across the Spirit 40mm line. No significant case or movement revisions have been announced through 2026.

Buying notes

Confirm the reference number on the caseback before purchasing pre-owned, as the 40mm (L3.810) and 42mm (L3.820) Spirit references are visually similar but not the same watch. The sector dial printing can show wear on the applied indices where lacquer chips at the lug edges if the watch was worn hard; inspect under magnification. The bracelet clasp on early production runs developed a reputation for looseness at the ratchet teeth, so check that adjustment holds under wrist flex.

Verify silicon escapement service has not been attempted by an uncertified independent, as the parts require Longines or ETA tooling to replace correctly.

Market read

The Spirit 40mm holds close to retail on the secondary market because Longines keeps production consistent and authorized dealer discounts are modest (typically 10-15%). The no-date sector dial configuration commands a small premium over the date versions in some markets, as collectors prize the cleaner dial. Green dial variants released in 2022 trade above the standard sunray silver, sometimes 15-20% over retail on the grey market.

Buying grey market new-old-stock is reasonable here since the movement is robust and the warranty gap is manageable.

Service expectations

The L888.4 (ETA A31 architecture with silicon escapement) carries a recommended service interval of 5-7 years under normal use. Longines service centers quote roughly $350-500 USD for a full service including gasket replacement and pressure test; the silicon parts themselves rarely need replacement and are not a cost driver. Non-Longines independents with ETA A31 experience can service the base movement, but silicon escapement work should stay with certified technicians.