Editorial
The DolceVita 23.6mm is Longines' answer to the dress-watch question at a price that doesn't require justification: a rectangular automatic in steel, sized for smaller wrists, running a reliable ETA-based movement. The name borrows Fellini's phrase for the good life, and the case shape makes the reference clear -- elongated proportions, softened corners, a silhouette closer to a Cartier Santos than anything round. For the collector who wants an automatic dress rectangle without paying Cartier or Jaeger-LeCoultre prices, this reference deserves serious attention.
Longines relaunched the DolceVita name in the late 1990s as part of a broader heritage revival, with the current L5.755 generation settled into its modern form by the mid-2010s. The 23.6mm steel automatic variant carrying reference L5.755.4.73.6 has been in continuous production since approximately 2020, powered by the L888 caliber -- Longines' designation for the ETA 2892-A2 with proprietary finishing and regulation. Earlier DolceVita references in this size ran quartz movements, so the shift to an automatic in the smaller case was a meaningful upgrade for collectors.
No major dial or hands revisions have marked this reference since launch; the silver sunray dial on this variant has stayed consistent. Diamond-set bezel and two-tone variants exist in the wider DolceVita range but fall under different reference numbers.
The crown on rectangular cases sits at 3 o'clock flush against a straight case wall, and the tube gasket here degrades faster than on round cases -- confirm the watch has been pressure-tested if the seller claims water resistance is intact. Check the crystal edges carefully: the slightly curved sapphire on this case shape is prone to edge chips that are easy to miss at first glance and expensive to replace. The L888 is easy to service, but budget for a complete movement service if the watch has not had one in the last seven years; used examples showing up now from early production are approaching that threshold.
Verify the bracelet or strap end-pieces are original -- the trapezoidal lugs on the DolceVita take a proprietary attachment, and aftermarket replacements often fit poorly and mark the case.
