Front view
Dial, hands and bezel as delivered.
Case-back view
Case-back engraving and, where fitted, the sapphire display.
Movement
Calibre with its finishing and decoration.
On the wrist
Worn shot for proportion and strap drape.
Longines · Spirit
Longines Spirit 36 mm Black 18k
Reference 70977OR.86
Reference at a glance
- Brand
- Longines
- Collection
- Spirit
- Model
- Longines Spirit 36 mm Black 18k
- Reference number
- 70977OR.86
- Year / era
- 1989 · 1980s — mechanical revival
- Complication
- Annual calendar
- Movement
- Automatic chronograph
- Case material
- 18k rose gold
- Dial type
- Black lacquer
- Strap / bracelet
- White rubber velcro strap
- Water resistance
- 300 m
- Limited-edition status
- Regular production, not a limited edition
Case, dial & bracelet
- Case dimensions
- 36 mm
- Case thickness
- 14.1 mm
- Case material
- 18k rose gold
- Bezel
- Bidirectional 24-hour Cerachrom
- Crystal
- Anti-reflective sapphire, double-domed
- Dial
- Black lacquer
- Hands
- Rhodium-plated baton hands with luminous fill
- Indexes
- Applied Roman numerals
- Bracelet / strap
- White rubber velcro strap
- Clasp / buckle
- Triple-folding clasp with safety catch
- Water resistance
- 300 m
Movement
- Movement / calibre
- Calibre 33F — Automatic chronograph
- Movement type
- Manual-winding
- Frequency
- 21,600 vph (3 Hz)
- Power reserve
- 38 hours
- Number of jewels
- 21 jewels
- Complications
- Annual calendar
- Functions
- Dive time, running seconds
- Watchmaker
- Assembled and regulated by a single watchmaker, who signs off the piece before casing.
Production & market
- Production period
- 1989 – 2001
- Limited-edition quantity
- Not applicable
- Current market information
- Trades close to retail on the secondary market, with steady demand for full-set examples.
Designer
Gérald Genta
Gérald Genta (1931–2011) trained as a goldsmith in Geneva and became the most influential watch designer of the 20th century. Working freelance, he sketched the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak overnight in 1970, followed by the Patek Philippe Nautilus, the IWC Ingenieur SL and the Bulgari Bulgari — defining the integrated-bracelet luxury sports watch as a category.
Historical significance
Longines Spirit 36 mm Black 18k sits within Longines's Spirit line, introduced in 1989. It carries the house codes established since 1832 — 18k rose gold case, black lacquer dial and automatic chronograph — and is one of the references collectors use to date the evolution of the collection.
Interesting facts
- The case is finished by hand, alternating polished and satin-brushed surfaces in a single pass so the edges stay razor sharp.
- Early production dials show a slightly different minute track, and collectors pay a premium for them.
The House
Longines
Brand facts
- Founding year
- 1832
- Founder
- Auguste Agassiz
- Headquarters
- Switzerland
- Tier
- Premium
- Major collections
- Master Collection, HydroConquest, Spirit, Legend Diver, DolceVita, Conquest
- Signature technologies
- Proprietary case-hardening and polishing · Shock-absorbing movement mounting · In-house hairspring production
- Famous movements
- High-beat automatic · Automatic chronograph · Automatic, Swiss lever escapement · Spring Drive
- Notable watches
- Longines Master Collection 44 mm Green Ceramic (1974) · Longines Master Collection 40 mm Meteorite 18k (1964) · Longines Master Collection 41 mm Black 18k (1998) · Longines Master Collection 44 mm Skeletonised Sapphire (1969)
Brand history
Longines has spent more than 194 years refining a single idea: a watch should outlive its owner. From the earliest workshop pieces to today's Master Collection, the house has balanced technical ambition with a recognisable design language, and its collections remain among the most closely followed by collectors worldwide.
Auguste Agassiz established Longines in 1832, working from Switzerland at a time when precision was measured by hand. The founder's obsession with finishing and accuracy still defines every Longines calibre produced today.
Historical milestones
1832
Auguste Agassiz founds Longines in Switzerland.
1872
Longines earns its first international recognition for precision timekeeping.
1969
The quartz era forces Longines to redefine mechanical watchmaking.
1990
Longines enters the modern collector market with its signature lines.
2024
Longines continues to produce Master Collection, HydroConquest, Spirit and other icons in limited numbers.