On the wrist with a twist: The new Longines Avigation Type A-7 1935

Some new watches attempt to distinguish themselves from the pack with a novelty or gimmick - a new kind of hand, for example, or a peculiar dial, an ingenious complication or some other largely unnecessary appendage. Others, meanwhile, are different for a reason - and into this category falls the new Longines Avigation Type A-7 1935.

At first glance, it may seem like a whimsical design flourish to rotate the Type A-7 1935's dial by 40 degrees, but dig a little deeper and you realise there is a method to the luxury Swiss watch brand's madness.

The watch traces its roots back to one of Longines' early collaborations with the aviation industry. The original Type A-7 was designed in 1935 to a very precise set of criteria for the US Air Force, which issued them to its pilots.

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As the watches were developed to be worn on the inside of the wrist, the offset orientation of the Type A-7's dial allowed pilots to read the time without having to release the plane's controls, while the crown was made to be easily manipulated, even when wearing flying gloves.

However, the Type A-7 1935 is actually an update of an update. Longines first refreshed the line in 2012, but the latest incarnation is much more in line with the 1930s original.

While the 2012 edition was a massive 1.8ins (47mm), which made it look rather like a pocket watch strapped to the wrist, the new version is a significantly more wearable 1.6ins (41mm). Its dial is unquestionably busier than its stark black and white predecessor, but again, the colour scheme, with its 12 large honey-coloured Arabic numerals, is closer to the original.

So does this homage to the past work? Definitely yes. The Longines Avigation Type A-7 1935 may not be for everybody, but it is a handsome timepiece and the offset could be genuinely useful for anyone who likes to wear his or her watch on the inside of their wrist. A worthy, if idiosyncratic addition to Longines' long history of making pilot's watches.

The Longines Avigation Type A-7 1935 retails for £2,230. For more visit Longines.com