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Longines Mini DolceVita 21.5mm X 29mm Ladies Watch Silver Black Alligator
Ref. L52004712
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Stepping up in the same dial colour
The DolceVita traces its proportions to a Longines design from 1927, and the Mini version — introduced in 1997 — keeps that same upright rectangle at a scale that sits just inside the wrist rather than across it. At 21.5 × 29mm with a lug-to-lug of 36.2mm, it reads closer to a piece of jewellery than to a sport or dress watch, which is precisely what the original format was drawn to do. The flinqué silver dial — an engine-turned technique that gives the surface a subtle, structured texture — catches light differently than a plain guilloche would, and the painted Roman numerals keep that reading legible without adding weight to the face. At 6.75mm thin, the case disappears under a cuff rather than pressing against it, and the quick-release strap system means swapping to a different leather for an evening takes seconds rather than a trip to a watchmaker.
- Reference
- L52004712
- Brand
- Longines
- Collection
- DolceVita
- Case size
- 29mm
- Case thickness
- 6.75mm
- Case material
- Stainless steel
- Dial
- Silver
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Movement
- Quartz
- Calibre
- L178
- Functions
- Small seconds
- Water resistance
- 30m
- Bracelet / strap
- Leather strap
- Strap colour
- Black
- Clasp
- Folding clasp
- Lume
- Luminous
- Retailer
- Mappin & Webb
Additional specifications
- Lug-to-lug
- 36.20mm
- Strap
- Interchangeable
Learn more about Longines
Auguste Agassiz began trading watches in Saint-Imier in 1832, but the modern company dates from 1860, when his nephew Ernest Francillon built a factory in the meadows beside the Suze — the longines of the local dialect — and consolidated the scattered outworkers of the region under one roof.
Longines registered its winged hourglass in 1889. It is the oldest watch trademark still in continuous use.
The company's identity was built on precision and on timing things in public. It supplied chronographs for the first modern Olympic events it timed in 1896, timed the 1912 Federal Gymnastics Festival with a broken-wire mechanism accurate to a hundredth of a second, and developed the photo-finish camera and the quartz timing devices used across twentieth-century athletics.
Its aviation associations are equally deep. Longines instruments were carried by Charles Lindbergh across the Atlantic in 1927, and the Hour Angle watch, designed to Lindbergh's own specification to simplify longitude calculation, remains in the catalogue. Amelia Earhart and Howard Hughes both navigated by Longines.
The house was among the most decorated at nineteenth-century observatory trials, holding numerous precision records. Since joining the Swatch Group in 1983 it has occupied the accessible-heritage position: exclusive ETA-based movements, archive-driven designs through the Heritage line, and volume that makes it one of the group's most important brands.
- 1860
- Ernest Francillon builds the factory at Les Longines.
- 1889
- The winged hourglass is registered — the oldest watch trademark in use.
- 1912
- Broken-wire timing achieves hundredth-second accuracy.
- 1927
- Lindbergh crosses the Atlantic with Longines instruments.
- 1983
- Becomes part of the Swatch Group.
Also in 7 collections
This watch appears in the Longines DolceVita range (50), Stainless Steel Watches (2,531), Watches Under 37mm (1,342), Women's Watches (1,233), Leather Strap Watches (854), Silver Dial Watches (577) and Dress Watches (462).
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What the specifications mean
A slim watch on leather, made for wearing with a shirt.
Strengths
- 29mm wears small and slips under any cuff
- Sapphire crystal, which resists scratching
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
- Sits in the lower half of Longines's range as we list it
Worth knowing
- 30m means keeping it away from water
Longines Mini DolceVita alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | L52004712 | YA142510 | MWW33B000008 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,500 | £1,590 | £1,599 |
| Case size | 29mm | 29mm | 29mm |
| Water resistance | 30m | 50m | 50m |
| Movement | Quartz | Quartz | Quartz |
| Strap | Leather strap | Stainless steel bracelet | Stainless steel bracelet |
| This watch |
|
|
Your new watch
Frequently asked questions, and things you should know about this watch
Can I swim with it?
No. At 30m it will survive rain and handwashing, but not submersion of any kind.
Water resistance explainedWill the glass scratch?
Unlikely. Sapphire is second only to diamond in hardness and shrugs off everyday marking.
Sapphire, mineral and acrylic comparedDoes it need a battery?
Yes. It is quartz, so expect a battery change every two to three years at a jeweller.
Quartz, automatic and solar comparedWill it fit my wrist?
Lug-to-lug is 36.20mm, which suits wrists from roughly 15cm (6 inches) upward.
Lug-to-lug decides fit more than case diameter does.
How to size a watch to your wristIs it a men's or women's watch?
Listed as women's.
Cheapest place to buy
Both Mappin & Webb and Goldsmiths list it at £1,500, so choose on delivery and warranty rather than price.
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