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Longines DolceVita 21mm Stainless Steel Ladies Watch
Ref. L52554716
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Stepping up in the same colour and case shape
The DolceVita has been Longines' answer to a particular question since the collection launched: what does a dress watch look like when the reference point is Roman glamour rather than Swiss utility. The name is the answer — the sweetness of life — and the rectangular case, at 20.80 × 32mm and just 6.90mm deep, is the form that philosophy takes. This updated version softens the lines further and adds a Longines medallion to the caseback, small touches that keep the collection current without unsettling what it is. The flinqué dial — a silver ground worked with a fine engraved pattern beneath the lacquer — catches light differently from a plain silvered surface, giving the blued steel hands something to read against. Roman numerals are painted rather than applied, which suits the flatness of the case. At 72.6 grams on the bracelet, it sits with some weight for its size, and the triple-action folding clasp keeps it secure without requiring a tool to adjust.
- Reference
- L52554716
- Brand
- Longines
- Collection
- DolceVita
- Case size
- 32mm
- Case thickness
- 15mm
- Lug width
- 15mm
- Case material
- Stainless steel
- Case shape
- Rectangular
- Dial
- Silver
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Movement
- Quartz
- Calibre
- L178
- Functions
- Small seconds
- Water resistance
- 30m
- Bracelet / strap
- Stainless steel bracelet
- Strap colour
- Silver
- Clasp
- Folding clasp
- Lume
- Luminous
- Retailer
- Goldsmiths
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), Back in Stock (4,007), Stainless Steel Watches (2,833), Watches Under 37mm (1,509), Women's Watches (1,465), Silver Dial Watches (630) and Rectangular & Square Watches (408).
Manufacturer’s guarantee
What the specifications mean
Strengths
- 32mm 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
- 15mm thick, so it will not disappear under a cuff
Longines DolceVita alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | L52554716 | T9292104626100 | YA163501 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,400 | £1,270 | £1,310 |
| Case size | 32mm | 33mm | 30mm |
| Water resistance | 30m | 30m | 30m |
| Movement | Quartz | Quartz | Quartz |
| Strap | Stainless steel bracelet | Leather strap | Stainless steel bracelet |
| Power reserve | — | 80 hours | — |
| This watch | Closely matched |
|
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 comparedWhat size strap does it take?
15mm. Any strap of that width will fit, and on most modern watches quick-release bars make the swap a two-minute job with no tools.
Is it a men's or women's watch?
Listed as women's.
Cheapest place to buy
Goldsmiths is the only UK retailer we track stocking this reference, so there is nothing to compare it against today.
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