Longines has launched another retro watch in the shape of the Military Marine Nationale edition. It has a kind of creamy, almost yellowing newspaper, patina built into the dial, plus a distinctive blue trio of hands.

Although it is a revival of a 1940s watch built for the French Navy, this modern version is bigger at 38mm case diameter. Hard to sell a 33m watch to men now, it is seen as a ladies or boys size, even though that was pretty much standard back then.

There is a Longines version of an ETA movement inside the cae, with a neat, functional tan leather strap fitted. On the rea of the case you get military spec deep lugs for undoing the caseback, plus some nice lettering too.

It has a nautical look, but you wouldn’t go anywhere near water with this watch – it’s certainly no diver, or casual swimmer.

The Fab Suisse logo on the dial is the finishing touch, but at over £1500 there are better 40s/50s styled vintage watch choices out there we think.

Let’s start with a Baltic blue dial Bicompax at £650, or a pre-owned Jaeger le Coultre bumper automatic at about £1200 perhaps, or maybe a mint 1960s Omega Seamaster, or how about a Universal Polerouter we saw on Watchfinder for £810?

Any of those are much better value, and when you buy preowned you have a decent chance of getting your money back when you decide to sell. This Longines will struggle to realise £400 at a pawnbrokers, unworn with a full set of paperwork. That’s the market talking, not us.