Though it holds an impressive record leading the way in Swiss watchmaking, Longines is often overlooked as one of the country’s top watch manufactures. Today, Longines watches can be seen on the wrists of the prominent, including Kate Winslet, Andre Agassi and Simon Baker. Year after year, it continues to impress collectors of all backgrounds, thanks to a genuine respect for its own past.
The History Of Longines Watches
March 27, 2018The Beginning of the First Watchmaking Brand
Auguste Agassiz, a businessman and banker, is credited with founding Longines in 1832, though the company didn’t switch its name to until 1867. Initially, it was named “Long Meadows,” which referred to where it started its first factory, one of the many steps the firm took in transforming the way the Swiss watch industry carried out business. Family connections brought Agassiz to the US, where he sold many of his high-end luxury watches, and learned about modernizing the old “établissage” system of skilled artisans working in separate workshops.
Want to shop for a Longines watch?
Visit Precision Watches & Jewelry, an authorized dealer
at the Willow Grove Park Mall in PA.
Owning the Spotlight
The company capitalized on its existing reputation through recognition for excellence in sports timers, especially in horse racing. As far back as 1912, it pioneered an innovative electromechanical timing system with wires used to judge start and stop times during gymnastics events. Soon after, Longines became a pioneer in quartz technology.
In 1919, Longines was named the official supplier for the International Aeronautical Federation. Just a few years later, they acquired a particular interest in aviation horology, providing state-of-the-art navigation watches to the likes of Charles Lindbergh. The brand’s winged hourglass logo is one of the oldest documented by the official WIPO patent office.
Today, Longines is still one of the top heritage brands and a proud member of the Swatch Group, admired by luxury watch enthusiasts for its wide range of iconic designs. And it still provides timing to popular sporting competitions including Ascot, Royal, Commonwealth Games and French Open tennis, and Roland Garros.
Below, are some of the best Longines watch families available:
Longines Master Collection
As one of the oldest watchmaking companies in Switzerland, Longines has a lot of heritage to be of. Its long history of horological achievement is exactly what’s celebrated in the exquisite Master Collection, first introduced in 2005. The emphasis is on tradition and quality, with each watch possessing timeless, classic designs and prestigious, self-winding calibres—many of which feature touches of true class, such as stunning engine-turned dials or luxury complications. These pieces require complete mastery of the watchmaking trade. If you are passionate about classic watches, these are some of the finest you can find.
Longines Flagship
Introduced in 1957, the Longines Flagship represented a fresh new vision for watches in the brave new post-war era. These unique timepieces were designed with equally distinctive names for the first time, solidifying the idea of a watch “family” among consumers and serving as the keystone for Longines’ advertising. Of course, advertising strategies weren’t the only exciting thing about this era. Flagship is seen as the most beautiful dress watch design ever created when it comes to classic 50s chic, expressing the quintessential fashion of such an unforgettable decade. In 2017, it was honored with a lineup of 60th-anniversary re-creations.
Looking to buy a Longines watch?
Visit Precision Watches & Jewelry, an authorized dealer
at the Willow Grove Park Mall in PA.
Longines Conquest
Rolled out in 1954, three years before Flagship, Conquest was Longines’ first ever named high-end watch series. It is often compared to a Vintage Rolex Explorer as its roots lie in the finely crafted timepieces made for the 1940’s Expéditions Polaires Françaises to the Arctic and Antarctic—though the Conquest was focused mostly on its stunning dress watch style. Today, Conquest is still one of Longines’ most popular collections. The watch has expanded into a variety of forms and models, appearing much sportier over time. But it continues to feature several core elements of the original, especially its durability, versatility and spirit of adventure.
Longines Legend Diver
Longines’ history is in no way limited to only sports and aviation. For example, the company played a significant role in the early days of deep sea exploration, providing equipment to the famed record-setting bathyscaphe Trieste. During the 50s, it launched its first major dive watch, the Nautilus Skin Diver. This and later models, built with the groundbreaking “super compressor” case-building principal, have become vintage horological icons. In 2007, fans of Longines were delighted with the release of the Legend Diver—another of the company’s well-received, devoted re-creations, bringing that legendary age of diving to a new audience.
Looking to purchase a Longines watch? Precision Watches & Jewelry, an authorized dealer at the Willow Grove Park Mall in PA, has a complete lineup of high-end luxury watches to choose from. Stop by our location, explore our site or contact us today for more details!
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