Replica Longines Automatic Watches, Longines Automatic Watches Collection

Longines La Grande Classique Quartz 24 Roman Guilloche (L4.209.4.71.6)

I purchased the balck and white version of this limited edition watch, had some links removed and now can't decide which to wear each day. You will truly love this couture watch. Thanks Adrienne!

---- [Rating: 5 / 5 stars]

Review by Blake Colman, From USA Gilroy

Longines Hydroconquest Chronograph Quartz (L3.650.4.56.6)

Great communication and customer service. All around A+

---- [Rating: 5 / 5 stars]

Review by rosaida dominguez, From United Kingdon London

Longines GrandeVitesse Chronograph 24h (L3.637.4.70.0)

A lot of bang for the buck. I got the silvertone, and its rhodium-plated, which means no polishing and no green line around the wrist. And it's got a year warranty. Plus, very easy to adjust by yourself, just remove a link. It is so sparkly and very believable because of the small pave diamonds. If I could rate it a 10 I would!

---- [Rating: 5 / 5 stars]

Review by heath ergas, From Sweden Kristianstad

FEI's Top Partner Longines timed the victory of the German riders at the Longines FEI European Eventing Championship 2015 in Blair Castle, in the presence of Her Majesty The Queen Elizabeth II, who presented them the medals. The winners received team gold by more than 50 penalties and the matchless Michael Jung captured the fifth individual title of his career.

This equestrian event took place in the Scottish Highlands from 10 to 13 September 2015 and the Swiss watchmaker was associated to it as the Title Partner, Official Timekeeper and Watch. In addition, Longines is also involved as Official Partner, Timekeeper and Watch in both eventing competitions CCI4* Luhlmuhlen and CIC3* Luhlmuhlen in Germany.

The Official Watch in Blair Castle was a stainless steel Longines Conquest Classic Moonphase watch. This model houses a self-winding mechanical chronograph movement, a true symbol of precision and technique. Its refined silvered dial displays the moon phases, echoing the excellence and elegance of the equestrian sport stars.

On the occasion of the 2015, Longines also set a new clock at the start of the cross country round. This clock displays the countdown until the start of each run, which is determined at a fixed time. The new device also beeps the last five seconds prompting the rider to start the run, which should not occur before the last beep.

On Sunday 14 December 2014, in Baku, Juan-Carlos Capelli, Vice-President and Head of International Marketing of Longines, presented for the second consecutive year the Longines Rising Star Award together with an elegant Longines watch to a young rising star in the equestrian sports. This year, the winner is the Mauritian vaulter Lambert Leclezio who demonstrated his remarkable performance and elegance on horseback. He also received an elegant Longines watch of the Conquest Classic collection. This stainless steel and pink gold watch features an exclusive Longines self-winding mechanical column wheel chronograph movement, a traditional and authentic technical device.

Lambert Leclezio is the first ever vaulter to win a FEI Award. At just 17 years old, he becomes the first athlete to represent his country at Championship level. Thanks to his admirable courage and determination, he grabs sixth place in the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.

The FEI Awards were set up in 2009 and are presented each year to individuals and organizations notably contributing to progress and excellence in equestrian sports - both indoor and outdoor. The Longines Rising Star Award is more specifically intended for riders between the ages of 14 and 21 who have shown exceptional talent in their field as well as commitment. More generally, Longines attaches great importance to supporting young sportsmen and women.

Longines and the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) have announced that the 2014 Longines World's Best Racehorse Ceremony will be held on 20 January 2015 in London, England, at the hotel Claridge's. The ceremony will honour the top highest rated horses in the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings.
This marks the second Longines World's Best Racehorse Ceremony, following the inaugural event held in December 2013 during the gala dinner of the Longines Hong Kong International Races.

For 2013, Black Caviar (AUS) and Treve (FR) were honored as the world's co-highest rated racehorse. Just A Way (JPN) has led the rankings for the majority of 2014 on the strength of his dominant triumph in the G1 Dubai Duty Free Stakes.

The trophy of the Longines World's Best Racehorse is a crystal vase named Equus. Every year, it is engraved with the name of the Longines World's Best Racehorse and the representative of the winner is presented with an elegant Longines watch. In 2015, a Conquest Classic timepiece, dedicated to Longines' passion for equestrian sports, will be given.

The date of the ceremony will also mark the unveiling of the full Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings and European 2-year-old classifications for 2014.

Longines has a longstanding partnership with the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) and is the Official Partner and Timekeeper of the 33rd Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships 2014.

Especially in gymnastics, movement is a challenge requiring not only flawless execution, but also intangible grace, beauty and harmony known as "elegance". As the Official Partner and Timekeeper of the 33rd Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships 2014 in Izmir, Longines presented the Longines Prize for Elegance, for which all participants in the individual all-around finals held on Friday September 26th were nominated. The gymnasts under consideration for the prize were evaluated according to a number of complementary criteria.

Set up in 1997, the Longines Prize for Elegance takes the form of a trophy representing a gymnast in movement created especially for Longines by the Swiss artist Jean-Pierre Gerber. In addition, the proud winner Yana Kudryavtseva received a cheque worth US$ 5,000 and an elegant Longines timepiece. The Official Watch of the 33rd Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships was a Conquest Classic model in steel and rose gold, featuring a white mother-of-pearl dial set with 12 diamond indices.

Yana Kudryavtseva, newly-appointed Longines Ambassador of Elegance, did not miss the opportunity in Izmir to demonstrate once again that she is one of the best rhythmic gymnasts of her generation.

Longines first became involved in gymnastics in 1912, when it launched an innovative electro-mechanical timing system. For over twenty years the brand has been the official partner and timekeeper for artistic and rhythmic gymnastics competitions organized by the International Gymnastics Federation.

Longines is proud to welcome Yana Kudryavtseva and Giulia Steingruber, both exceptional gymnasts, the former in rhythmic and the latter in artistic, to the prestigious family of Longines Ambassadors of Elegance.

The Swiss watch brand Longines officially presented on 14 August 2014 at Saint-Imier (Switzerland) its two new, Yana Kudryavtseva and Giulia Steingruber, during a day's visit to the premises of the brand. They will represent a model in steel and rose gold from the Conquest Classic collection. Housing a mechanical calibre, this watch features a white mother-of-pearl dial and 12 diamond indices.

Russian gymnast Yana Kudryavtseva, known for her clean technique and light execution was the youngest rhythmic gymnast to ever win the World Championships in 2013 at 15 years of age.

While Giulia Steingruber, voted Swiss Athlete of the Year in 2013, has been excelling at the European Championships, notably in winning the gold medal in the vault two years in a row, in 2013 and this year in Sofia, Bulgaria, where she also won the bronze medal in the floor exercise.

Embodying at the same time elegance and precision, grace and dynamism, Yana and Giulia perfectly represent the core values of Longines, as stated in its slogan: "Elegance is an Attitude".

With its Longines Heritage 1935 model, the brand has re-issued a watch designed originally for aviators in the Czech Air Force in 1935. Much praised for their reliability and robustness, these watches were soon on sale to the general public. Old advertising for these models claims that they were the most perfect inventions of modern technology, an ideal accessory not only for pilots but also for anyone who had a well-developed taste for sport. In 1935 these watches were seen as the height of technical perfection, housing a robust movement and fitted with a glass said to be unbreakable.

Like all watches intended for pilots, the dial of the Longines Heritage 1935 is easy to read. The large white Arabic numerals, coated with Super-LumiNova, stand out clearly against the matt black dial. The small seconds and the date aperture are situated at 6 o'clock. The rhodium-plated, sanded skeleton hands coated with Super-LumiNova also ensure that the time can be easily read. The harmony of the dial is completed by a railway-track minute ring.

The cushion-shaped steel case of the Longines Heritage 1935 has a diameter of 42 mm. Its slightly domed profile is enhanced by the bevelling of the middle, which adds to the impression of robustness. The fluted bezel lends the design a particular allure, true to that of the original model. This watch is fitted with an L615 self-winding movement with a 42-hour power reserve. In addition, each piece is numbered.

As the Official Timekeeper of the Melbourne Cup Carnival, Longines continues a b partnership with the Victorian Racing Cup approaching its twelfth year. The Swiss watch brand is the Title Partner of the Longines Mackinnon Stakes, won this year by British trainer Andrew Balding and his star gallop Side Glance and jockey, Jamie Spencer. Owner Sheik Fahad Al Thani is one of the luckiest visiting owners to ever come to Melbourne as for the third consecutive year, saw one of his horses win a major prize at the Spring Carnival. In 2011, Sheikh Fahad's Dunaden won the Melbourne Cup, Australia's race that stops the nation, Longines was thrilled to see the same colours win the Longines Mackinnon Stakes on Saturday.
A key highlight in the Longines' Carnival Program is the partnership of the international Group 1 Race on AAMI Victorian Derby Day, the Longines Mackinnon Stakes. On Saturday, Jamie Spencer on Side Glance won the Longines Mackinnon Stakes (2000m) at Flemington. The Longines timepiece trophies were presented by Longines General Manager Australia, Amelia Michael.
Saturday, a crowd of 100,000 explodes out of the start gate as the first race meet on the 2013 Melbourne Cup Calendar. Derby Day, a day of tradition presents the perfect scene for race-goers with four elite Group One races run at Flemington and mirrors an equal celebration of high fashion race-wear. An undisputed institution of the Melbourne Cup Carnival is the 'Myer Fashions on the Field' held at Flemington and is pronounced as Australia's largest outdoor fashion event. Amelia Michael presented the winner of the Longines Award for Elegance, Louise McDonald, with a sparkling timepiece of the Longines DolceVita Collection. Amelia Michael, Longines General Manager Australia also awarded the Men's Racewear winner, and runner-up an elegant Longines timepiece.

As a proud partner of the most prestigious flat races in the world, Longines was delighted to launch Conquest Classic - a collection of timepieces to be worn amidst the excitement of the parade rings at Chantilly, Hong Kong, Royal Ascot and Flemington. The official Watch of the 2013 Carnival was a chronograph from the new Conquest Classic Collection in steel, fitted with a self-winding calibre.

With this agreement, applied as of 1st June 2013, Longines becomes the Official Partner and the Official Watch of IFHA.
Longines will become as well the official sponsor of the "WORLD'S BEST RACEHORSES RANKINGS" classifying the top thoroughbred racehorses in the World, which is published about ten times a year by IFHA on its website (www.ifhaonline.org).
IFHA and Longines will present an award to the owners of the top three racehorses of the year during the Longines Hong Kong International Races Gala reception in December 2013.
Furthermore, an annual "Longines and IFHA International Award of Merit" will be presented to an outstanding international personality of the horseracing industry; it could be an owner, a breeder, a trainer, a jockey or any person linked with the horseracing industry.
 

Walter von Känel, President of Longines: « Longines is very proud to become the Official Partner and the Official Watch of the IFHA. This partnership represents an important step in our involvement in equestrian sports. One of our first chronographs, produced in 1878, was already made for horseraces. This agreement is true to our tradition and our passion in equestrian sports. As we become as well the official sponsor of the "WORLD'S BEST RACEHORSES RANKINGS" », we support the very important work of the IFHA, that favours the standing of equestrian sports all around the world. »
Louis Romanet, IFHA Chairman: « I am very pleased to have signed such an agreement with Longines which emphasises the role of the famous Swiss watchmaker as the very first partner of the worldwide horseracing industry. Thanks to Longines, we will be able to increase the promotion of the best racehorses and to honour the personality who will have left his mark on the racing season at international level. »

Churchill Downs Racetrack, home of the world famous Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks, has entered into a long-term agreement with internationally renowned Swiss watchmaker Longines to serve as Entitlement Partner of the Kentucky Oaks and to retain its role as Official Watch and Timekeeper of the Kentucky Derby. As a result of its existing and expanded partnership, the Kentucky Oaks has been renamed the "Longines Kentucky Oaks," and Longines is the Official Timekeeper of Churchill Downs Racetrack. Longines will host multiple events surrounding Longines Kentucky Oaks Day, Friday, May 3, 2013, and the famed "Run for the Roses," Saturday, May 4, 2013.
As it has in the past, Longines will award watches from the elegant Longines Saint-Imier Collection to the winning horses' owner, trainer and jockey on both race days. A Longines digital countdown clock is currently featured on the Churchill Downs website, www.KentuckyDerby.com, as the official countdown to the "Greatest Two Minutes in Sports." Represented by tennis legend and longtime Ambassador of Elegance Stefanie Graf, Longines will have a b presence throughout Churchill Downs and other Derby-affiliated events including Taste of Derby, the Longines Kentucky Oaks Fashion Contest and the Winner's Party. Additionally, Longines will sponsor the Churchill Distaff Turf Mile presented by Longines on Kentucky Derby afternoon and will have timepieces and branded clocks on display throughout the Churchill Downs facility. The brand's logo will also be prominently featured on the official Kentucky Derby Red Carpet, racetrack and other surrounding areas.
Longines Kentucky Oaks 139 is the Kentucky Derby's $1 million companion race for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/8 miles and is televised on NBC Sports from 5-6 p.m. (ET) The Longines Kentucky Oaks features a "Ladies First" theme, continuing the "Pink Out!" tradition which encourages all attendees to wear pink to the track. The Longines Kentucky Oaks Fashion Contest will celebrate elegant Derby style and will award one lucky woman who successfully models her own personal ensemble on the "pink carpet" a stainless steel and rose gold Longines Saint-Imier Collection watch featuring a stunning diamond bezel.
"Longines Kentucky Oaks Day is all about the ladies," said Churchill Downs President and CEO Kevin Flanery. "Our female fans continue to respond favorably to the new traditions of fashion and fun that we have been bringing them over these last few years, and we feel that the elegant Longines brand is a natural fit for the feminine spirit of the Longines Kentucky Oaks."
"Our passion at Longines is equestrian sports, so we are delighted to return for a third year as the Official Watch and Timekeeper of the Kentucky Derby and to expand our partnership to include the Longines Kentucky Oaks," said Longines President Walter von Känel. "This partnership embodies the Longines brand image and philosophy stated in its slogan 'Elegance is an attitude.'"

Longines Kentucky Oaks day activities:
"Pink Out!" Tradition Continues
The official color of the Longines Kentucky Oaks is pink in celebration of all the ladies. The Pink Out encourages all Oaks attendees to wear pink or incorporate pink into their attire to show their support for cancer survivors. Churchill Downs will be decked out in pink as well, including pink-colored bunting, flower beds, flags and jockeys' and pony riders' apparel. Churchill Downs bugler Steve Buttleman will sport a pink uniform as he calls horses to the post throughout Longines Kentucky Oaks Day.
Longines Kentucky Oaks Fashion Contest
Ladies of all ages in attendance on Longines Kentucky Oaks Day can enter the Longines Kentucky Oaks Fashion Contest for the chance to win a stainless steel and rose gold Longines Saint-Imier Collection watch featuring a stunning diamond bezel. Entrants showcasing their finest Longines Kentucky Oaks attire will be judged on the "Pink Carpet" inside Gate 10. Participants are judged by how well they incorporate pink into their ensemble. Coverage of the contest appears on NBC Sports Network.
Survivors Parade presented by Kroger
The 2013 Survivors Parade presented by Kroger provides some of the most memorable and touching moments as cancer survivors invited by Churchill Downs parade along the main track just moments before the running of the Longines Kentucky Oaks. This year, Churchill Downs has invited back participants from the 2012 Survivor Parade which was interrupted by storms last year.  
$1 Million Longines Kentucky Oaks
Kentucky Oaks Day - an unofficial Louisville holiday with many schools and businesses closed - is the third largest attended horse race in America only behind the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes. In 2012, 112,552 attended the festivities, which marked the 12th time in the last 13 years that attendance topped the 100,000 mark. With a $1 million guaranteed purse, The Longines Kentucky Oaks is the most lucrative American horse race for 3-year-old fillies. Twenty-six Oaks winners have gone on to be crowned with an Eclipse Award as North America's champion 3-year-old filly and nine are enshrined in racing's Hall of Fame.
The lofty purse reflects the Oaks' status and importance as a sports and entertainment event. Wagering on the 12-race card in 2012 was a record $39.9 million, which included an unprecedented $11.8 million on the Oaks alone. The maximum number of starters in the race is 14, and at least 13 fillies have been in the starting gate for five of the last seven years. The winner receives a silver trophy, a garland of pink star-gazer lilies and an estimated $564,200 payday.

Founded in 1832 in Saint-Imier, Longines can boast a long tradition characterised by the elegance and performance of its products. Those values are perfectly represented by The Longines Sport Collection. The HydroConquest line is dedicated to men and women looking for a high performance timepiece that combines technical innovation and elegance. Longines now extends this line with new models in bright colours.
Diving watches "par excellence", The HydroConquest series aims to become the preferred watch of divers and aquatic sports enthusiasts. With a screwed crown, a screw-down case back and the lateral crown protection, these timepieces assure a water-resistance of 30 bar (300 meters). All the models are equipped with indispensable safety devices such as a unidirectional rotating bezel coloured in red, black or blue, hands coated with Super-LumiNova® to make sure that the time can be read in all conditions and a bracelet with double safety diving folding clasp and diving extension.

These rigorous guarantees of uncompromising safety fit in with the harmony of the silent world. The performance of these models perfectly compliments the elegance that Longines stands for. The new models of the HydroConquest line have a round steel case and a diameter of 39 mm or 41 mm. The 3-hands-models are equipped with an automatic or a quartz movement while the HydroConquest chronographs are available either with the L688 column-wheel movement exclusively developed for Longines by ETA or a quartz movement. The dials in black, white or blue feature bright details in red and - depending on the model - 8 to 11 Arabic numerals. The bracelets are made of steel or rubber in black.

Whether it is to discover the mystic sea world or to have a sporty statement on the wrist, the new HydroConquest models with a touch of color perfectly represent Longines' know-how in the world of sports.

HydroConquest ref. L3.695.4.03.6.
Technical Sheet
Mechanical self-winding movement :
Caliber L619.2 (ETA 2892/A2)
111/2 lines, 21 jewels, 28'800 vibrations per hours
Power reserve : 42 hours
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, date
Case: Circular, steel, Ø41 mm
Scratch-resistant sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating
Screw-down case back, screw-in crown with protective shoulder
Unidirectional rotating bezel
Water-resistant: To 30 bar (300 meters)
Dials: Blue, 11 Arabic numerals, with Super-LumiNova® . Blue bezel
Hands: Rhodium-plated, with Super-LumiNova® on hours and minutes
   
Bracelet / Strap: Steel or black rubber, double security folding clasp and integrated diving extension

Worldtempus - 12 March 2013
There are a host of wonderful timepieces on the market that fit in any woman's daily life - from getting the kids off to school, to managing business meetings, and going out after work with co-workers. Generally, these watches are strap or bracelet watches and often add a twist of versatility via either interchangeable straps or two-tone appeal. Indeed, with the price of an ounce of gold continually in the high retail prices, savvy dressers are looking for ways to mix gold with white metals such as sterling silver and stainless steel to get the most of today's best accessories looks for a more affordable price. 

Often, too, these watches have a little extra function to them. Some may sport a date indicator, a sub seconds dial or a chronograph. Top watch brands today totally understand the concept of ease and comfort on the wrist for daily needs, and are complying by offering some of the trendiest, but timelessly elegant, watches on the market. Most often these watches are an insatiable mix of stainless steel and rose gold tones - often with a shimmering accent of diamonds to bring the look all together for a day to night appeal. What's more, today's trends are calling for slightly smaller watches, so most of these beauties are a sleek 30 to 34mm in diameter - perfect for any wrist.

Among the top brands in this arena are Baume & Mercier, with its classic Linea line that features interchangeable straps and bracelets that the wearer can easily change to match her any mood. In fact, recently, the brand even teamed with actress Emmanuelle Chriqui to design a strap for Linea. The result is a sporty chic woven strap in orange, tan and white.

Similarly, brands such as Longines and Raymond Weil are also on top of trends with two-tone bracelet looks and seasonal color strap watches that let women mix and match their jewelry wardrobe and always be in style. For everyday living and easy wearability in any situation, basic is beautiful.

WATCH THE VIDEO

Elegance has always been one of Longines' core values, as can be seen in the brand's timepieces, famous for their clever balance of refinement and classical design. The Australian actor Simon Baker, who joined the family of Longines ambassadors of elegance last June, is the perfect embodiment of the very essence of elegance. In the second part of Longines advertising campaign, he is featured wearing a three-piece suit in a city apartment. On his wrist, the Longines Master Collection Moon Phases adds a touch of refinement to the scene. This emblematic model perfectly represents Longines' watchmaking heritage and know-how.

When asked to define his idea of elegance, Simon Baker emphasises that "Longines' motto "Elegance is an Attitude" is a way of being - the way you carry yourself and the perception you give off. For me, elegance means being self-confident, being able to feel comfortable in all situations and always being true to yourself. Elegance involves staying curious, keeping one's self control and above all enjoying life!"

With his natural charm, Simon Baker lends a new brilliance to The Longines Master Collection Moon Phases model. Fitted with a self-winding calibre, this timepiece, with a diameter of 42 mm, is mounted on a brown alligator strap. The silvered dial, subtly decorated with a fine barleycorn motif, contrasts bly with the moon phases display and the blued hands - a fount of elegance in itself..
The final part of the advertising campaign will be revealed in a few months' time, with a new series of exclusive photos of Simon Baker.

Solemia and jockey Olivier Peslier have been the heroes of the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe watched by over 50,000 people at the Longchamp racecourse. At the finish line of a breathtaking race, Olivier Peslier and his 4 year old filly have beaten Christophe Soumillon and Orfevre. Another highlight of the day, the Prix de l'Opera Longines has been won by Ridasiyna and Christophe-Patrice Lemaire. This year the famous Swiss watchmaker was involved in the prestigious Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe as official timekeeper for the second time as part of the partnership between the brand and the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club and France Galop.

Longines' passion for horses began with the manufacture of a pocket chronograph depicting a jockey and his mount, engraved by hand on the back of the case. Since at least 1881, Longines has been committed to horseracing and its chronographs have been highly sought after by racegoers. Today the brand is official partner and timekeeper to numerous prestigious events around the world, embracing horseracing, show jumping and endurance riding. Along with the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe it is affiliated to other iconic races such as the Prix de Diane Longines, the Dubai World Cup, Royal Ascot, the H.H. The Emir's Trophy presented by Longines, the Longines Hong Kong International races, the Longines Singapore Gold Cup, the Melbourne Cup Carnival, the Longines Handicap de las Americas, the Grand Prix Longines Lydia Tesio, the Longines Grosser Preis von Baden and the Kentucky Derby.

As part of its partnership with France Galop, the famous Swiss watchmaker is present at Chantilly, Deauville and Longchamp racecourses as the official timekeeper and the title partner of the Prix de Diane Longines. The brand is also the official partner and timekeeper for all the events organised by the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club.

In the frame of the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, Longines introduced a chronograph from The Longines Saint-Imier Collection, a line that has been inspired by the origins of Longines' watchmaking tradition. The sleek lines and the distinctive lugs provide these new models with a subtle balance between classical and contemporary design. With a diameter of 41 mm, this chronograph is fitted with a column-wheel movement L688, developed and produced exclusively for Longines. Its case in steel displays a black dial and is fitted with a steel bracelet.

IW Magazine - August 13, 2012
The Longines LegacyAmong the museums, manufactures and historic landmarks that dot the villages of the Swiss Jura Mountains, the heart of the country's watchmaking district, the Longines Museum at Saint-Imier is a standout. Located in a wing of the brand's manufacture, one of the first to be established in the region, the museum traces the history of Longines from 1832, and in so doing, comprises one of the most comprehensive histories of Swiss watchmaking.
Longines celebrates that heritage this year, on its 180th anniversary, with the Saint Imier Collection of mechanical timepieces, a tribute to the town where it all started. Inspired by models produced during the brand's history, the collection includes a chronograph and a prestige model featuring four retrograde functions, containing the caliber L707 movement developed and made by ETA exclusively for Longines. It also has day/night and moonphase indications.
The cases are either steel, rose gold or two-tone, with a choice of four case sizes. Dials are black, silvered or mother-of-pearl with diamond indices. All are fitted with mechanical movements.
Cottage industry
Like most Swiss watch companies, Longines began life as a comptoir d'etablissage, the French term for what we would call a cottage industry. The owner of an etablissage produced watches by dividing the work according to components and contracting the production into small, specialized units. He would then assemble the final components and sell the finished watches to outside distributors and agents or at fairs. The first watches were carried out of the valley by donkey, then by stagecoach.
In the case of Longines, the founding assembleur/watchmaker was Auguste Agassiz, who assigned to local craftsmen the production of dials, hands and movement components.

Making a watch in 1830 involved fifty-four distinct steps, rising to something like 100 at the end of the century. These were executed by nearly as many types of craftsmen, including jobs as esoteric as scratch-brush scraper and case-spring maker.
Most of the craftsmen were farmers who worked on watches during the long winters.
These home workshops were called "counters" - "comptoir d'etablissage" translates literally to "counter manufacturing," a method of watch production that remained a local practice until the 1970s.
Agassiz's nephew, Ernest Francillon, succeeded him at Agassiz & Compagnie. When he took over in 1866, Francillon bought two adjacent parcels of land on the River Suze in Saint-Imier and built the region's first semi-mechanized watch workshop, or manufacture, making the decision to group all the steps in one place, with a staff that worked full-time, rather than only in the winter.
He started with thirty or forty workers, and by the end of the century, employed 853 people. By 1912, 1,200 people worked for Longines. The population of Saint-Imier was 8,000.
Sunlight
The manufacture was built in the typical style of the Jura to allow maximum sunlight in the days before electricity. The buildings were rectangular, rather than square, with floor-to-ceiling windows placed close together to bring light to the workbenches. The narrow width of the building, with windows on each side, prevented the rooms from being dark in the middle.
Francillon also changed the company name. Instead of following the convention of using a family name (Aggasiz was not his name, after all) he took the nickname of the land where the manufacture was built: Es Longines, which is latin and old French for "the flat middle."

The plot of land he had chosen was the flattest place in the village wedged between Chasseral Mountain and Mont-Soleil. It was also chosen because of its proximity to the River Suze. There was no electricity at the time, so the river was tapped to run the machines.
Francillon made two more decisions that would establish Longines as a world-class brand. He was the first watchmaker in the district to create a logo, a winged hourglass, and it is now the oldest brand logo on record registered with the World Intellectual Property Organization. Secondly, he instituted the policy of numbering every watch produced by the manufacture.
Ledgers
The brand's museum features a separate library containing the livres etablissage, a collection of 800 leather-bound ledgers that contain the number and details of every watch made by Longines since 1857. They list the caliber, model, a description and the name of the agent to whom each watch was sold.
"We use these books every day because we get so many requests for information," says Jennifer Bochud, the museum curator, who is in regular contact with the auction houses that sell watches.

"This adds a tremendous value to the watch," she says. "It also adds value for Longines, because we also find out more information about the watches—they travel all over the world, as if they have a life."
The books record these details from number one to number 15-million, stretching from 1857 to 1969. Since then, the data has been computerized. By the brand's 175th anniversary in 2007, it had produced 34 million watches. (Bochud wears number 37-million.)
Company milestones
Francion died in 1900, and the company passed to a succession of leaders. In 1969, Walter Von Kanel became president, and still holds that position at the age of 71. The museum outlines the progression of technological advances represented by the manufacture's production over the years and some of the brand's milestones.
Until about 1830, locally made timepieces were heavy pocket watches with a crown-wheel verge escapement. Soon the new Lepine design allowed watchmakers to make slimmer and cheaper watches that kept better time. By the late 1860s, they had turned to the Roskopf design as rugged and reliable as it was cheap.
By the early 1870s, Longines was building chronometer movements, while its first time-measurement devices date from 1878.
In 1920, the factory launched a movement with an eight-day power reserve, used in a series of pieces that included small clocks.
In 1923, French scientist Jean Lecarme led an expedition on Mont Blanc, he took ten Longines chronometers with him.
Longines was a member of the Aeronautical Association. In 1927, it recorded the famous flight of Charles Lindbergh from New York to Paris. Afterwards, he wrote a letter to Longines, outlining the functions he'd like to have on his watch, so Longines made one for him. The company still produces a version of this watch.
A frequent entrant in World Expositions, Longines won ten Grand Prix medals at the 1929 Barcelona exhibition.
In 1945, Longines introduced its first self-winding movement, caliber 22A. It was a circular movement measuring 21.5mm, with subsidiary seconds.
In 1954 the company made its first transportable quartz clock. It was used for sports timekeeping, and was accompanied by a photo finish mechanism. Longines has long been active in equestrian sports, archery and skiing.
In the 1950s, Longines began to name collections. In 1954 it launched the Conquest collection, and in 1957, the Flagship.
The brand started producing quartz watches in 1969. At that time, the brand was making twenty percent quartz and eighty percent mechanical movements. Eight years later, the proportion was just the opposite.
The quartz layoffs

Since quartz movements require less work, Longines, like all Swiss brands, had to lay off many workers during this period. Between 1975 and 1985, watch industry employment in the Saint-Imier area went from 3,000 jobs to 900 jobs.
Today, the equation of Longines production has reversed again, with seventy percent devoted to mechanical movements. During the 1970s, LCD was introduced into the collection as the result of a collaboration between Texas Instruments and ETA, which was by then making Longines' movements.
Longines was in the forefront of many of the most important trends in watchmaking during this period. In 1978, it was producing watches with a very slim quartz caliber, and in the 1980s, introduced two-tone watches into its collections. In 1987 Longines produced its first reproduction of the Lindbergh watch.
In 1983 the Swatch Group acquired Longines. The Group's ETA division had been making the brand's movements for several years because the last manufacture movement (L990) made by Longines was in 1977. After that, the brand used movements made by ETA, which today occupies a section of the Longines manufacture that is dedicated to making movements exclusive to the brand. Thus, the Saint-Imier headquarters has returned to the role of the manufacture.

Elegance begins
By the end of the 1990s, Longines introduced the advertising slogan "Elegance is an Attitude," and entered partnerships with the brand's first ambassadors. In 2001, the company produced its 30-millionth watch. By 2007, the brand introduced the MasterCollection, made up entirely of mechanical watches, including the MasterCollection Retrograde, with an exclusive movement fitted with retrograde functions. The Longines Sport Collection was also introduced in 2007.
Today Longines focuses on a mix of sporty models and dress pieces. The 2012 releases focus on the brand's four pillars: Elegance, Watchmaking Tradition, Sport and Heritage.

Elegance: The elegant aspect of its lines is exemplified in the Longines PrimaLuna, the Longines DolceVita and the La Grande Classique de Longines collections.
Watchmaking Tradition: The Longines Master Collection is an example of the brand's technical and aesthetic expertise, while the brand's Evidenza was inspired by the Art Deco movement. And a prime focus this year is the Saint-Imier Collection, this series of exceptional pieces is intended as a tribute to the town central to Longines' founding and development.
Sport: Longines' involvement in sport dates back to 1878 with its first chronograph movement, the 20H. The Longines Sport Collection is a tribute to its history in the world of sport while Conquest and HydroConquest lines represent further explorations into aquatic sports.
Heritage: Among the exceptional pieces: the Lindbergh Hour Angle Watch, a re-issue of the timepiece developed for the American pilot Charles Lindbergh in 1931. The Longines Weems Second-Setting Watch, a tribute to the navigation system devised by Captain Philip van Horn Weems, and the Longines Twenty-Four Hours, a re-issue of a watch designed in the 1950s specially for Swissair pilots, are also among the stars among the Heritage models.

Representing the casual beauty that is characteristic of the Conquest line, Ladies Diamond Conquest is a mass of sparkling brilliance thanks to the 120 diamonds set in the bezel. The circular stainless steel case has a protected crown and houses a quartz calibre (L263.2).

Enhancing the brilliance of the diamonds set in the bezel, the white mother-of-pearl dial is set with eleven diamonds as indices. This model shows the hours, minutes and seconds and has a date aperture at 3 o'clock. Designed especially for women who want to combine an active life with an elegant appearance, this watch has a screw-in back cover and is water-resistant to 5 bar (50 meters). Ladies Diamond Conquest is mounted on a stainless steel bracelet which enhances the sparkle of its diamonds. 

Longines proudly presents the winners of the 2011 Longines Press Award for Elegance. To round up the season, the Swiss watch brand awarded Beezie Madden (USA) and Eric Lamaze (CAN) at the CHIO Rotterdam, the final stage of the season. Longines would like to congratulate them on their distinctive elegance as well as on their exceptional sporting performance throughout the 2011 Nations Cup season. American rider Beezie Madden also won the Longines Grand Prix Port of Rotterdam.

Longines is proud to have served for the sixth consecutive time as official partner, timekeeper and title sponsor of the Longines Grand Prix Port of Rotterdam at the CHIO Rotterdam.
Among the best performing riders throughout the six previous CSIO events (La Baule, Rome, St. Gallen, Falsterbo, Hickstead and Dublin), Beezie Madden (USA) on Coral Reef Via Volo and Eric Lamaze (CAN) on Hickstead convinced the international jury of equestrian experts most with their incomparable elegance at the CHIO Rotterdam.
Beezie Madden said: "I am very happy to have won the Longines Press Award for Elegance. To me, when you ride with elegance, it means that you probably do most things right with your horse".

Eric Lamaze said: "I was surprised to be awarded with this prize. I am very thankful and honoured. I have to say my horse Hickstead is very elegant and it was very helpful."
Both riders have been awarded yesterday the 2011 Longines Press Award for Elegance receiving a trophy, a set of Longines watches and a cheque for 20,000 Swiss francs.

Beezie Madden has been the queen of the day as she also won the last Grand Prix Longines of the season, namely the Longines Grand Prix Port of Rotterdam. Eric Lamaze also achieved a great performance in Rotterdam by winning two competitions.
Despite the difficult weather conditions, the CHIO Rotterdam was very successful. A brand new grandstand has been inaugurated on Friday 26th August in presence of Prince Willem Alexander.

WORLDTEMPUS - 7 June 2010

Longines sponsors the French Open for the fourth time and adds Gustavo Kuerten's charity to its list of tennis-related philanthropy in addition to young up-and-comers from all over the world.

The sunny Thursday on Roland Garros's court 16 could not have been more exciting for 12-year-old Lauren Fishbein from the USA. Not only did she win her first-round match against Niki Chia of Singapore to advance to the semis of Longines's Future Tennis Aces competition, but she had the spontaneous pleasure of meeting her idol Serena Williams, who happened to be practicing on the next court. The girls' competition was eventually won by Russian Aleksandra Pospelova, who knocked Fishbein out. She and boys' winner Jaime Fermosel Delgado from Spain received not only a stipend of $2,000 per year for tennis equipment until they turn 18 and one of the Swiss manufacturer's watches, but also the chance to play in an exhibition doubles match with legendary tennis players Mary Pierce, Gustavo Kuerten, and Mansour Bahrami. The junior players exhibited extreme composure despite the exciting circumstances in front of approximately 400 spectators on Court 7 and a media conference held in Roland Garros's Tenniseum announcing the winners and Longines's involvement in Kuerten's Instituto Guga Kuerten, a charity that works with disadvantaged Brazilian children.

The same evening Longines held a gala event at Paris's Musee Rodin in honor of Kuerten, who received the Longines Prize for Elegance for this year from brand ambassador and Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. Kuerten, who exited the professional circuit prematurely before the age of 30 due to a back injury, is now exerting his considerable energy and resources to lead his charity and "give back" to underprivileged Brazilian children in the hopes of educating them and "giving them good feelings about life."
The sponsorship of Kuerten's charity follows in the footsteps of Longines's commitment to Andre Agassi and Stefanie Graf's two charities as announced last year on the occasion of the tenth anniversaries of their respective wins at the French Open. Like Agassi and Graf at the 2009 French Open, Kuerten and Pierce—who is also currently launching her own charity for children—also won their French Open titles exactly one decade ago.

Longines's longtime commitment to tennis and philanthropy continues to expand. At a time when the combination of tennis and watches seems to be making quite a splash among consumers, Longines has positioned itself beautifully in this elegant world of internationally acclaimed athletes. Longines also supports current WTA and ATP touring professionals, including young pros Agnieszka Radwanska and Tsung-Hua Yang. Upon completion of this year's French Open, Longines donated $100,000 each to the Andre Agassi Foundation, Graf's Children for Tomorrow, and the Instituto Guga Kuerten.

The Jumping International Officiel de France in La Baule (France), where Longines was the official partner and timekeeper for the sixth year in a row, lived up to the expectations last weekend.

The prestigious Grand Prix Longines de la Ville de La Baule was awarded to Mclain Ward (USA) riding Sapphire followed by Mario Deslauriers (USA, 2nd place) riding Urico and Jesus Garmendia Echevarria (Spain, 3rd place) riding Lord du Mont Milon.

La Baule also marked the first stage of the Longines Press Award for Elegance. This prize pays tribute to the most elegant and successful male and female riders of the season. The procedure is as follows: the 20 riders (10 men and 10 women) who have accumulated the most performance points during the 6 Nations Cup events where Longines is a Partner are short-listed. In Dublin, the last stage of the Nations Cup, a jury of International journalists will elect the most elegant male and female riders from the short-list.
After this first competition, Beezie Madden (female horseriders category) and Mclain Ward (male horseriders category) are leading the intermediate ranking. The next step will be at the CSIO Piazza di Siena in Rome from 27th to 30th May 2010.

1920s: Elegance in communicationDuring the 1920s and 30s, Longines accumulated design experience while new movement shapes prompted a new generation of Longines watches featuring Art Deco geometry and trim rectangular or square cases. Such models were featured in 1928 in the first Longines advertisements, with "Elegance" as its unique selling proposition. During that period, Longines launched three of its most memorably elegant watches, enhanced with diamonds and sapphires, which years later were reintroduced in a special limited vintage edition to celebrate 170 years of Longines elegance in watchmakingThe first nonstop transatlantic flight timed by Longines
In 1927, Charles A. Lindbergh made the first solo and nonstop transatlantic flight from New York to Paris, timed by Longines. In 1931, he designed a new instrument for Longines that earned a place in history as the hour-angle air navigation watch.Longines and equestrian events
In 1926, Longines participated in its first International Horse Show in Geneva, Switzerland. This event marked the start of a long and intense relationship between elegant equestrian sports and Longines, resulting in the first award, in 2000, of the Longines Prize for Elegance in equestrian sports at the Jumping International de Cannes, in southern France.1930s: Feminine elegance in aviationThe nineteen thirties saw a number of flying exploits succeed with timekeeping support from Longines. One adventurer of the skies equipped with a Longines timepiece was Amelia Earhart, who in 1932 was the first woman aviator to fly from Newfoundland to Ireland. The exploits of the aviation pioneers of the period inspired Longines in 1938 to design a second navigation instrument, called the siderograph

" Watchmaking has always fascinated me", says Walter von Känel, who spent his childhood from 1945 at the top of the Saint-Imier Valley in the Bernois Jura, the heart of Swiss watchmaking. " When I was a boy, the great Longines company in the foothills of Saint-Imier, where most of the people of our region worked, always impressed me, and I was convinced that one day, I was going to work there. Already at that time, watchmaking was the life of our region, and I knew that one day it would enable me to discover the world."
Walter von Känel's professional career started with the Federal Authorities, where he worked as a technical officer in the Customs Departments. In 1964, he joined Jean Singer Ltd., a watch dials and cases manufacturer in La Chaux-de-Fonds.
After a few years in the Industrial Accounts, Logistics and Sales Departments, he joined the Longines Watch Company Francillon Ltd. as a Sales Executive. Shortly after, he was sent to the USA for a training course with Longines' American agent: LONGINES - WITTNAUER WATCH Co. LTD in New York. His passion for watchmaking, his abilities, his talent as a negotiator and his b personality are all qualities that enabled him to climb the ladder quickly. In 1988, after having worked as a Sales Executive and then as a Commercial Executive (Sales and Marketing), he was entrusted with Longines' General Management.
In 1990, Nicolas G. Hayek, Chairman of The Swatch Group Ltd., requested him to join the Group's enlarged management. The many years that Walter von Känel served in the Swiss Army as an officer in the militia have enabled this former Major in an Infantry Regiment to acquire ground expertise in the fields of human resources management and general organization.Biography of Walter von Känel, President of LonginesDate of birth: September 1, 1941, in Schwerin, Germany
Nationality: Swiss
Marital status: Married, 2 children
Education: Commercial studies and apprenticeship with Nussle SA, La Chaux-de-Fonds
Many proficiency and advanced training courses in Switzerland and abroad 
Hobbies: Target shooting, running, long distance skiing, regional historyProfessional Career 
Federal Authority in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Bienne and Brigue
Customs technical officer
Jean Singer Ltd., La Chaux-de-Fonds
Various duties in the Industrial Accounts, Logistics and Sales Departments
Longines Watch Co. Francillon Ltd., Saint-Imier
Sales Executive
Sales Department Manager
Sales and Marketing Manager
Longines Watch Co. Francillon Ltd., Saint-Imier
President
The Swatch Group Ltd.
Member of the Group's enlarged management

This summer, Longines announced that the newly crowned European Vault Champion and silver medallist at the World Championships was to become its latest brand ambassador. Ariella can currently be seen in the international advertising campaign for the new Longines PrimaLuna Ladies Collection.
Autumn 2009 has been an exhausting though very rewarding time for Ariella. As always, the young athlete trained diligently and untiringly for the climax of the international gymnastics season - the World Championships in London. Since she sensationally took silver in the vault, the buzz around this young woman has grown ever louder. The first Swiss female gymnast to win a medal at the World Championships found some time in her busy schedule to pay a visit to Longines' headquarters in Saint-Imier.
Ariella was welcomed by Longines President Walter von Känel before good-humouredly answering questions from the waiting media. She then signed autographs for the young members of the local gymnastics club, to their great delight. This was followed by a tour of the Longines' watch and timekeeping museum, as well as its production facilities. At the end of her visit, she chose a watch from the collection "La Grande Classique de Longines", which will accompany her on the road to even greater success.
Although she is only 22 years old, Ariella has already scooped the 2008 Swiss Sports Personality of the Year award. Her talent has delighted the viewing public, and the precision, harmony and elegance of her every movement has won over the professional judges. With her elegance, natural charm, flair and exactness, Ariella perfectly personifies the Longines core values and philosophy of "Elegance is an Attitude".
„My coach has always encouraged me to execute my gymnastic exercises in a precise way, just like clockwork. That's why Longines and I fit together perfectly."
Ariella Käslin.
Longines has long enjoyed close ties with gymnastics, dating back to 1912 when it was the official timekeeper of the Swiss Federal Gymnastics Meet in Basel. During the 80-meter sprint event, it unveiled its new revolutionary electromechanical timekeeping system with start and finish tapes. A world-first, this automatic timing system would mark a turning point in Longines' already longstanding partnership with the world of sport. Thanks to its technological breakthroughs Longines has been the official timekeeper of all artistic and rhythmic gymnastics competitions organised by the "Federation Internationale de Gymnastique" (FIG - the gymnastics world governing body) since 1985. This enduring partnership was bolstered further in 2009 when the FIG extended Longines' contract for an additional four years.

Saint-Imier, 18th February 2009 - Married in real life, the two tennis legends and Longines Ambassadors of Elegance, Andre Agassi and Stefanie Graf, have united on screen for the brand's latest advertising campaign shot in December 2008. The previous year Andre Agassi joined the family of Longines' ambassadors. The first spot showed the tennis star and the children supported by Agassi's charity, the Andre Agassi Foundation. The humanitarian ideals of the famous watch manufacturer and those of Agassi have a lot in common.

One year later, tennis legend Stefanie Graf also became a Longines Ambassador of Elegance. Under the dazzling Las Vegas sun a second film adventure began. Mandy Walker captures the magic of the couple's visit to the Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy.

Longines' history is closely linked to that of sports timekeeping. As the official partner of the legendary Roland Garros tennis tournament since 2007, the brand has yet again reinforced its links with the world of tennis by choosing Andre Agassi and Stefanie Graf as its Ambassadors of Elegance.

The couple share the watch brand's values of excellence, elegance, beauty and compassion, thus the perfect embodiment of Longines' famous slogan "Elegance is an attitude". By supporting the two tennis legends' charities Longines is demonstrating once again its humanitarian commitment.

Early December saw the start of filming in the warmth of the Las Vegas sun with the young director Terry Hall in the driver's seat. An advertising spot, but at the same time a real film, it captures the genuine heart-felt generosity and empathy of the couple. The commitment of Andre and Stefanie can be clearly seen in the work that their respective foundations do to help disadvantaged children.

Followed by Mandy Walker's camera, Andre Agassi visits various classes at the Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy, which is supported by his Foundation. The youngest pupils are having a drawing lesson. After a good deal of laughter, the children concentrate on their masterpieces. Agassi looks at their work closely. The budding artists don't seem to be particularly intimidated by their famous visitor nor by the presence of the film crew.

For most of them, it is actually their second experience of filming because they were also featured in the first film made in 2007. What is more, the children are not acting because most of the little stars are students at the school that bears Andre Agassi's name. Mandy Walker zooms in on the tiny faces. A little girl looks at her quite openly and says "I learn effort." A young boy says "I learn respect."

The scene changes: a lawn basking in the sun, an ancient tree. The radiant Stefanie Graf is sitting with a group of children who are also drawing. Ms. Graf smiles and casts a caringeye over the group. The children speak to the camera again: "I learn to be myself," says one. A boy sitting next to Stefanie says "I learn to conquer my way." Stefanie looks at his drawing and realises that he is drawing her! A portrait of Andre then appears alongside hers.

The film ends with a close-up of the couple, who announce in unison "It's time to give a bit of your time to others" as an echo the Longines slogan appears on the screen and offers the final word: "Elegance is an attitude". The film offers a few moments of intimacy, generosity, humanity and sharing between the Swiss watch manufacturer and its two ambassadors.

"The Andre Agassi Foundation"

"Children for Tomorrow"

Children for Tomorrow Foundation is a non-profit that provides assistance to children and families who have become victims of war, persecution, and violence by helping to heal the psychological wounds within. The Foundation was established 1998 by Stefanie Graf in cooperation with the Outpatient Clinic for Refugee Children and their Families at the University Clinics of Hamburg-Eppendor.

Source: www.swisstime.chThe first model features a second time zone on its ceramic bezel. The second, a chronograph, displays a tachometer. And for those who cannot choose between these two, Longines offers a 24-hour Chronograph "second time zone" version.Movement
Automatic ETA A07 171, L704 calibre, 16 ½"', 24 rubies, 28,800 vib/h, 46-hour power reserve
Functions
Hours, minutes, seconds, date and second time zone
Case
Stainless steel, 42 mm
Black or grey ceramic bezel with 24-hour scale
Anti-reflective sapphire crystal
Water-resistant to 100 m
Dial
Black or grey  
Large "12" in Arabic numerals and rhodium-plated applied hourmarkers
24-hour hand
Bracelet
Stainless steel with central links in black or grey ceramic with folding clasp
Other versions
Ceramic chronograph, ETA A07 231 movement, L705 calibre
24-hour chronograph with second time zone, ETA Valjoux 7754 movement, L686 calibre

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