Replica Longines Automatic List Price, Best Longines Automatic Watch Replica

Longines Master Collection Retrograde (L2.717.4.78.5)

Great seller :) fast and efficient

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

Review by ashley boggan, From France Tigery

Longines Heritage 1951 Black (L2.745.4.53.4)

Perfect Longines Heritage watch, really worth to buy, tks!

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

Review by Bernard W, From USA Williamsburg, Va

Longines Conquest 35 Quartz Ceramic Diamond (L3.281.0.87.7)

I am very happy with purchase and recomend it the color i watch fashiionedi iscooll ceramic

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

Review by Shanty Suwita, From USA Potomac

Longines is now the Official Watch of the resort of St. Moritz, which is renowned worldwide as the epitome of elegance, a value dear to the Swiss watch brand. The spectacular ski resort hosts FIS Alpine World Ski Championships and World Cup stages all timed by Longines. It is also avenue for stylish equestrian events, such as the Longines CSI St. Moritz or the Night Turf St. Moritz and its Longines Show-Sprint Race. To celebrate this new partnership, the winged hourglass brand is launching an exclusive edition created especially for St. Moritz: the Conquest 1/100th St. Moritz. Touches of yellow and blue on the hands, the dial or the flange subtly hint at the iconic logo of St. Moritz, which is also engraved on the case back.

The Conquest 1/100th series responds to the needs of athletes, professionals and sports fans, besides many others, since it measures multiple intermediary times and has an intuitive analogue display that shows the time to one hundredth of a second using a separate hand. All of this is possible thanks to a latest generation movement.

The demands required for Longines to reach such an extreme level of precision have led to the development of a new quartz movement, the L440, developed exclusively for Longines by the manufacture ETA. This new model includes a microcontroller with a flash memory that allows the watch to be reset instantly and allows intermediary times to be recorded. With a diameter of 41 mm, this steel model has a silver face that displays hours, minutes, small seconds at 6 o'clock, the date and other chronographic functions: a central seconds hand, a 30-minute stopwatch at 2 o'clock and a 12-hour stopwatch at 10 o'clock. The hand in yellow displays time to one hundredth of a second and is the watch's crowning glory at the centre. The model is also fitted with a steel bracelet and a butterfly clasp.

The Swiss watchmaking company Longines boasts a long-lasting tradition of supporting charitable causes. The core values of the brand have always led Longines to serve philanthropic purposes and social responsibility remains today one of its priorities. 

It is thus natural for Longines to bring its support to the Golden Hat Foundation. This charity, founded by Longines Ambassador of Elegance Kate Winslet, is dedicated to changing the way people on the autism spectrum are perceived, by shining a light on their abilities and emphasizing their great potential. With proper education and career training, these individuals can truly realize their dreams.

Kate Winslet, co-founder of the foundation stated: "It makes me incredibly proud to work on this effort to bring awareness to the plight of people with autism. I believe that all people with autism should be given the opportunity to learn to communicate, receive a suitable academic education and experience social relationships. As a Longines Ambassador of Elegance, I am really thrilled that Longines joins us to help spread the word."

Juan-Carlos Capelli, Vice President and Head of International Marketing of Longines said: "True to its values of excellence and elegance, Longines has always promoted the highest social ideals and it proudly collaborates with The Andre Agassi Foundation for Education and Stefanie Graf's Children for Tomorrow Foundation. It was therefore natural for the brand to also bring its support to The Golden Hat Foundation and Kate Winslet's work. Her inspiring endeavor truly translates the brand's motto and philosophy of "Elegance is an Attitude".  

Once again drawing from its long watchmaking tradition, Swiss watchmaker Longines is reissuing one of its period time pieces as a new addition to the Longines Column-Wheel Single Push-Piece Chronograph line. Longines' exclusive single push-piece column-wheel movement is housed in the sober watch case of this new model.

The transparent steel case back with a diameter of 41 mm reveals the minutiae of Longines' signature watch movement. The blued finish column wheel shows its perfectly symmetrical profile within this exclusive calibre. A single push-piece is used to control the chronograph's functions, reinforcing this model's sleek design. This refined chronograph also features a tachymeter scale.

The Longines Column-Wheel Single Push-Piece Chronograph displays a sober elegance, much like the model that inspired it. Available in black matte or white lacquer, its dial bears black or white contrasting Arabic numerals and a tachymeter scale. Its rhodium-plated or blued finish steel hands stand out, ensuring perfect reading. A black or brown leather strap completes this model.

The magical backdrop of Port d'Hercule and the Prince's Palace in Monaco provided once again a spectacular venue for the seventh round of the Longines Global Champions Tour from 25 to 27 June. Friday was marked by the victory of Iñigo Lopez de la Osa Escribano on Cascin and Abdelkebir Ouaddar on Cordano Sitte Z at the Longines Pro-Am Cup, while Scott Brash riding Hello M'Lady won the Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix du Prince de Monaco presented by HSBC Private Bank (Monaco) SA on Saturday. To honour these amazing performances, they were all presented with elegant Longines by Mr. Charles Villoz, Vice President of Longines.

This event offered a great opportunity to discover the new Conquest Classic Moonphase, Longines chronographs which include a moonphase display. The sophistication of these timepieces makes them eminently refined watches and echoes the excellence and elegance of the stars of the equestrian universe.

Longines is the Title Partner, as well as the Official Timekeeper and Watch of the Longines Global Champions Tour. This prestigious series brings together the Top 30 ranked show jumpers in the world to compete in some of the world's greatest cities.

Former Olympic showjumper, two-term President of the International Equestrian Federation (FEI), FEI Honorary President and Classic-winning racehorse owner, HRH Princess Haya received the honour in recognition of "Her outstanding elegance as a competitor, a leader and a woman working tirelessly for the good of equestrian sports" said Mr. Juan-Carlos Capelli, Vice President & Head of International Marketing of Longines.

HRH Princess Haya received the 2015 Longines Ladies Award consisting of a Longines pocket watch: The Longines Equestrian Pocket Watch Horses Trio 1911. The model that served as an inspiration for this 18-carat rose gold very limited edition is a Longines pocket timepiece dating from 1911 with a cleverly crafted background depicting a trio of horses. The heads of these three proud animals stand out against a background of delicately worked foliage. This model features the L878.4 calibre with manual winding, a Longines Manufacture movement.

The Longines Ladies Awards recognise the success and achievements of elegant women at the very highest level of the global equine sports industry. The jury featured three leaders in world equestrianism: Mr. Ingmar de Vos, President of the FEI (Federation Equestre Internationale); Mr. Louis Romanet, Chairman of the IFHA (International Federation of Horseracing Authorities); and Mrs. Nathalie Belinguier, President of the FEGENTRI (International Federation of Gentleman and Lady Riders).

The Longines Future Tennis Aces tournament, organized by the Swiss watch brand for the 6th consecutive year, was rounded off last weekend with the victory of Xiaofei Wang (China) against Jack Pinnington-Jones (United-Kingdom). Both players took then part to an exhibition match with Arnaud Clement, patron of this year's tournament and Michael Llodra. In addition, Xiaofei and Jack were presented with a Longines watch, a trophy as well as an annual bursary until their 16th birthday from the hands of Juan-Carlos Capelli, Vice-President and Head of International Marketing of Longines and Jean Gachassin, President of the French Tennis Federation (FFT). The young Chinese winner had also the great honor to do the coin toss for last Sunday's (31st of May) second match, on the Philippe-Chatrier court.

The draw ceremony for the 6th edition of the Longines Future Tennis Aces 2015 was held on the 28th of May under the attendance of Arnaud Clement, patron for the 2015 edition. The event, hosted by journalist and former French tennis player Sarah Pitkowski, along with Vice-President and Longines International Marketing Director Juan-Carlos Capelli, provided the opportunity to officially introduce the public to the tournament program, organised by Longines since 2010.
This year, 16 young boys under the age of 13 and from 16 different countries will have the opportunity to compete on a court installed at the foot of the Eiffel Tower under conditions identical to those of the Roland-Garros tournament, for which Longines has been the Official Partner and Timekeeper since 2007.

Prior to the tournament, held between May 28 and 30, Longines invited the 16 players to a training camp at the Châtaigneraie Tennis Club - the "Longines Academy" - where they received valuable advice from Remi Barbarin and Julien Boutter, two specialists in the field.

After spending the entire week alongside event sponsor Arnaud Clement, these young champions will enjoy a unique experience, while two finalists will get to take part in an exhibition match in his and Michael Llodra's company. At the end of the tournament, the winner will receive a cup straight from the hands of FFT President Jean Gachassin, along with a watch from Longines. In addition, the two finalists will receive an annual bursary to finance their equipment until their 16th birthday.

Longines Future Tennis Aces 2015 Program
Thursday May 28, 2015 - 10:15 am - 6 pm Eighth final
Friday May 29, 2015 - 10 am - 5 pm Quarter final followed by semi-finals
Saturday May 30, 2015 - 9:30 am - 12 pm Final, followed by exhibition match with Arnaud Clement and Michael Llodra

On Saturday 11 April 2015, Craig Williams riding Criterion won the Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes, the richest weight for age race over 2000m on turf in the world. The Swiss watch brand Longines is the Title Partner of the Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes, as well as the Official Timekeeper and Watch of the racecourse of Royal Randwick, and the Official Timekeeper and Watch of the Australian Turf Club. The winning owner, trainer and jockey were presented with elegant Longines watches from the hands of Mr. Juan-Carlos Capelli, Vice President of Longines and Head of International Marketing, and Chi Ling Lin, Longines Ambassador of Elegance.
This event was the occasion to discover Conquest Classic, a collection of Longines timepieces dedicated to horse lovers.

This weekend was also marked by a world premiere. Indeed, during a press conference held in the Longines Owners Pavilion at Royal Randwick Racecourse on Friday 10 April 2015, the Swiss watch brand presented the Longines Positioning System (LPS), a game-changing development for timekeeping and tracking technology in thoroughbred racing. Used for the first time during the Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes Raceday, it inaugurates totally new data-handling dimensions and deepens the understanding of the races.

On Sunday, 5 October 2014, the large crowds that flocked to the Longchamp Racecourse. For the second consecutive year, Thierry Jarnet on Trêve was the first across the finish line to carry off the 2,400-metre Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

The Swiss watch brand also presented on the same day another French top-level international race, the Prix de l'Opera Longines, which was also won by Thierry Jarnet, but this time on We Are.

This year's Official Watch for the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe was a steel chronograph from the Conquest Classic collection, a line of timepieces dedicated to Longines' passion for horseracing. With a diameter of 41mm, this timepiece is equipped with an exclusive column wheel movement. Its black dial, with one Arabic numeral and eleven applied indexes all coated with Super-LumiNova®, displays the hours and minutes, with small seconds at 9 o'clock, a 30-minute counter at 3 o'clock, a 12-hour counter at 6 o'clock, and the date display at 4:30. Just like the entire Conquest Classic collection, the watch is water-resistant to 5 bar and its screwed-down case-back is equipped with a sapphire crystal.

The Longines Heritage collection is full to the brim with re-editions of models that are significant not just to the brand itself but also to the history of various fields in which timekeeping has played an important role over the years.

Born from the pioneering age of aviation
One such timepiece is the Hour Angle watch, which was developed by the US subsidiary of Longines, Longines-Wittnauer, in conjunction with Charles Lindbergh, the first person to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean in 1927. Lindbergh developed the watch as an improvement to the "second setting" watch, also developed by Longines with Lindbergh's navigation tutor, Navy Captain Phillip Van Horn Weems.

The independently adjustable seconds ring on Captain Weems' innovation allowed pilots to set the seconds of their watch to a radio time signal without stopping the sweep seconds hand, thus eliminating a margin of error that could amount to several miles. The Hour Angle watch developed by Charles Lindbergh added degrees of arc on three separate scales to this functionality to speed up the calculation of the hour angle, which a pilot could use to determine his longitude.

Wearing the re-edition of the Longines Hour Angle watch transports you to a bygone age. A small pusher on the case between 4 and 5 o'clock opens the hinged back on the large 47.5mm case that reminds you that early pilot's watches were adapted from pocket watches. You can also feel the reassuring weight of the large oscillating mass as it winds the L699 calibre self-winding movement when the watch is on your wrist, while an oversized "onion skin" crown reminds you that early pilots had to manipulate their watches while wearing thick leather gloves for protection in the cockpit.

Celestial navigation
These physical characteristics are, however, a mere foretaste for the huge mental shock of putting yourself in the position of the early aviation pioneers. Needless to say, there was no GPS around at the time, nor radar. In fact the time zones around the world were only just reaching the point of standardization. John Harrison had solved the problem of longitude some two hundred years earlier with his marine chronometers but these were limited to the sedate pace of an ocean-going vessel. The much higher speeds of the new flying machines meant that calculations based on celestial navigation had to be made much quicker. Longines offers a handy guide as to how the Hour Angle watch works in practice.

Although celestial navigation has since been superseded by modern satellite and GPS technology, it was nevertheless taught to US Navy recruits until 1997 because it has global coverage, it can be used independently of ground aids and, most importantly, it does not give off any signals that could be detected by an enemy. Despite its vintage look, therefore, the Longines Heritage Hour Angle watch still serves an important function. As you glance at the elegant blued-steel hands to read the time, spare a thought for the early pioneers in "avigation" for whom its precision meant the difference between life and death.

Commonwealth Day was celebrated in style Monday 10 March. Commonwealth and Olympic swimming star, and Glasgow 2014 ambassador, Michael Jamieson, and Clyde, the Official 2014 Mascot kicked off the Commonwealth Day celebrations by sporting their trainers at Hillhead Primary School and encouraging the youngsters to show their support for the Games by also wearing their trainers.

Michael then joined Glasgow 2014 Chairman Lord Smith of Kelvin, Charles Villoz, Vice President of Longines, Glasgow 2014's Official Timekeeper and Watch and Games Partners to formally switch on the Longines Glasgow 2014 Clock at the city's Central Train Station and officially mark the countdown to the Opening Ceremony.

Situated above the destination board at the station, the prestigious new Longines clock will be seen by hundreds and thousands of commuters and visitors in the lead-up to the Games in July.

Glasgow 2014 Chairman, Lord Smith of Kelvin, KT, said: "The switching on of the Countdown Clock is a fitting marker of this important milestone for Glasgow 2014 and we are delighted to be sharing it with such an excellent global brand as Longines, which underlines perfectly the world-class appeal of the Games.
"This is our year and our chance for Glasgow and Scotland to shine on the global stage. The clock is now officially ticking down to the moment we have all been working towards since the bid was accepted in 2007".

Charles Villoz, Vice President of Longines, added: "Longines is very proud to be the Official Timekeeper and Official Watch of Glasgow 2014. Together with Glasgow 2014, we share common values such as tradition and performance. We are happy to bring our timekeeping expertise to the largest multi-sport event ever to be held in Scotland. We are looking forward to the thrilling and emotional action-packed moments that we are sure to experience this summer."

The 29 mm round case is set with 100 Top Wesselton VVS diamonds. On the model with the white mother-of-pearl dial, the baton shape hands are black. The dial is also adorned with 12 diamond indices.
 

The Grande Classique 100 Diamonds features an ultra-slim case - only 4.60 mm. This profile has been achieved through the particular design of the case, which incidentally Longines has patented, whereby the back incorporates the lugs for the bracelet. 

The timepiece is fitted with a quartz movement and is water-resistant to 30 meters. It is fitted either on black alligator straps with buckle or on steel bracelets with folding safety clasp and push-piece opening mechanism.

Longines was proud to return to Hong Kong for the second year as Title Partner and Official Timekeeper of the Longines Hong Kong International Races. This race day is one of the most prestigious in the international calendar with four international group 1 races. Around 70'000 race-goers were present at Sha Tin Racecourse to witness great moments of sport. It was the ideal day to discover the models of the Conquest Classic collection, a line of watches dedicated to equestrian sports and representing Longines' long watchmaking tradition.

Longines Ambassador of Elegance and horse lover Aaron Kwok Fu-Shing participated in the excitement of the four Group 1 races and witnessed the victory of Akeed Mofeed with jockey Douglas White in The Longines Hong Kong Cup (2000m). Dominant under jockey Zac Purton triumphed in the Longines Hong Kong Vase (2400m) whereas Lord Kanaloa ridden by Y. Iwata won the Longines Hong Kong Sprint (1200m). As for the Longines Hong Kong Mile (1600m), it was won by Glorious Days under jockey Douglas White. All the winning owners, trainers and jockeys have been presented with Longines timepieces by Mr. Aaron Kwok Fu-Shing, Longines Ambassador of Elegance, Mr. Walter von Känel, President of Longines, Mr. Kevin Rollenhagen, Managing Director of The Swatch Group Hong Kong, Mr. Juan-Carlos Capelli, Vice President & Head of International Marketing of Longines and Ms. Karen Au Yeung, Vice President of Longines Hong Kong.

True to its motto "Elegance is an attitude", the brand awarded the Longines Prize for Elegance to Sherie Legrix, appointed most elegant lady of the day at Sha Tin Racecourse.

The Official Watch of the Longines Hong Kong International Races is a model of the Conquest Classic line. With a diameter of 40 mm, this model in steel and rose gold, houses the mechanical caliber L619. Its silvered dial is set with 3 arabic numerals and 9 applied indices with Super-LumiNova® and displays the hours, the minutes and the seconds as well as the date at 3 o'clock. This timepiece is water-resistant to 5 bar and its screw-down case back is fitted with a sapphire glass.

2013 Longines World's Best Racehorse

As the Official Partner of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities, Longines had the pleasure to present the Longines World's Best Racehorse Ceremony during the Longines Hong Kong International Races Gala Dinner.

This title honours the three world's best racehorses of the year according to the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings. The ratings are based on the performance of horses in elite races. This year, two horses are placed equal first with 130 points: the Australian filly Black Caviar, undefeated in 25 races, and Trêve, the 3 years old French filly, who won the Prix de Diane Longines and the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in 2013. They are followed by the American gelding Wise Dan, with 129 points.

The trophy of the Longines World's Best Racehorse is a crystal vase named Equus.

Tourbillon, chronograph, moonphase? Whichever complication you find the most fascinating, click on the picture above to watch the photo-gallery and make your choice!

Our selection:

A.Lange & Söhne, Saxonia Annual Calendar
Atelier Loiseau, 1f4 Grande Sonnerie Complication
Audemars Piguet, Grande Complication Royal Oak Offshore
Baume & Mercier, Capeland Worldtimer
Bell & Ross, BR 126 Flyback
Christophe Claret, Kantharos
De Bethune, DB16 Tourbillon Regulator
Eterna, Royal KonTiki Two Time Zones
Greubel Forsey, Double Tourbillon Asymetrique
L.Leroy, Osmior Chronographe Monopoussoir Automatique
Longines, Asthmometer-Pulsometer Chronograph
Romain Gauthier, Logical ONE
Vulcain, 50s President Moonphase

Telemeter scales were initially introduced around 1852 to measure the distance travelled by sound. Activated right after the flash of lightening and stopped when the thunder is heard, the hand of the chronograph shows the distance in kilometres of the phenomenon.

The circular steel case with a diameter of 41 mm houses the caliber L688, a self-winding mechanical movement with a column-wheel chronograph mechanism exclusively developed for Longines, which can be admired through a transparent case back. The chronograph is equipped with a date aperture at 4h30, a small second at 9 o'clock, a 30-minutes counter at 3 o'clock and a 12-hours counter at 6.
Besides the appealing technical features, The Longines Telemeter Chronograph also attracts the eye by its harmonious design embodied by a subtle fusion of tradition and a contemporary spirit. The white lacquered dial with 9 black Arabic numerals features the red telemeter scale and a spiral tachymeter scale in the same colour. The blued steel Breguet hands, indicating hours and minutes, add a touch of elegance to this exceptional model fitted on a black alligator strap.

Located at the heart of the Longines head office in St-Imier, the Museum was completely refurbished in 2012 to mark the brand's 180th anniversary. It houses many treasures including a magnificent square timepiece that was the inspiration for the Longines Heritage 1968. The Longines Heritage 1968 is available in two sizes: 26 x 26 mm and 33 x 33 mm. The grey brushed dial features black, finely painted Roman numerals and a chapter-ring around the outside. A fine line of black varnish on the minute and hour hands echoes the lines of the numerals, providing a delicate contrast.
While the square case is at first glance more classical, the Longines Heritage 1968 reveals an interesting profile with its slightly bevelled glass that protrudes over the middle. Moreover, the trapezium-shaped date aperture lends the watch a fresh, avant-garde air that contrasts with the more stringent lines of the case.  The watch is fitted with a mechanical movement, L595 and the whole is mounted on an elegant black alligator strap. Also available in steel.
 

Longines has resolved to provide its backing to a competition that embodies to perfection the key values that Longines' slogan distils: "Elegance is an Attitude". In recent years, this event has won recognition as one of the world's finest indoor competitions. Truly representative of Longines's own values, this new partnership further confirms the company's active investment in equestrian sports.
The brand's passion for equestrian sports began in 1878 with Longines' design of a chronograph featuring an engraved jockey and his mount. By 1912 the company had partnered for the first time with an international show-jumping competition. Today, the brand is an active partner in flat racing and endurance competitions along with show jumping.
The 2014 edition of the CSI Basel will take place January 9-12.

Launched in 1997 and inspired by models created in the 1930s, the DolceVita collection is a tribute to the charm of the Italian way of life. The DolceVita L5.155.0.16.6 is in steel. Its rectangular case is set with 32 diamonds. The dial is white with 10 indices and 1 silvered Arabic numeral. A quartz movement, the calibre L178, animates the timepiece.
Longines' three ambassadors of elegance, the Oscar-winning actress Kate Winslet, the Bollywood icon Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, and the beautiful actress and model from the Far East Chi Ling Lin, enjoy their first roles in the Longines DolceVita advertising spot that gives a contemporary twist to the traditional dolce vita. The film uses the particular atmosphere of the streets of old Rome, bathed in sunlight, as well as the natural elegance of the brand's three amazons.
 
 

All in steel, the three models - one with three hands, a 24-hour model and a chronograph- available in the Longines Heritage Military 1938 line have retained the characteristic simple appearance of the original design.
 

With its simple design, the model with 3 hands has a 40 mm diameter case and is the closest in design to the original product. It is fitted with the automatic calibre L619. The fluted, flat crown, which accentuates the 1930s look, is a direct reference to the original design. Large white Arabic numerals, coated with Super-LumiNova® and a minute circle white as well contrasts with the deep matt black of the dial. A black synthetic strap, stitched in white, adds a final touch to this new model.

Kristian Haagen: Mr. Von Känel, Longines seem to be doing very well these days. Do you recall having experienced such a favourable period during your time as CEO for Longines?

Walter von Känel: Well, in 2003 Longines sold watches for CHF 300 million and nine years later we sold watches for CHF 1.2 billion. In doing that I reached my target, as I wanted Longines to sell one million units in 2011 and to reach the one-billion Swiss franc mark in 2012.

That makes Longines the fourth best-selling Swiss watch brand after Rolex, Omega and Cartier, with Tissot just behind Longines. We are the Swiss watch industry's billionaires.

These are indeed impressive numbers, not least in light of the difference in prices compared to the top three brands…

The entry level for Longines models ranges from CHF 700 to CHF 900. Our best-selling watches, which represent 45 per cent of our sales, are priced between CHF 1,500 and 3,000, while 12-15 per cent of our sales are in the CHF 3,000 - 4,500 bracket.

What about the gender mix?

Longines is a 50-50 brand, meaning we produce equal numbers of watches for men and women. Longines has always been big on "pairs" watches. This goes for all our collections, except of course the Dolce Vita and Prima Luna which is only offered as a ladies' watch.

How does Longines meet the new challenges of the Swiss Made regulations?

While there is a lot of confusion regarding these rumours, things are very clear for us at Longines. Right now the regulations require that 50 per cent of the watch should be assembled and/or produced in Switzerland. We (Editor's note:Swatch Group) will however be inventing heavily in case production machinery and my goal is to offer all Longines watches with a 60-40 percent ratio in terms of Swiss and Asian production. These figures, which does not include bracelets, but covers hands, dials, cases etc, are definitely reachable for Longines within just a few years. And we will produce at costs similar to current Asian production costs. Of course all our movements are already made in Switzerland (Editor's note: ETA).

What has been your biggest achievement in your 25 years as president of Longines?

Undoubtedly reaching the CHF billion mark that makes the brand a billionaire!  

Longines proudly congratulates Longines Ambassador of Elegance and award-winning actor Simon Baker on receiving the 2,490th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, presented by The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce. The Australian actor is well-known for the lead role in the television series The Mentalist as well as his roles in movies such as Margin Call. 

Simon Baker personifies the core values of Longines and perfectly exemplifies the brand's slogan "Elegance is an attitude". Last June, Simon joined the family of international Longines Ambassadors of Elegance that includes British actress Kate Winslet, tennis legends Andre Agassi and Stefanie Graf, Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Asian stars Chi Ling Lin and Aaron Kwok.
Walter von Känel, President of Longines, said, "Simon Baker is an important member of the Longines family and we couldn't be more pleased that the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce recognized in him the same qualities that we admire."
At this occasion, Simon Baker was wearing a HydroConquest watch. This diving watch is fitted with a mechanical movement L667. Its ocean blue dial is embellished with a "big12" and SuperLuminova luminescent indices. This chronograph model has a case in stainless steel with screwed back and crown, a unidirectional turning bezel in eloxed aluminium and lateral protection for the crown. It is water-resistant to 30 bar (300 m).

Simon Baker currently stars in the Longines advertising campaign. The final part of the advertising campaign will be revealed soon with a new series of exclusive photos of Simon Baker.

Rome (Italy) - St-Imier (Switzerland) October 23rd 2011 - Longines, Official Timekeeper of the racecourse Capannelle in Rome is proud to announce the victory of Fabio Branca on Quiza Quiza Quiza at the Grand Prix Longines Lydia Tesio. The Swiss watch brand and Capannelle have revealed their partnership on October 20th during an event at the Palazzo Wedekind in the center of Rome. That same evening, Longines also awarded the prize "Premio Longines Lydia Tesio - Le Signore dell'Ippica" to six women active in the equestrian world. The elegant model The Longines Column-Wheel Chronograph was the official watch of the event.

In the warmth of the roman autumn, the racecourse of Capannelle welcomed the Grand Prix Longines Lydia Tesio this Sunday. The Italian rider Fabio Branca on the Italian horse Quiza Quiza Quiza has won this Group I race of 2'000 meters opened to 3 years old fillies. The jockey, the owner and the trainer of Quiza Quiza Quiza were presented with Longines watches. The whole day was marked by the elegance and the refinement among the public, true to Longines' slogan "Elegance is an attitude".
This race is dedicated to the memory of Donna Lydia, the first lady of the Italian horse racing and wife of the great thoroughbred breeder Federico Tesio. It was therefore logical that Longines awarded early that week the prize "Premio Longines Lydia Tesio - Le Signore dell'Ippica" to six great women, who have distinguished themselves in the equestrian world. It was on this occasion, on Thursday October 20th that the Swiss watch brand also announced its partnership with the racecourse of Capannelle as official timekeeper. The highlight of this cooperation was of course the Grand Prix Longines Lydia Tesio of this Sunday.

As official watch for this event, the brand selected a classical and refined model that perfectly reflects the precision and the beauty of equestrian sports. The Longines Column-Wheel Chronograph gives priority to classical and refined beauty. The column wheel that forms part of the movement serves to steer the functions of the chronograph mechanism. This model has a stainless steel, 39 mm diameter case that surrounds a silvered dial with 13 hour symbols. It displays the hours and minutes with a small seconds at 9 o'clock, as well as the date plus of course the chronograph functions: centre seconds sweep, 30-minute counter at 3 o'clock and 12-hour counter at 6 o'clock. This model is fitted on a dark brown alligator strap and is water-resistant to 3 bar (30 meters).

Since it was launched in 1997, the Longines DolceVita collection has been an enormous success, thanks to its contemporary elegance. These models are a horological interpretation of the easy-going Italian way of life - la dolce vita. The perfectly harmonious proportions of the rectangular timepieces in this collection are its unique characteristic. Today Longines has turned a new page in the life story of the Longines DolceVita with brand new versions that combine steel and rose or yellow gold. The famous Swiss watchmaker has now created a new addition to the collection with a dial set entirely with diamonds, as the "jewel in the crown". This exquisite watch reflects the light in a host of subtle colours through the fiery brilliance of the diamonds and the elegant combination of the different metals - a true jewel in its own right.

Longines DolceVita really epitomizes the brand's core value of elegance. Unveiled for the first time in 1997, this collection of watches has made its mark all around the world and now adorns the wrist of many beautiful women. The inspiration for the design was found in the easy-going Italian way of life - la dolce vita. The rectangular shape of the case, with its sleek silhouette, offers the opportunity for many variations. Longines has now decided to launch a new range of models in the Longines DolceVita collection with designs that are refined and attractively fresh. Two colours of gold have been chosen to enhance the brilliance of the steel. Various different versions are available in steel with yellow gold or steel with rose gold. A new dimension has been added to the elegance of Longines' timepieces.

As a tribute to la dolce vita and its horological interpretation, a further exquisite model set with diamonds has now been added to the Longines DolceVita collection. The dial of this new model is set with 212 Wesselton VS diamonds (0.508 carats) while the case is also set with 32 Top Wesselton VVS diamonds (0.269 carats). The steel and rose gold bracelet sits perfectly with the distinctive shape of the case.

The other steel and gold models in the Longines DolceVita collection are available in four sizes. The choice also includes a white dial with Arabic numerals and indices, a "flinque" silvered dial with blue Roman numerals or a white mother-of-pearl dial set with diamonds. The steel and rose gold versions are also available with a white mother-of-pearl dial with arabesque numerals. Like the rectangular case in steel and gold, the bracelet also combines the brilliance of steel with the soft warmth of gold. Various models in this line are set with diamonds. All the timepieces are fitted with a quartz movement.
The three Longines Ambassadors of Elegance, Oscar winning Actress Kate Winslet, Bollywood star Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, and the beautiful Asian actress and model Chi Ling Lin play the leading roles in an advertising spot for the Longines DolceVita collection which is a contemporary interpretation of the la dolce vita. The film cleverly combines the unique atmosphere of the streets of Rome with the natural elegance of its three stars.

These timepieces, which had been developed specifically from the brand's aviators' watches, had a very distinctive 24-hour dial. This technical characteristic met the needs of navigators who, at the time, had to determine the position of the aircraft and set up a flight plan. Longines has now re-issued this watch for both historical and functional reasons, as well as for the aesthetic attraction it still holds. The new version has been given the name Longines Twenty-Four Hours.
In 2009, Harry Hofmann, a retired navigator from the old Swissair, visited the Longines Museum. He took advantage of this visit to present the company with a Longines watch that he used to wear when he was working for Swissair. This watch, with its 24-hour dial, is part of a series of timepieces produced by Longines in the 1950's especially for Swissair navigators.

In mid-20th century aviation, one of the responsibilities of the navigator was to determine the aircraft's position and to set up a flight plan. A reliable watch was therefore an essential part of his equipment. The fact that the flight crossed different time-zones in both directions and that the sun was not always visible as a point of reference necessitated instruments that could immediately indicate the correct part of the day. With a 24-hour dial navigators had no problem in this respect.
The watch that Harry Hofmann wore when he was a navigator for Swissair, flying DC-4s, DC-6s, DC-7s, DC-8s and Coronados up until 1974, had been specifically manufactured for the Swiss national airline by Longines in the early 1950's; it bears the number 8237331. It is fitted with a Longines calibre 37.9N with a centre seconds hand, which had been designed in the 1940s and used in Longines watches intended for pilots. The back cover of the steel case of Mr Hofmann's watch is engraved with the Swissair brand-name. Longines' archives reveal that it was one of a series of 70 pieces manufactured between 1953 and 1956 exclusively for the Swiss national airline. Technically, it is related to the aviator's watch - the Longines Weems Second-Setting model, produced in 1927, or the Lindbergh Hour Angle watch made by Longines from 1932 on. The Swiss watch manufacturer has chosen this watch as a re-issue for both historical and functional reasons, as well as for the aesthetic attraction it still holds. It has been given the name Longines Twenty-Four Hours.

The Longines Twenty-Four Hours is fitted with calibre L704.3, a self-winding movement whereby the hands make one full circle of the dial in 24 hours. The stainless steel case has a diameter of 47.50 mm; the dial is matt black with 24 white Arabic numerals coated with Super-LumiNova and has a railway-track minute circle. The time is indicated by hands coated with Super-LumiNova and the watch has a centre seconds hand, all for ease of use, like the original model. There is a date aperture at 3 o'clock. A sapphire glass covers the dial and this timepiece also has a transparent caseback, with its own cover, which reveals the delicate details of the movement. The inside surface of the cover is engraved with the words "Re-edition of a Longines navigation watch exclusively made for Swissair navigators, 1953-1956" plus the watch number. The Longines Twenty-Four Hours is mounted on a black alligator strap and is water-resistant to 3 bar (30 metres).

1940s: The first Longines selfwinding movementThe design of caliber L22A with bidirectional oscillating weight in 1945 marked the birth of men's selfwinding movements at Longines.1950s: "The Longines Circle""Science and elegance" constituted the shared values prized by "The Longines Circle", composed of people partial to luxury, elegance and precision. Longines launched a communication campaign on that theme in 1953.Olympic Games
Longines, as the official timekeeper for the 1952 Winter Olympic Games in Oslo, Norway, has played a timekeeping role at nearly every Olympic Game, both for the summer and the winter games

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

Longines has celebrated the 120th anniversary of the registration of a logo that the famous St. Imier watchmaker still uses today. Protected since 1889 in Switzerland (FOIP), this factory trademark comprising a winged hourglass and the name Longines is the oldest of its kind still active, in its original form, in the international registers kept by the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO). To mark the 120th anniversary of its logo, the brand has organised a themed exhibition in the Cite du Temps in Geneva, published a study about the symbol and created two exceptional limited series of timepieces numbered from 1 to 120.

During the event held in the Cite du Temps in Geneva, speeches were given by Brigitte Bolli Jost, Brand Registration Responsible at the Federal Institute of Intellectual Property and by Francis Gurry, the Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organisation, at a press conference on the subject of national and international challenges, intellectual property and the need to protect trademarks in a globalised world.
When it registered a factory trademark in 1889 that is still used today, Longines took a decisive step to protect its name and signature, as Walter von Känel, President of Longines, reminded those present during a press conference attended by representatives of the international watchmaking press. Registered in 1893 with the original organisation on which the World Intellectual Property Organisation was based, the 1889 trademark is the oldest of its kind still active in its original form in the registers kept by the United Nations special agency.

Longines has organised an exhibition at the Cite du Temps in Geneva that explains the context in which this trademark was adopted and protected. The exhibits include historical models as well as original documents and follow the development of a logo, its symbolism and the creation of a watchmaking tradition. The exhibition is open to the public every day from Friday 2 October until Sunday 1 November, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The St. Imier watch manufacturer has also published a short study of the history and the challenges involved in creating the Longines brand from the point of view of the registration of a logo dating from 1889 that is still in use today. Finally, Longines has created two limited series of watches, under the designation Longines Heritage Retrograde, each numbered from 1 to 120, as a fitting tribute to a logo that has been protected since 1889.

History

In 1867 Ernest Francillon founded the Longines factory by bringing out-workers employed by his trading office (which had been set up in 1832 by Auguste Agassiz) under one roof and introducing new manufacturing technology. At the same time he adopted the name Longines (from the local name of the site of his new factory) and chose a symbol to represent his company, the winged hourglass. This symbol has been continually used by Longines, albeit in various forms, since the company was founded to identify and characterise its products, and is still in used today.
On 27 May 1889 Ernest Francillon registered a factory mark consisting of a winged hourglass within a double circle which contained the signature EFCo (Ernest Francillon & Compagnie) and the name Longines. This mark was registered with the Swiss authority that dealt with the protection of trademarks at the time, namely the Federal Office for Intellectual Property (FOIP). For Longines the 1889 registration was the start of an important tradition of graphic and symbolic signatures. Since, for the first time, a trademark whose use and protection in its original form was to continue beyond the 21st century was legally recognised. The protection of the trademark was ensured at an international level in 1893 and makes Longines the oldest trademark still valid in its original form in the international registers of the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO).
The registration of this logo was part of the industrialisation of watchmaking in Switzerland in the last third of the 19th century, in which Longines played a leading role. Initially, the trademark chosen by Longines - the winged hourglass - served to authenticate the company's products. But it quickly became a means of fighting against counterfeiters who hoped to take advantage of the excellent reputation built up by the St. Imier watch manufacturer. Subsequently, the factory mark was used in other contexts apart from on the product itself and began to determine the visual identity of the brand. This logo, registered in 1889, has therefore been part and parcel of the development and construction of the Longines brand which, in line with its watchmaking heritage continues to use it to this day.
To highlight the context of adoption and protection of this trademark, Longines has organised an exhibition at the Cite du Temps in Geneva which includes both historical articles and original documents. It reveals the development of the brand, the symbol that embodies it and the creation of a watchmaking tradition. Longines has also published a study that analyses the history and the challenges of creating the Longines brand in relation to the registration of the original logo, still used today, in 1889. Finally, Longines has created two limited series of watches under the name of Longines Heritage Retrograde, each numbered from 1 to 120, as a tribute to a logo which has been protected since 1889.

Longines, official timekeeper and data handler at the 29th Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships 2009, is pleased to announce that the Longines Prize for Elegance has been given to Anna Bessonova from the Ukraine. This award decorates the athlete having demonstrated the most remarkable elegance in the course of an international competition at world level. Prize winner Anna Bessonova was honoured with a trophy created by the Swiss artist Jean-Pierre Gerber, a Conquest watch from the Longines Sport Collection and a cheque for US$ 5,000. Furthermore, Longines was proud to present its new Ambassador of Elegance, Evgeniya Kanaeva, the Olympic all-around gold medalist. She impressed the judges with her outstanding performance and won the 2009 World Champion title in individual all-around today.

In gymnastics, the challenge of movement not only demands flawless execution, but also intangible grace, beauty and harmony known as "elegance". At the 29th Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships, all participants in the individual all-around finals held on Friday September 11, 2009 were nominated for the Longines Prize for Elegance.
The athletes under consideration for the prize are evaluated according to a number of complementary criteria. In addition to technical considerations, each athlete's performance is judged with respect to emotional appeal, beauty, charm, charisma as well as grace and harmony of movement. Clearly, each juror interprets these criteria individually, yet the result is often unanimous, as it was again on this occasion.

The jury of the Longines Prize for Elegance brought together Dr. Bruno Grandi, President of the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG), Mrs. Eriko Hayashi (Hayashi Tokeiho), Minoru Amano, Brand Manager for Longines Japan and Juan-Carlos Capelli, Head of International Marketing, Longines. The jury's individual assessments were combined to form a collective judgment reflecting a perceptive and balanced evaluation of the athletes' performances.
Anna Bessonova
Anna Bessonova's elegance is bewitching. Her grace wins the favour of any public. Her technique speaks for itself. At the 2005 world championships in Baku, Anna lined her nest with a world title, for the first time in her prestigious career. In 2007, at the World Championships in Patras, Anna already won the Longines Prize for Elegance. In 2008, at the Beijing Olympic Games she won the Bronze medal. Anna Bessonova is definitely one of the brightest stars of Rhythmic Gymnastics today.
Anna Bessonova has a reputation for elegant and graceful performance, which led Longines' Head of International Marketing, Juan-Carlos Capelli to comment: "With her fluidity and harmony, Anna is simply the definition of elegance."

The Longines Prize for Elegance is presented in the form of a trophy created especially for Longines by the Swiss artist Jean-Pierre Gerber. In addition, Anna Bessonova received a cheque for US$ 5,000 and the official watch of the 29th Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships, a Conquest model of the Longines Sport Collection, representing the elegance that is Longines' guiding principle.
Longines also took the opportunity to give a Conquest watch to its new Ambassador of Elegance, the 2008 Olympic gold medallist, Russian rhythmic gymnast, Evgeniya Kanaeva, who won the 2009 World Champion title in individual all-around today in Mie.

Agnieszka is joining the family of Longines testimonials that includes the legendary couple Andre Agassi and Stefanie Graf.
Longines is proud of its long history of sports timekeeping. As the official partner of the legendary French Open at Roland Garros since 2007, the Swiss watch manufacturer is delighted to be able to include in its family of ambassadors of elegance two of the most famous winners of the prestigious Paris tournament, Stefanie Graf and Andre Agassi. Incidentally, the couple will be celebrating the 10th anniversary of their triumph in Paris on 6 June at a Longines event not to be missed.

Agnieszka Radwanska will also be present and will be making her first international appearance as a Longines Ambassador of Elegance. The young talent will of course also be competing at the French Open this year for the third consecutive time.
This young player is the product of a family success story. Like her illustrious predecessor Stefanie Graf, Agnieszka started playing tennis at the age of 4, spurred on by her father. She grew up and trained in Gronau in Germany. After going professional in 2005 she succeeded in reaching the last 16 at Wimbledon that year. Agnieszka won her first tournaments (singles and doubles) two years later. In 2008 this young girl became the first-ever female Polish player to reach the top 10 in the world rankings.
A basically calm but extremely determined person, Agnieszka hopes to become the world no. 1 one day ... no more, no less!
What does Agnieszka think about her partnership with Longines? "It's a privilege to be a Longines Ambassador of Elegance. To represent this fantastic watch manufacturer alongside such tennis legends as Stefanie Graf and Andre Agassi is a real honour. I love Switzerland and I adore watches but until now I've never had a watch made by such a beautiful brand," she announced at her press conference in Warsaw.
On the subject of this new partnership, Walter von Känel, President of Longines, said that he was delighted to welcome the young Polish tennis player to the Longines family and was looking forward to congratulating her on her future successes.

Press release

Kwok plays the starring role in this film based on a famous story from the Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1911). The great heritage of the Chinese movie reminds the Swiss watch brand of its horological development and long-standing relationship with China during the same period as the story in time. Chronological records of an invoice states the shipment of the first Longines watch to China dates back to 1867. Longines was happy to congratulate Aaron Kwok on his new exciting movie and to sponsor the after film Party in Berlin by presenting him the brand's latest watchmaking achievement: The Longines Master Collection Retrograde watch, which summarizes the brand's legendary watchmaking development since the Qing Dynasty.
Aaron Kwok, Longines Ambassador of Elegance since 2005, is one of the most popular artist's in Asia. His outstanding performances as a dancer, singer and actor have earned him more than a hundred awards since the beginning of his career. With his many creative talents it was naturally not long before the film industry approached him. Success came immediately as Kwok won the award for best leading actor for his film "Divergence" at the Golden Horse Award in 2005. Only a year later he repeated this achievement by winning for the second time the award for his extraordinary performance in the feature film "After This Our Exile". Now his success story has brought him to his second European Film Festival (after the Rome Film Festival in 2006) here in Berlin, where he will disclose his latest movie "Empire of Silver" as a World Premiere.

In this movie, Aaron Kwok embodies "Third Master", an idealistic and hedonistic young man. Heir to a banking empire, who, despite his father's pressure, struggles to find his own way in life. The Father and son's relationship is complicated by their antagonistic sense of moral and ethical values. Moreover, "Third Master" is deeply in love with his beautiful stepmother.
Embarking on a metaphysical journey, "Third Master" must decide whether to follow his father's path or find his own way. Greed, deception and jealousy surface under the pressures of war and the impending change from silver to paper bills.
This wonderful historical Chinese movie reminds the Swiss watch brand of its rich history of over 175 years of watchmaking craftsmanship and especially of its long-standing relationship with China. In fact, China was one of the first countries where Longines exported its watches to from its manufacture in Switzerland. The record of an invoice shows that the very first Longines watch has already been sold and shipped to China during the Qing Dynasty in 1867.

 
It was a great pleasure for Longines to offer the after film party and to hand over The Longines Master Collection Retrograde watch in rose gold, the elegant flagship piece to Aaron Kwok during the party as symbol of respect and congratulations on his outstanding performance. This very special timepiece, highlighting the horological traditions of the brand, encloses a new calibre, especially and exclusively developed for Longines. Offering retrograde functions (day, date, second, second time zone on a 24-hour scale) in a movement with automatic rewinding, The Longines Master Collection Retrograde combines a mechanical horological complication with simple usage.
Based in St. Imier in Switzerland since 1832, the watchmaker Longines can look back on more than 175 years of non-stop craftsmanship, as well as a solid heritage as timekeeper for world championships in various sports and collaborator with different international sports federations. Known for the elegance of its timepieces, Longines is a member of the Swatch Group Ltd, the World's leading manufacturer of horological products. With the winged hourglass as its emblem, the brand has outlets in over 130 countries.