Longines Quartz WristWatch, Longines Quartz Vintage Watches

Longines Lyre 35 Automatic Yellow (L4.760.2.32.8)

The only thing i was disappointed about was that the strap doesn't fit me, so im either going to have to get it changed or some more holes put in. other wise really happy with it, great thing to wear around, all my friends are super jealous!!

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

Review by Leon Ittiachen, From USA Westlake Village

Longines PrimaLuna Quartz 26.5 Two Tone Leather (L8.110.5.91.2)

This Longines PrimaLuna Quartz 26.5 Two Tone Leather (L8.110.5.91.2) is a stunning watch. You can wear it either dressy or casual. Quality is certainly evident when you get the watch into your hands. I shopped around quite a lot online before making a decision. I read some of the other testimonials. They helped me make up my mind on Stuhrling. UpReplica customers are very savvy.

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

Review by ronnie reyes, From Mexico San Pedro Garza Garcia

Longines BelleArti 16 Stainless Steel (L2.195.4.73.6)

Good response, nice deal

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

Review by Zoe McKendrick, From Mexico City Mexico Df

Longines, the Official Partner, Timekeeper and Watch of the Breeders' Cup World Championships timed American Pharoah's historic victory in the Breeders' Cup Classic on Saturday, October 31^st as earned his spot as the only horse in history to win a Grand Slam championship. The internationally renowned Swiss watch brand also acted as Title Partner of the Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff race on Friday, October 30^th and the Longines Breeders' Cup Turf race on Saturday, October 31^st at Keeneland Race Track. Juan-Carlos Capelli, Vice President and Head of International Marketing for Longines presented elegant Conquest Classic watches to the owner, breeder, trainer, jockey and stable staff of winning horses American Pharoah, Stopchargingmaria and Found respectively.

In keeping with the brand's motto that 'elegance is an attitude', Longines awarded the Longines Prize of Elegance to the most elegant man and woman at the Park. Winners also received a magnificent Longines watch.

The 2015 races took place at Keeneland Race Track and marked the 32^nd edition of the Breeders' Cup World Championships. The World Championships are considered by many to be one of the premier thoroughbred horse racing event of the year, attracting the best horses, breeders, trainers, and owners from across the globe and the Breeders' Cup Classic race is often one of the deciding factor in the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings and the Longines World's Best Jockey Award.

Longines supported the first edition of the Longines CSI St. Moritz as Title Partner and Official Timekeeper and presented at this occasion its new watch collection Conquest Classic Moonphase.

The new Longines CSI St. Moritz belongs to the most altitudinous show jumping events of Switzerland and Europe. The Longines Grand Prix of St. Moritz was won by Laura Kraut from the USA and her gelding Deauville S. She was followed Niklaus Rutschi (Switzerland) with Windsor and Kamal Abdullah Bahamdan (Saudi Arabia) with Noblesse des Tess. Laura Kraut received an elegant Longines watch from the brand's President Walter von Känel.

The Official Watch of the Longines CSI St. Moritz was a model of the Conquest Classic Moonphase line. This chronograph reflects at the same time the brand's presence in the most prestigious equestrian events all over the world and the importance it attaches to its watchmaking tradition. It houses a self-winding mechanical chronograph movement, a true symbol of precision and technique. Its refined silvered dial displays the moon phases.

Boasting a decidedly bold design, the various models of this collection nevertheless remain true to the elegance that characterises the winged hourglass brand.
Shapes and materials derive their inspiration from symbolic elements of equestrian sports with which Longines have been intertwined for over a century. Arches on racetracks evoking horseshoes, stirrups and fine leather of saddles are the b images found in the bold lines of these watches dedicated to female equestrian sports lovers.

The models evoking the arch are available in four sizes - 23 mm, 26 mm and 30 mm and 34 mm - while watches drawing their inspiration from the stirrup come in three sizes, 23.50 mm, 26.50 mm and 30 mm.
Their steel cases house a quartz movement and each of these watches also comes in a diamond-set version. The polished black lacquer and mother-of-pearl dials are adorned with diamond indexes, while the silver-coloured flinque dial features Roman numerals and the silver-coloured sunburst dial Arabic numerals.
The stirrup-shaped model with a mother-of-pearl dial is also available in an even more dazzling version, decorated with a double row of diamonds. All the watches in this collection are fitted with overstitched leather straps matching the rider outfit.

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.

With the Apple Watch on everyone's lips, it's worth remembering that it has taken the Silicon Valley giant forty years to launch its first watch. Longines, headquartered in the sleepy valley town of St. Imier, has been producing timepieces since 1867. And while Apple may currently lay claim to one of the most valuable brands in the world, Longines has the oldest: its winged logo is the oldest valid trademark in the WIPO's International Registry.

The current CEO of Longines, Walter von Känel, joined the company in 1969 and is still there 46 years later. It is hardly surprising, therefore, that he is dismissive of the Apple Watch and smart watches in general. "In my 46 years at Longines I have experimented with digital," he says. "LCD was a Swiss patent, after all. Afterwards we did some LED watches and you can find them in the museum. Later ETA came with its digital/analogue movements and we launched the Speed5.
"I think the watches from Apple, Samsung and the like are complementary to what we do. I firmly believe that the essential objective of a watch is no longer just to tell the time but also to serve as a status symbol. Why do you buy a Patek Philippe rather than a Swatch? Because you want to show it off."

But the gulf between a Swatch and a Patek Philippe in terms of price and prestige is enormous. It took the world's biggest private collection of Swatches (5,800 in total) to make just a quarter of the proceeds of the record-breaking Patek Philippe Graves Supercomplication at auction. So where does Longines fit in to this equation?

"The watch is an emotional branded consumer good," explains von Känel, "which is why we invest millions in sponsorship, ambassadors and such." Indeed, Longines ensures a steady flow of news from its partnerships in the equestrian world, as well as in tennis and skiing. Nevertheless, since Mr von Känel comes from a background in sales, the bottom line is always the top consideration. At his meetings in Basel you will always find him with his four essential items: a heap of plastic-protected sheets of sales figures, best-sellers, breakdowns by country and product category and the like, a pencil, a pencil-sharpener and - somewhat unusually - a set of precision calipers dating back to 1969. Old school. Much to the chagrin of WorldTempus, he admits "I have no computer, my telephone is this old thing and I don't even reply to SMS messages."

His relentless focus on sales shows in his photographic recall of key statistics: 1.4 million Dolce Vita models sold, the exact split of two-tone models by sales when I question a potential change in strategy. And it is this focus that has led to the creation of a "fifth pillar" at the brand with a new collection dedicated solely to the brand's equestrian associations. "If we are going to invest millions in this area and be present at equestrian events almost every weekend, then we needed something more than the chronograph," he explains. "We needed a new collection, especially for women. But we are also working on a watch designed especially for show jumping."

Even a personal question on his favourite model in the collection comes back to sales. "We are investing heavily in promoting the Conquest Classic this year, which represents 7% of our sales, and we decided that the star model should be the two-tone steel and gold model with the moon phase. And since I have to be consistent I have to lead by example." There is no need to guess, therefore, which watch the Longines CEO has on his wrist.

Even given Walter von Känel's b sales background, it comes as somewhat a surprise when he claims that last year set a new sales record for Longines. Even in the troubled market of Hong Kong, which tourists from mainland China are now avoiding in favour of Korea and Thailand, the brand recorded 10% growth last year. Could it continue this year, despite the uncertain economic climate? "It looks that way," the boss confidently predicted on the opening day of Baselworld.

Longines, Official Timekeeper of the Dubai World Cupt and Presenting Partner of one of its highlights, the Dubai Sheema Classic presented by Longines, celebrated the 20th edition of the Dubai World Cup on Saturday 28 March 2015.

The winners of this year's Dubai World Cup, among which were His Highness the Aga Khan, Alain de Royer-Dupre and Christophe Soumillon, respectively winning owner, trainer and jockey of the 2015 Dubai Sheema Classic presented by Longines, as well as H.E.Sh. Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, Saeed bin Suroor and William Buick, respectively winning owner, trainer and jockey of the 2015 Dubai World Cup, and Longines Ambassador of Elegance Aaron Kwok were presented with a special 20-timepiece-limited edition of the Conquest Classic Moonphase from the hands of Mr. Juan-Carlos Capelli, Vice President of Longines and Head of International Marketing and Mr. Patrick Aoun, Regional Brand Manager Longines Middle East. The sophistication of this rose gold chronograph, including a moonphase display, makes it an eminently refined timepiece and echoes the excellence and elegance of the stars of the equestrian universe.

In addition, this raceday witnessed the victory of Ana Pribylova at the Longines Most Elegant Lady prize and Marlon Weir at the Best Dressed Man prize. They were honoured by receiving refined Longines watches as well.
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Inspired by the Italian sweet life, the "Dolce Vita", it is worn on the wrists of women who know how to make the most of life's simple pleasures. As a tribute to those women, Longines has decided to offer a new interpretation of this collection, subtly combining geometric lines with soft curves. The lines of the rectangular case have thus been elongated and arched, some models enhanced with diamonds, to magnify the contemporary elegance and femininity of these new pieces.

Cased in steel, and sometimes decorated with diamonds, the Longines DolceVita collection comes in four dimensions. A silver-coloured "flinque" dial adorned with painted Roman numerals and a black lacquered or white mother-of-pearl dial with diamonds decorates the watches of this line. Slender rhodium-plated or blued-steel hands point to the passing hours and minutes. With their quartz movement, the timepieces are finished by a choice of black, white, grey or red leather straps or by a stainless steel bracelet.

This event took place at the Los Angeles Convention Center from the 25th of September until the 28th of September, and put Los Angeles on the international equestrian scene as the best riders in the world competed.

Longines Ambassador of Elegance Jane Richard, winner of Longines Speed Challenge, and Jos Verlooy, winner of the Longines Grand Prix, received elegant Longines wathes from the hands of Mrs. Jennifer Judkins, Brand Manager Longines USA, and Mr. Charles Villoz, Vice President of Longines, for their amazing performances.

The Charity Pro-AM, a unique competition, was won by Hannah Selleck and Laura Kraut representing JustWorld International. This competition was attended by Longines Ambassadors of Elegance Stefanie Graf, founder of "Children for Tomorrow" and Andre Agassi, founder of "Foundation for Education".

As a tribute to its long-lasting involvement in equestrian sports, Longines launched the Conquest Classic line, a collection of timepieces dedicated to horse lovers.

The Official Watch of the was a ladies' watch in steel. Set with 30 diamonds, this timepiece with its white mother-of-pearl dial and diamond hour symbols perfectly illustrates the elegance of this unique show jumping event.

Longines and theshare common values including tradition, elegance and performance.

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.

The 140^th Kentucky Derby was held this past weekend in Louisville, KY, and kicked off the first in the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing. Right there through it all - the entire Kentucky Derby weekend and for the upcoming races - is Longines. In fact, Longines is the Official Watch and Timekeeper of the   Kentucky Derby, the Entitlement Partner of the Longines Kentucky Oaks 140 that is the races and festivities that take place the day before the Derby, and the Official Watch and Timekeeper of the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes (the upcoming two legs of the Triple Crown).

The brand's role in equestrian sports dates back to the late 1800s when it created its first chronograph movement, which later appeared on racetracks to time performances and races to the seconds. In the early 1900's Longines began its show jumping involvement and then moved on to flat racing and endurance competitions -- where precision is everything.

The Kentucky Derby represents the epitome of thoroughbred racing and Longines provided its guests with access not only to the Turf Club for prime viewing of the two days of races, but also with attendance to the incredible Taste of Derby event (wherein chefs from across the USA are flown in to demonstrate their skills and offer a taste of their most special dishes), to the Winner's Party (thrown after the Derby with the owners, trainer and jockey of the winning horse present), and with an exclusive tour of the paddocks. In all, the event is a breathtaking experience not to be missed.

In evidence of its support of the Kentucky Derby, Longines' overwhelming presence could be seen everywhere at Churchill Downs thanks to free-standing clocks, a digital Longines Kentucky Derby Countdown Clock on the Churchill Downs' track and more (the same will hold true at the two upcoming races). Additionally, the brand hosted a fashion show on the Kentucky Oaks Day, and presented the winner with a Conquest watch. On Derby Day, the brand presented Conquest watches to the owner, trainer and jockey of the wining horse, California Chrome.

"This year we celebrate 60 years of Conquest," says Juan-Carolos Capelli, vice president, head of international marketing of Longines Watch Co. "It is also the year of the horse and so we are very excited to present some new Conquest watches, including a limited edition in gold that is a re-edition of the first one. It is a real pleasure to be a part of the Kentucky Derby and all of the equestrian sports we support."

The Conquest Classic collection is a tribute to the early chronographs the brand produced for race enthusiasts and jockeys in New York. The new watches are fitted with self-winding movements offering a mix of tradition and watchmaking savoir-faire. 

As the official timekeeper for the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup, Longines awarded today in Lenzerheide the Longines Rising Ski Stars prize. Created in 2012, this prize is awarded to the best young athlete, lady (under 21) and man (under 23), taking part in the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup this season. This year the winners are Mikaela Shiffrin and Alexis Pinturault, who both had a wonderful season. The two prodigies had already received this award last year, proving once again that they are the most promising young athletes of the World Cup.

The American skier, who also won the slalom globe, and the French skier have received a trophy, a check for 20'000 CHF and a Longines Conquest Classic watch. This collection fully represents the precision, the technique and the elegance of alpine skiing.

The prize Longines Rising Ski Stars forms part of several activities undertaken by Longines to support youth through sport and to encourage the discovery of young talent. With its slogan "Elegance is an attitude", Longines particularly supports young people in several sports, organising projects for promising young hopefuls at its partnership events. For several years, the Longines Future Tennis Aces tournament has been held during the French Open Championship. In flat racing, the Prix Longines Future Racing Stars, open to young jockeys, is run in conjunction with the Prix de Diane Longines at Chantilly. And in 2013 Longines extended this concept to Alpine skiing with the Longines Future Ski Champions. Moreover, the brand also supports rising athletes with the Longines Rising Star Award in equestrian sports, the Longines Rising Tennis Stars and of course the Longines Rising Ski Stars.

Hohhot, a north-central city, known for its nomadic history and natural scenery, experienced tremendous excitement and elegance thanks to eight flat races on Saturday and to the presence of Aaron Kwok, Longines Ambassador of Elegance.  On Saturday, Longines was also the Title Partner of the Longines Mile race that saw the victory of Danny Beasley on Nassau.
The running of the first internationally endorsed thoroughbred race represents the first step towards a renaissance of flat races in Mainland China. It was a highly anticipated return for a sport that has long been an intrinsic part of China's social culture. Miss Melissa Lu won the Longines Prize for Elegance and received a Longines timepiece from Aaron Kwok, Longines Ambassador of Elegance. A horse lover, the Asian superstar is a member of the Hong Kong Jockey Club and the owner of a four-year-old stallion.
Longines has always had a passionate interest in equestrian sport, which is a perfect example of elegance and high performance - values that have always been close to the brand's heart. As the official partner of some of the most prestigious flat races in the world, the Swiss watch brand therefore launched a collection of timepieces to be worn amidst the excitement of the parade rings, namely the Conquest Classic. The Official Watch of the China Equine Cultural Festival belongs to that collection. It combines steel and rose gold and features a silvered dial. 

The Longines Tachymeter Chronograph features a technical tool initially introduced around 1811 to measure the hourly pace in assembly lines, as well as the velocity of the first modern means of locomotion: the tachymeter. To measure the hourly pace, the chronograph is started at the beginning of a task and stopped once the task is completed. The hand then shows the average production pace per hour. To find out the velocity of a subject, the chronograph is activated at distance zero and stopped once the distance of one kilometre has been covered. The hand then indicates the average velocity in units measured.

The Longines Tachymeter Chronograph now combines in a very unique way the technical specifications of a tachymeter with the values of the brand, namely tradition, performance and elegance. 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 model features 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 its extraordinary technical features, the model stands out with its remarkable design. The white lacquered dial is inspired by the one of a chronograph developed by Longines in 1934 and contrasts perfectly with the black Arabic numerals, the tachymeter scale in blue (1000 m) and red (100 m). A subtle touch of elegance is added to this model by its blued steel Breguet hands indicating hours and minutes and the blued steel counter-weight line pear hand indicating the seconds. To complete the traditional yet contemporary design of the model, it is mounted on an elegant black alligator strap.

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. »

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.

The Andre Agassi Foundation for Education raised more than $26.1 million, a record amount, at the 16th Grand Slam for Children benefit concert, in conjunction with its longtime partner and presenting sponsor, Swiss watchmaking brand Longines. A donation of $18 million from Kirk Kerkorian, $1.5 million from the Engelstad Family Foundation and $1 million from Windsong Trust combined with ticket sales and proceeds from a live auction accounted for the largest amount raised in a single night for the Andre Agassi Foundation for Education. The package including a weekend for four at the 2012 Kentucky Derby and a Longines Master Collection Moon Phases "Andre Agassi" special watch was auctioned for $90,000. The funds benefit the Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy (Agassi Prep), a tuition free public charter school serving students in historical West Las Vegas.

"I am both astounded and humbled by the generosity and compassion of our community, the artists, sponsors, partners and donors," said Andre Agassi. "With b support from our presenting sponsor Longines, the Engelstad Family, Windsong Trust and a truly magnanimous gift from Kirk Kerkorian, this record- breaking evening will make a positive difference in students' lives as we continue to work to transform education."

Longines, represented by President Walter von Känel, was delighted to be for the first time the presenting sponsor of the Grand Slam for Children.

Held Saturday, October 29th at Wynn Las Vegas, the Grand Slam featured a star-studded lineup of performers including Michael Buble, Jimmy Kimmel, Martina McBride, Smokey Robinson and Train, with surprise appearances by Gladys Knight, Signature Group and comedian Jeff Ross.

A.J. Green, a graduate of Agassi Prep, performed a heartfelt introductory song and the school's drum line started the festivities for the evening.

The Grand Slam brings together international stars and noted artists- from music to comedy - to build awareness and raise money for the Foundation's biggest fundraiser. Dedicated to transforming and elevating education, the Foundation opened Agassi Prep in 2001. In 2009, the public charter school graduated its first senior class, with 100 percent of graduates accepted into college, as were the graduates of the classes of 2010 and 2011. The Foundation's work is directly impacting students in Las Vegas, Agassi's hometown community, but it has broader implications for education nationwide.

Kent Farrington from the USA won the prestigious Longines King George V Gold Cup on his debut at The Longines Royal International Horse show. He withstood tough competition from runner-up and three-time Gold Cup winner Robert Smith (GBR) on Talan and Leon Thijssen (NED) on Tyson who came in third.

Points won during the Longines Royal International Horse Show count towards the total score for the 2011 Longines Press Award for Elegance. The winner is announced at the final international show-jumping competition of the season in Rotterdam on 28th August 2011. The top scorers at Hickstead were:
Women: Aniek Poels (NED)
Men: Kent Farrington (USA)

After four events, the following riders lead the intermediate global ranking of the Longines Press Award for Elegance:
Women: Christine McCrea (USA)
Men: Nick Skelton (GBR)

Longines has passed a new milestone in its exploration of timepieces fitted with authentic technical features by creating, The Longines Column-Wheel Chronograph Record, which has a direct-drive second hand with a vernier scale. Back in 2008 the company used a chronograph movement with a column wheel in the design of a contemporary embodiment of its expertise in mechanical chronographs this new model showcases the horological development and elegant appeal in the same vein.

The Longines Column-Wheel Chronograph Record combines various elements that make this brand-new watch a modern descendant of the timing instruments created by Longines in the past. Thanks to its exclusive column-wheel movement, it joins the lineage of equipment developed by the brand since 1878, when Longines produced its first chronograph. Moreover, The Longines Column-Wheel Chronograph Record has a centre direct-drive second hand with a vernier scale - echoing a mechanical chronograph counter designed by the company in 1966. This system allows the user to read off the time measured easily and precisely using the position of the centre seconds hand with its vernier scale relative to the fixed scale on the dial. The centre direct-drive seconds hand with its vernier scale brings it into line with the most up-to-date mechanical timing equipment available today.

The Longines Column-Wheel Chronograph Record has a sporty design which complements its chronograph functions. The self-winding movement is housed in a stainless steel case with a diameter of 41 mm. The cream or black dial has a 30-minute counter at 3 o'clock, a 12-hour counter at 6 o'clock, a small seconds at 9 o'clock and a date aperture between 4 and 5 o'clock. The hands are coated with Super-LumiNova while the red centre dragging seconds hand with its vernier scale is complemented by a fixed scale on the dial which enables the user to read off eighths of a second. Echoing the timing equipment produced by Longines in the 1960s, The Longines Column-Wheel Chronograph Record is fitted on an elegant black alligator strap.

Fitted with 27 jewels, the L688.2 movement is a self-winding calibre with a diameter of 30 mm and a height of 7.90 mm. The column wheel which is part of the movement serves to steer the chronograph functions (start, stop, return to zero). This system, and in particular the column wheel that was designed by engineers at ETA on Longines' request, makes this mechanical chronograph exceptionally easy to use, requiring only a light pressure to start and stop the timing function and to return the hands to zero. The blued steel column wheel is a work of art and the whole movement is a stylised revamping of a traditional technical system. Apart from its sophisticated design, the construction of the L688.2 calibre has been especially created to meet the requirements of timing.

With its combination of timing functions and a beauty that is characteristic of timing equipment dating from the 1960s, The Longines Column-Wheel Chronograph Record is a contemporary timepiece steeped in the great tradition of mechanical timing.

To celebrate the new gold and steel models in its "Longines DolceVita" collection, due to be unveiled on 8th September at http://longines-dolcevita.longines.com, Longines has invited amateur and professional artists worldwide to create their own rendition of the "Dolce Vita" theme.

Two prizes will soon be awarded by the public to the photograph and video receiving the most votes cast on Longines' Facebook page.
The artists are counting on your vote! Become a member of the jury and vote for the works of your choice by 31st August:
•   Vote for the best photograph by clicking here
•   Vote for the best video by clicking here
The winning creations will be shown on the Longines Website during the course of September.
Thank you in advance for taking part!

Need help casting your vote? Click here for instructions.

Longines is pleased to announce that its elegant timepieces can be purchased safely and securely directly from the Manufacture. To extend its ongoing relationship, Longines has created a virtual shop for buyers' convenience.

shop.us.longines.comClients are invited to acquire genuine Longines timepieces available online exclusively at shop.us.longines.com or at one of the brand's many fine retail locations across the country ( http://www.longines.com/retailers)

This award recognises the athletes that have demonstrated the most remarkable elegance in the course of an international competition at world level.

Longines was also proud to present its new Ambassador of Elegance Ariella Kaeslin, the European vault Champion as well as all-around bronze medallist.

Furthermore, the press has been provided for the first time with competition data in real time handled by Longines.

In gymnastics, the challenge of movement not only demands flawless execution but also grace, beauty and harmony known as "elegance". At the 41st Artistic Gymnastics World Championships, all participants in the individual all-around finals held in the O2 on Thursday October 15th and on Friday October 16th, 2009 were nominated for the Longines Prize for Elegance.
The athletes under consideration for the prize have been evaluated according to a number of complementary criteria. In addition to technical considerations, each athlete's performance has been judged with respect to emotional appeal, beauty, charm, charisma as well as grace and harmony of movement. Clearly, each juror has interpreted 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), Annika Reeder, former Olympic gymnast and former British Champion, Katrina Jones, Longines UK Brand Director, and Walter von Känel, President of Longines.

Elsa Garcia Rodriguez Blanca, born in 1990 is coached by Antonio Martinez in the City of Monterrey where she's living. In the Regio Club Gimnastico she's training every day with the assistance of her coach Teresa Lopez and choreographer Alejandra Rodriguez. The Floor is her best apparatus, on which she performed to the music entitled Mano a Mano. Her best achievements were the first ranks in Cottbus (GER) on Uneven Bars and Floor.

Daniel Keatings turned into the star of the 2008 Junior European Championships in Lausanne, Switzerland (4 Gold medals, including the victory in the All-around) and took the 20th place in the Senior All-around event in Beijing 2008. Born in 1990, Daniel took up gymnastics at 5 years old. He is coached by Paul Hall at the Huntingdon Gym Club. Pommel Horse is his best apparatus.
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, Elsa Garcia Rodriguez Blanca and Daniel Keatings each received a cheque for US$ 5,000 and the official watch of the 41st Artistic Gymnastics World Championships, a model of the Longines Sport Collection.

Longines also took the opportunity to give a Conquest watch to its new Ambassador of Elegance, the Swiss gymnast Ariella Kaeslin, the European vault Champion as well as all-around bronze medallist.

Press accredited for the 41st Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in London have been provided with competition data in real time by the watchmaker Longines, official timekeeper of the FIG. This technological achievement allows the media to consult online with a live link to the scores as well as final rankings of athletes during the competition. Launched in gymnastics at the Stuttgart (Germany) worlds in 1989, the service is known in media circles as CIS (Commentator Information System).

Having renewed its involvement in International tennis in 2007, Longines is now entering the world of badminton this summer. The well known Swiss watch manufacturer whose history is closely linked with that of sports timing has just become a partner of the Indian Badminton Federation. Longines will also be the Official Partner and Official watch for the Badminton World Championships that will take place in Hyderabad (India) from 10 to 16 August 2009.
Having been involved for many years in sports of elegance, precision and tradition such as equestrian sports, gymnastics, Alpine skiing and more recently tennis, short-track and archery. Longines has now committed itself to a sport that demands excellent physical condition, an acute tactical awareness and of course rapid precision. For the famous watchmaker badminton thus reflects the values that it has promoted for over 175 years, namely precision, tradition and elegance.
While the forerunner of badminton was already played by the Chinese as well as the Indians of Latin America over 2000 years ago, the modern-day version of this sport came into being around the same time as Longines' first foray into sports timing over 130 years ago. Legend has it that in 1873, a group of English officers who had returned from India got together in a castle in the village of Badminton (UK); they were talking about an Indian game called "poona" that was played with a racket and a light-weight ball. Having no such ball the officers improvised using a cork stuck with feathers. In their enthusiasm for their invention, they christened the new game ... badminton! Four years later the first set of rules for badminton were published. Since then the rackets and shuttlecocks have become familiar throughout the world and badminton is now an Olympic sport. Physically demanding and at the same time fun, nowadays the sport is played by millions of people worldwide and is the perfect match for the International vocation of the Longines brand.
On the strength of its experience and precision in the field of sports timing, Longines is proud to be able to associate its name and image with this high-level disciplined sport. Longines' next date with badminton is in Hyderabad from 10 to 16 August 2009 for the World Championships.
At this event the Swiss watch manufacturer will be presenting the Longines Master Collection Moon Phases model, a magnificent example of the well oiled professionalism of Longines' design team. Fitted with a self-winding mechanical movement, this elegant chronograph has a silver-plated dial decorated with a fine barleycorn design that enhances the Moon phases display as well as the various counters, the date and the small seconds at 9 o'clock, plus a double display for the day and the month at 12 o'clock. This model from the Longines Master Collection has a transparent case back that enables its proud owner to admire the intricate workings of the movement. The watch is mounted on a brown alligator strap.