Buy Longines Quartz Watches, Swiss Replica Longines Quartz

Longines Flagship 26 Automatic Two Tone White Diamond (L4.274.3.27.7)

Great value, good price, looks great. Perfect size and weight. I love it.

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

Review by Cohen, From Sweden Landskrona

Longines Lyre 25 Quartz Yellow (L4.259.2.32.7)

Fashionable watch. Easy to read. This watch fits my small wrist perfectly. Would highly recommend.

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

Review by Mark Krodel, From United States Copley Ohio

Longines Evidenza 26 Quartz Yellow Gold (L2.155.6.71.2)

Very attractive and stylish. I have a very small wrist and it has links you can remove yourself so easy to adjust. Pretty rose gold tone.

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

Review by Rachel Manske, From USA Mill Valley

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 has once again looked to its rich history to expand the military wing of its Heritage collection. The Longines Heritage Military COSD is based on a piece of equipment used by the British Special Forces during the 1940s. Each item of this equipment was marked with the initials COSD and intended for the sole use of the Combined Operations Command created by the British War Office during the Second World War. These timepieces were much appreciated by the paratroopers.

The 40 mm steel case of the Longines Heritage Military COSD houses an L619.2 self-winding calibre. Maintaining its military look, it is mounted on a khaki Nato strap. Also created for the British army, these light-weight but robust straps were designed to meet the rigorous requirements of military equipment. The Longines Heritage Military COSD also exists in a version mounted on a black leather strap.

The opaline dial boasts a chapter-ring comprising large black Arabic numerals as well as a red 24-hour scale enhanced with blued hands. A railway-track minute ring serves to further emphasize the military style of the watch. A version with a matt black dial and rhodium-plated hands is also available. The upper part of the dial bears a broad arrow, a symbol used in Britain at the time to indicate government property. It was thus to be found on various pieces of military equipment including the watches used by the British forces. The numerals and the hands are coated with Super-LumiNova® to help the user read the time under all conditions.

The Longines Kentucky Oaks, considered by some to be among the most popular horse races in America, was won by Lovely Maria with jockey Kerwin Clark. Elegant Longines watches were presented to owner Brereton Jones, trainer Larry Jones and jockey by Charles Villoz, Vice President of Longines and the American skier Mikaela Shiffrin, the latest addition to the Longines' family as its Ambassadors of Elegance.

For this 141st edition, the Official Watch was a lady model in steel from the Conquest Classic collection. Set with 30 diamonds and featuring a mother-of-pearl dial, this timepiece is water-resistant to 5 bar and its screw-down case back is fitted with a sapphire glass.

Once again pink was the official color of the Longines Kentucky Oaks. All attendees were encouraged to dress in pink or wear pink accessories in order to show their support for cancer survivors. The same rule applied for competitors in the Longines Kentucky Oaks Fashion Contest. Open to all ladies among the spectator, the contest was held on a pink carpet. The first prize was an elegant Longines watch presented to the most elegant chosen out by celebrity judge and Mikaela Shiffrin.

Over the weekend, the world's best riders and horses offered the spectators a unique show with outstanding performances in Las Vegas famous Thomas & Mack Center. Steve Guerdat (SUI) steered Albfuehren's Paille to victory in the final of the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping on Sunday 19 April. Penelope Leprevost (FRA) earned the second place with Vagabond de la Pomme while Bertram Allen (IRL) riding Molly Malone V slotted into third place. The finalists were awarded an elegant Longines watch. The culminating day of the competition was enhanced by the presence of the icon of women's tennis, Stefanie Graf, Longines Ambassador of Elegance.

For this 2015 edition of the Longines FEI World CupTM Jumping Final, the Official Watch was a stainless steel Longines Conquest Classic Moonphase watch. This model houses a self-winding mechanical chronograph movement, a true symbol of precision and technique, which happen to be the required skills for show jumping. Its refined silvered dial displays the moon phases, echoing the excellence and elegance of the equestrian sport stars.

Longines' long term partnership with the FEI consolidates its commitment to show jumping. As part of this partnership, Longines is lending its name to the FEI world ranking for riders participating in the show jumping trials: the Longines Rankings. The brand is the Official Partner of three series of the Longines FEI World CupTM Jumping, along with the Longines FEI World CupTM Jumping Final: the Western European League, the Chinese League and the North American League.

Inspired by a mainly medical timepiece from the early 1920s, the Longines Pulsometer Chronograph measures the number of heartbeats, in addition to the time. The original model of this reissue was used as an instrument by the medical profession to calculate a patient's heart rate reliably and quickly.

At the time, the pulse measurement was taken over a period of 60 seconds during which it was necessary to precisely calculate the number of the patient's heartbeats. As this approach is not entirely trustworthy, the creation of pulsometer overcame inaccuracies. Indeed, this function provides a simple, reliable and rapid heart rate reading. The chronograph hand, coupled with the pulsometric scale, clearly indicates the patient's heart rate on the screen after only 30 pulses.

The Longines Pulsometer Chronograph offers sober elegance like the model that inspired it. The white lacquered dial is adorned with painted black Arabic numerals which subtly enhance "Breguet"-type blued steel hands, while the red of the pulsometric scale stands out in perfect refinement. The transparent steel case back with a diameter of 40 mm reveals the minutiae of the column wheel movement produced exclusively for Longines. A brown leather strap harmoniously completes this model.

Longines's CEO Walter von Känel has spent most of his professional career in an industry that captured his imagination while still a child, the industry that was the lifeblood of the Saint-Imier region where he lived. After leaving business college Walter von Känel became a technical administrator in the Swiss customs service and subsequently held a number of positions in accounting, logistics and sales with dial manufacturer Jean Singer.
He joined Longines in 1969 at the age of 28 as sales manager and was quickly seconded to the United States to work with the brand's New York agent. Walter von Känel continued to work his way up, holding positions as head of sales, then head of sales and marketing, before being appointed general manager in 1988. Since 1991 he has been a member of Swatch Group's expanded management board.
Walter von Känel is also very active in the politics of his region, and is passionate about local history.

Longines was for the first time the Official Partner, Official Timekeeper and Official Watch of the Japan Cup, attended by Longines Ambassador of Elegance Chi Ling Lin. Inaugurated in 1981, the Japan Cup in association with Longines is a 2400 meter international Group 1 turf race for horses aged three-years-old and up.

To honour Christophe Soumillon's great performance, the winning owner, breeder, trainer, jockey and stable staff members were presented with elegant Longines watches by Mr. Walter von Känel, President of Longines, and Chi Ling Lin, Longines Ambassador of Elegance.

To celebrate both the sporting aspects of this exceptional day and the delicate Japanese-style elegance, Longines organized a Longines Elegance Prize that paid tribute to the kimono. Mrs. Miki Uehara was thus declared most elegant lady and received a magnificent Longines watch from the hands of Mr. Juan-Carlos Capelli, Vice President of Longines and Head of International Marketing.

The Longines and IFHA International Award of Merit 2014 was awarded to Alec Head at a ceremony in Paris on 6 October 2014. The Frenchman, a leading figure in his country's horseracing industry, has enjoyed enormous success as a jockey, trainer, owner and breeder over the course of a career spanning several decades.
The trophy, accompanied by an elegant Longines watch, was presented to Mr Head by Mr Juan-Carlos Capelli, Vice-President and Head of International Marketing at Longines, and Mr Louis Romanet, President of the IFHA, during a ceremony specially held to mark the occasion.

Longines is the Official Partner and the Official Watch of the IFHA, as well as the Title Partner in the Longines World's Best Racehorses Rankings. Once a year the Longines and IFHA International Award of Merit is awarded, paying tribute to the career of a figure from the horseracing world.

In order to mark this outstanding collaboration that contributes so much to the prestige of horseracing, Longines has presented IFHA with a Longines Equestrian Lepine timepiece.
This rose gold pocket watch, dating from 1927 and re-issue, has been produced in a highly exclusive limited edition to mark the Year of the Horse, and reflects the Swiss watch brand's passion for equestrian sports.This model pays tribute to this legendary animal that is the embodiment of not only prestige, but also elegance and performance, two values close to the heart of the brand known by its winged hourglass logo.

The 44 mm circular steel case of the Longines Avigation - a contraction of "aviation" and "navigation" - referring to a navigation system invented during the 1920s - has the same diameter as the original one. It houses an L704 self-winding, mechanical calibre which shows the hours, minutes, seconds and date, and has a second time-scale. As in the 1949 model, the movement is encased in a soft iron plate and dome which protect it from the effects of magnetic fields.

The black dial features large white numerals as well as a 24-hour scale in red. The stick hands on the main dial are rhodium-plated and the lozenge-shaped hand on the second time-scale is red. All the hands are coated with Super-LumiNova®. The upper segment of the dial bears a distinctive sign, namely a broad arrow, used in the United Kingdom to denote government property, including military equipment and therefore the watches used by the British army.

The Longines Avigation is fitted on a black alligator strap with a buckle.

Since its earliest days, Longines has always focused on elegance. This quality can be found not only in its products but also in its communication, with the now famous slogan "Elegance is an attitude".

Longines presents today the Longines Elegant Collection, a line of refined timepieces including round watches with sleek lines in three sizes: 25.50 mm, 34.50 mm and 37.00 mm. Displaying the hours, minutes and seconds, as well as the date, these models are available in steel or steel and rose gold cap, and certain versions are set with diamonds. Evoking the Longines watchmaking tradition, all models in this collection are fitted with self-winding movements. The visual lightness of the design is finished off with a bracelet made up of fine links.

The ref. L4.309.5.88.7 and L4.309.0.87.6, feature a 25,5mm steel case and steel and rose gold cap case, and a white mother-of-pearl dial.

As part of this agreement, the Swiss watch brand will this year present the Longines Gran Premio Latinoamericano. This flat racing event is the perfect occasion at which to discover Conquest Classic, a collection dedicated to the world of horse racing. The event's Official Watch will be a steel chronograph from this line. With its 41 mm diameter, this timepiece has a black dial and is equipped with an exclusive column-wheel self-winding movement. As is the case with all models in the Conquest Classic collection, the watch's movement can be admired through its sapphire crystal case back.

Longines supports the activities of OSAF (Organización Latinoamericana de Fomento del Sangre Pura de Carrera), an institution involved in the promotion and development of horse races and thoroughbred horses throughout Latin America. OSAF is present in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela.

Don Marcel Zarour, President of the OSAF said: "In the name of OSAF, I am very proud to count with the support of Longines as OSAF's first Official Partner, and their great contribution for the promotion of horseracing in Latin America. The materialization of this agreement with the prestigious firm Longines means another important achievement for OSAF, by promoting the Longines Gran Premio Latinoamericano which features our best Latin American thoroughbreds, and supports our spirit of tradition, excellence and constant improvement."

Mr. Juan-Carlos Capelli, Vice President of Longines and Head of International Marketing, said: "Longines is proud to be the Official Partner and the Official Watch of the OSAF. Our brand and this prestigious institution share common values such as tradition, performance and elegance. We'll work together for the good of equestrian sports in a part of the world known for its horse culture. In addition, we are happy to announce that Longines will be the Title Partner and the Official Timekeeper of the Longines Gran Premio Latinoamericano."

The Longines Gran Premio Latinoamericano is the most important international Group 1 horse race in Latin America. This annual event is held in a different country in the region every year. On 15 March 2014, the Monterrico racecourse in Lima will host this prestigious event.

The Longines Heritage 1973 displays a vintage look that is true to the original model. The latter, a chronograph produced in 1973 by the brand, was fitted with a Longines mechanical chronograph movement, the 30CH. The Longines Heritage 1973 houses the L688 calibre, a column-wheel chronograph movement developed and produced by ETA exclusively for Longines.

The silvered dial of the Longines Heritage 1973 boasts a fascinating play of contrasts. At 3 and 9 o'clock, two black counters were included. The applied hour symbols are decorated with a fine black line and a dot of Super-LumiNova®. These are interposed and balanced out by a minute-circle, also of fine black lines. A blue tachometric scale surrounds the dial, adding a subtle touch of colour to the whole.

With a diameter of 40 mm, the cushion-shaped steel dial of the Longines Heritage 1973 has retained the lines and mood of the original model. The back is fitted with a transparent sapphire glass cover through which the wearer can admire the movement of the calibre as well as the blue column-wheel. This model is completed by the rounded push-pieces. The whole is mounted on a black alligator strap.

The collection La Grande Classique de Longines was presented for the first time in 1992. The Swiss watch brand now refines this collection and launches La Grande Classique de Longines 100 Diamonds - new models which combine the typical elegance of this collection with the beauty of 100 bright diamonds.

A large part of the attraction of La Grande Classique de Longines is the ultra-slim case - only 4.60 mm for the new models. 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 watch, set with 100 Top Wesselton VVS diamonds around the bezel and 12 diamond indices on the dial, is made of steel and equipped with a quartz movement. Hours and minutes are indicated on a blue dial. La Grande Classique de Longines 100 Diamonds has a diameter of 29 mm. It is fitted either on a black alligator strap with buckle or on a steel bracelet with folding safety clasp and push-piece opening mechanism. Thanks to the suppleness of its fine links, the bracelet fits snugly on the curve of the wearer's wrist.

The other two new models feature either a white mother-of-pearl or black laquered dial.

Longines Singapore Gold Cup 2013 returned for its fourth edition with Mr. S.R Nathan, former Singapore President, as the guest-of-honour. This year marks the renewal of the partnership between Longines and Singapore Turf Club for the Singapore Gold Cup.  With a S$1.35 million prize purse, the Longines Singapore Gold Cup is one of the most prestigious races in the region. Tropaios and jockey Tommy Berry were the first to dash past the finishing line, joining the realms of local racing legends immortalized by their triumphs in the high profile race. 
Conquest Classic Collection's timepieces were also awarded to the winning jockey, Mr. Tommy Berry, the trainer, Mr. Michael Freedman and owner, the China Horse Club respectively to recognize their merits. Longines continued the tradition of designating the Longines Singapore Gold Cup day as an annual Charity Race Day since they took on the title partnership in 2010. This year, Longines has pledged the total amount raised during this luncheon to the Community Chest, which supports 83 charitable organisations to help over 300,000 people. Items that were auctioned off included a variation of hand-blown colored glass horses and a limited edition watch from La Grande Classique de Longines donated by Longines. Award-winning Cultural Medallion Artist, Mr. Ong Kim Seng, contributed a watercolour painting and Singapore Turf Club also chipped in with an exclusive usage of their corporate box where guests can enjoy a private view of the racing action.
Mr. Juan-Carlos Capelli, Vice-President of Longines and Head of International Marketing commented: "Longines is honoured to be partner of the Singapore Turf Club and to present the Longines Singapore Gold Cup for the fourth time. This event and the charity activities connected with it are totally in line with our core values of tradition, elegance and performance". Longines recently launched the Conquest Classic series in Singapore, a timeless collection for the world of horse-racing to be worn amidst the excitement of the parade rings. Conquest Classic is a tribute to the chronographs produced from 1881 on for race-goers and jockeys in New York. True to the brand's values of elegance, tradition and performance, this new collection of models, all fitted with self-winding calibres, is at the same time totally contemporary and perfectly timeless. 
 

Longines awarded its Prize for Elegance to the American gymnast Kyla Ross and to the world champion, Japanese gymnast Kohei Uchimura at the end of the second all-around final on October 4.
World champion for the fourth consecutive time - a record - the Japanese athlete received this prize for the second time. Both gymnasts have been presented with a trophy, a Longines watch and a cheque for 5'000$.
Set up in 1997, the Longines Prize for Elegance is aimed at honouring the most elegant and charismatic gymnasts. Apart from purely technical considerations, the criteria are based rather on grace, harmonious movement and emotion during the performances.
Symbolising the contemporary elegance of the brand, the Longines DolceVita collection has been one of the stars at Antwerp. With its combination of sparkling diamonds, gleaming steel and glowing rose gold, the official watch for the event is fitted with a quartz caliber and features a white dial with ten rose pink hour symbols and one Arabic numeral. This contemporary rectangular timepiece is mounted on a bracelet of steel and rose gold and is set with 32 diamonds - a perfect illustration of the famous Longines slogan "Elegance is an attitude".

The day spent in Saint-Imier provided the Taiwanese actress and top model an opportunity to see for herself the various steps in the production of Longines's famed timepieces. A visit to the Longines Museum, fully renovated last year, proved one of the high points of a day full of emotion and discovery. Chi-Ling Lin was obviously fascinated by all the watches that have written the company's history.
A Longines ambassadress since 2005, Chi-Ling Lin embodies to perfection the Longines catchline "Elegance is an Attitude". Every hour of her visit and its various activities as well as her graceful distinction and wit delighted the people she met.
At the end of her visit, Chi-Ling Lin declared "It gives me great pleasure to be in Saint-Imier and in its superb Swiss mountainous countryside. I really enjoyed my visit to Longines. You can really feel the company's expertise and the history of a brand that has long defined the ideals of elegance".

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!  

The new models of the HydroConquest line have a round steel case and a diameter of 39 mm or 41 mm. The 3-hands-models are equipped with an automatic or a quartz movement while the HydroConquest chronographs are available either with the L688 column-wheel movement exclusively developed for Longines by ETA or a quartz movement. The dials in black, white or blue feature bright details in red and - depending on the model - 8 to 11 Arabic numerals. The bracelets are made of steel or rubber in black.

Diving watches "par excellence", The HydroConquest series aims to become the preferred watch of divers and aquatic sports enthusiasts. With a screwed crown, a screw-down case back and the lateral crown protection, these timepieces assure a water-resistance of 30 bar (300 meters). All the models are equipped with indispensable safety devices such as a unidirectional rotating bezel coloured in red, black or blue, hands coated with Super-LumiNova® to make sure that the time can be read in all conditions and a bracelet with double safety diving folding clasp and diving extension.
Here is the HydroConquest Chronograph, mechanical self-winding movement, cream dial and black bezel.

As a partner of the most prestigious flat races in the world, Longines was keen to launch a collection of timepieces to be worn amidst the excitement of the parade rings at Chantilly, Hong Kong, Royal Ascot or Dubai racecourses.

As a tribute to the chronographs produced from 1881 on for race-goers and jockeys in New York, the famous Swiss watchmaker has now launched the Conquest Classic line. True to the brand's values of elegance, tradition and performance, this new collection of models, all fitted with self-winding calibres, is at the same time totally contemporary and perfectly timeless.

The "Conquest" brand was patented through the WIPO on 25 May 1954. Since then this name has been used for many successful models manufactured by Longines across the years. Today, Conquest Classic joins the brand's other collections of classical beauty that have helped to make Longines' reputation and success throughout the world. This new line is dedicated to those race-goers who share the excitement of the season's most prestigious race meetings, from Chantilly to Hong Kong and from Dubai to Royal Ascot.

Conquest Classic is available in three sizes. The ladies' models have a diameter of 29.50 mm and show the hours, minutes and seconds as well as the date; they are available in steel, rose gold or in a combination of steel and rose gold. The black or silvered dial has applied 12, 6 and 9 numerals, lending this model a truly sporty look. The various versions are also available with a diameter of 40.00 mm. The mother-of-pearl dial set with 12 diamonds lends the ladies' models an extra air of refinement, and in some models the bezel is also set with 30 diamonds. These models are fitted on black alligator straps or steel or steel and rose gold bracelets, each to match the dial. All straps and bracelets all have a folding safety clasp.

With a diameter of 41 mm, the chronographs are fitted with an L688 column-wheel movement specially developed and produced by ETA exclusively for Longines. The case is either in steel, steel and rose gold or rose gold alone. The silvered or black dial shows the hours and minutes, with a small seconds at 9 o'clock, date and chronograph functions: a centre sweep seconds, a 30-minute counter at 3 o'clock and a 12-hour counter at 6 o'clock. These chronographs are fitted on a black alligator strap or a steel or steel and rose gold bracelet, all having a folding safety clasp.

 
WORLDTEMPUS - 14 November 2011

An independent transforming into a brand without losing its soul: this seems like an impossible task, but with Peter Speake-Marin, really, anything is possible.
This talented watchmaker named a brand after himself in 2000, but continued doing contract work for other watchmakers and companies up to 2008. Only in that year when the world seemed to go financially awry did Speake-Marin decide to fully focus on his own watches and invest all of his energy in this venture.
This also meant a change in strategy. While Speake-Marin previously focused on unique pieces that were often collaborative in nature - both with other artisans such as engraver Kees Engelbarts and the future owners of his bespoke pieces - since 2008 the London-born watchmaker working in Switzerland has tried to put something more like model lines on the market. This was achieved to great critical acclaim in the past two years with the Thalassa model and Speake-Marin's own Caliber SM2.

Spirit Pioneer
Making a huge splash at SalonQP, which closed on Saturday, was Speake-Marin's latest work of art: a 38 mm stainless steel beauty housed in his typical Piccadilly case. The case isn't the only element taken from previous Speake-Marin watches: the hands are also the same shape as those on the experienced watchmaker's original Foundation Watch, which is currently undergoing refurbishment. Turning the watch over, one finds Speake-Marin's typical rotor design winding Caliber FW2012.
The immediate question that enters a connoisseur of this brand's mind upon seeing this watch is certainly its departure in style: an aviation-style timepiece is definitely new within Speake-Marin's collection.
"Spirit is inspired by a timepiece I bought fifteen years ago when I was restoring antique pieces in Piccadilly," 43-year-old Speake-Marin explained at the event. "It was an authentic military watch from the first half of the twentieth century that I restored in my own time and wore regularly as my personal timekeeper. I always wanted to create my own piece based on this personal favorite and have toyed around with ideas to realize this ambition ever since I founded Speake-Marin."

That timepiece, a vintage Longines, seems to have meant much to him. However, this model symbolizes even more to Speake-Marin. First off, it is an "affordable" Speake-Marin released in part as a gesture to his many fans wishing to own one of his timepieces (retail price is 9,800 Swiss francs). This was made possible by the use of the rest of his stock of Caliber FW2012, a truly reliable ETA-based movement that he also used in the original Piccadilly line. The limitation of 68 pieces is a natural one dictated by the number of movements he had left.
Perhaps most striking, however, is the message engraved into the case back: "Fight, Love & Persevere." This is a personal message from the watchmaker, but also sort of a personal motto.

"The global economic downturn and natural disasters of the last few years have meant that people all over the world - myself included - have had to face up to increasing challenges that can test the limits of endurance," he explains. "But what has struck me in my experiences is the drive people possess to fight on, to adapt and to forge forward, with their capacity for love never diminishing. The themes of determination, tenacity and love were at the forefront of my mind when I created this timepiece and so I have paid tribute to them by christening it 'Spirit' and by engraving the motto on the case back."
Powerful and striking on so many levels, Speake-Marin's Spirit hit a real chord among the visitors to SalonQP, where the independent hall was literally buzzing. It would seem that the collection sold out.

WEEHAWKEN, NJ - May 25, 2011 - Michael Chen Zhao, the United States' representative for the 2011 Longines Future Tennis Aces Tournament at Roland Garros, June 2-4, has been preparing both on and off the court in advance of his first international and clay court competition. The 12-year-old Princeton Junction, NJ native qualified for the Tournament following a victory at last month's U.S. Future Tennis Aces Tournament at Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, site of the U.S. Open, in Flushing Meadows, NY.

Zhao, currently ranked No. 11 in the USTA national 12-and-under division, will compete against athletes from 15 countries for a chance  to play in a doubles exhibition match with tennis legends Andre Agassi and Jim Courier on the historic red-clay courts at the French Open, and receive financing for tennis equipment until their 16th birthday, courtesy of Longines.

"I'm really excited and a little nervous about this really cool experience," said Zhao. "There will be a little pressure as well since this will be my first time at an international tournament. I'm preparing by training really hard and maybe getting a chance to hit on red clay before I go."

Zhao began playing tennis at 5-years-old and entered his first tournament by age 8. His best finish is a third-place result at a National Open event at the National Tennis Center and he has reached the quarterfinals of the USTA Winter National 12s Championship played the first week of January in Tucson, Arizona. He dominates his opponents using his powerful backhand and claims to model his ground strokes after his idol Novak Djokovic. "I like the form of his strokes and how much energy he has when he plays," he said. 

Longines Future Tennis Aces is part of the brand's global commitment to support and develop tennis' superstars of tomorrow. All the players who qualified for the Paris event will have the opportunity to attend the French Open Women's Final on June 4. Longines is the official timekeeper and partner of the French Open.

Longines Future Tennis Aces World FINAL
Date: Saturday, June 4
Time: 10:15 am local time Paris
Location: Roland Garros courts 7

Andre Agassi and Jim Courier Exhibition Match featuring finalists from Longines Future Tennis Aces Tournament
Date: Saturday, June 4
Time: 11:15 am local Paris time
Location: Roland Garros courts 7

Press Conference with Andre Agassi, Jim Courier and Longines President Walter Von Känel
Date: Saturday, June 4
Time:1:00-1:45 p.m. local Paris time
Location: Tenniseum at Roland Garros

Longines is proud to be the official partner and timekeeper for the Roland Garros French Open. In an extension of this partnership with the world of tennis, Longines has also become the official timekeeper for the Rakuten Japan Open Tennis Championship and of the Kremlin Cup in Moscow. Andre Agassi and Stefanie Graf, that legendary pair of champions, are also Ambassadors of Elegance for the Swiss watch brand.
Now Longines is extending its commitment within the world of tennis by sponsoring the "Real Tennis HD" game on the iPad.
Meet up with the greatest players on the circuit in the best tennis game on iPad! Use the "accelerometer" controls to serve, as well as a joystick for a truly intuitive control method! Participate in Career mode and progress in the various tournaments on clay, grass or synthetic courts. Test your racquet skills against your friends in local multiplayer mode!
Click here to download the "Real Tennis HD" game from the Apple Store.

Sixteen children from all around the world will be playing in a mini-tournament leading up to an exciting mixed doubles final involving Gustavo Kuerten and Mary Pierce, who both won the French Open ten years ago. After this event, Longines will be continuing its support for disadvantaged children through its sponsorship of the charity foundations set up by Andre Agassi and Stefanie Graf, two of the brand's ambassadors of elegance. Finally, at a gala dinner a representative of the famous Swiss watch company will have the singular honour of presenting the Longines Prize for Elegance to a sportsperson whose commitment to helping those in need deserves recognition.

Longines has chosen to look to the future at Roland Garros this year by focusing on young tennis talent. In order to promote sport, respect for others, fair play and tolerance that the sport entails, the Swiss watch manufacturer will be hoping to find the tennis champions of tomorrow. In line with its slogan "Elegance is an attitude", Longines has become more and more involved in elegance in sport by supporting, as a first step, the charity foundations set up by Andre Agassi and Stefanie Graf, who are among its ambassadors of elegance. This year Longines will again be sponsoring the Andre Agassi Foundation and Children for Tomorrow, but also wants to help discover new young talent in the field of tennis by sponsoring promising players in the long term.

Longines will be inviting 16 children (8 boys and 8 girls between the ages of 10 and 12) from all around the world to come to Paris. Having been selected in their own countries on the basis of their tennis skills, these young hopefuls will play mixed doubles in a mini-tournament based on tie-break scoring. The children will be coached by Mansour Bahrami, who set up the Legends Trophy, as well as by Agnieszka Radwanska and Tsung-Hua Yang, who are also among Longines' ambassadors of elegance. The two winners of the tournament will then team up with Gustavo Kuerten and Mary Pierce for a show final that will take place on Saturday, 5 June 2010, on court no. 7. This match will give the children an opportunity to play alongside two tennis legends and to gain immeasurable experience: Gustavo Kuerten and Mary Pierce won the French Open ten years ago, walking away with the Musketeers Cup and the Suzanne Lenglen Trophy respectively. To reward and support the young victors, Longines will be offering them an annual stipend until they are 16 to help them to develop their tennis career. After the final, Longines will also be donating a cheque for $100'000 to the foundations set up by Andre Agassi and Stefanie Graf, which will be presented personally to two children from the Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy in Las Vegas.

At the gala dinner on the Saturday of the weekend when the finals are held, Longines will have the honour of presenting an award to a sportsperson whose commitment to helping the needy deserves recognition. In awarding the Longines Prize for Elegance, the Swiss watch manufacturer will be paying tribute to a tennis player who has demonstrated true elegance in his or her heart.
 
Finally, Longines will also be taking advantage of the occasion to launch its Longines Admiral Chronograph Ceramic. The face of this magnificent self-winding, mechanical chronograph is surrounded by a black ceramic bezel and is a perfect example of beauty combined with performance. Longines' latest model in its line of elegant sports watches is mounted on a stainless steel bracelet whose central links are also in ceramic.

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.