The tradition of crafting fine Longines watches began in 1832 with Auguste Agassiz.  In the town of Saint-Imier (in Switzerland), Agassiz partnered with Raiguel Jeune, a local watch parts trader, to begin producing timepieces.  In 1847, Agassiz assumed sole ownership of the company and later (in 1852) brought in his nephew, Ernest Francillon, to work with him.  By 1862, Agassiz has turned the company entirely over to Francillon.  A few years later, Francillon set up shop on the bank of the Suze river (in France) near Les Longines (which means “long and narrow fields” in French).  It is for this reason that the company name was born.  The very first watch movement produced under the Longines name was the L20A, which featured a level movement that was wound and set by the crown, a distinction that was revolutionary at the time.  Ever since the first Longines watch was produced, the company’s symbol has always been a winged hourglass.  

The Longines Legacy

The Longines watch began to enjoy success on a wider scale during the mid to late 1880s.  Longines was able to win Grand Prix awards in 1885, 1889, and in 1897.  Today, Longines holds the record for most Grand Prix awards won by a watch manufacturer.    At the beginning of the 20^th century, when wristwatches were first becoming popular, Longines was an important part of the action.  In 1905, the Longines watch became the first wristwatch that was turned primarily by mechanical means.  Over the course of the next hundred years, Longines continued to play an important role in the manufacturing and development of innovative watches.  In 1926, Longines first participated in the International Horse Show, which would become a company tradition throughout the 20^th century.  In 1927, Longines was the company responsible for timing the first nonstop transatlantic flight that was completed by Charles Lindbergh.   Another famous aviator, Amelia Earhart, was also won over by Longines watches.  She frequently wore a Longines watch as a means to time her flights.  Longines watches have also played a role in almost every Olympic Games, beginning with the 1952 Winter Olympic Games in Oslo, Norway.  The company continues to produce quality Longines watches.  In 2001, Longines produced its 30 millionth watch, which was commemorated with a special line of timepieces.    

The Longines Collections

Currently Longines offers several collections – each with its own unique characteristics.  The Longines DolceVita watch collection features a blend of style and refinement.  The DolceVita collection is a throwback to the era of the 1930s and the 1950s.  The Longines Evidenza, on the other hand, is a tribute to the 1920s, which showcased practical and smaller timepieces.  One of the newest Longines watch collections is the BelleArti line, which is a sleek line of timepieces designed to be elegant and stylish.  There are several additional collections manufactured by Longines, including La Grande Classique de Longines, Lindbergh, Longines Spirit, Longines Clous de Paris, The Longines Master Collection, Heritage, and The Longines Sport Collection.  Longines is also responsible for producing numerous limited edition and collector’s lines.