Longines’ history and watchmaking heritage

Longines is one of the best-known Swiss watch brands with almost two centuries of history. Founded in 1832, it has maintained its reputation through constant innovation, precision and its close relationship with sports timekeeping. Today, Longines remains a benchmark in the world of luxury watches.

The history of Longines

In 1832, August Agassiz, together with two partners, founded the Saint-Imier watchmaking agency, specialising in the production of pocket watches. At the end of the 1970s, Ernest Francillon opened the first Longines factory in Les Longines, where the first movement, the 20A, was also presented, marking the beginning of the path towards the mechanisation of production, which it pioneered.

In 1889 it registered its classic winged hourglass logo, associated with equestrian sports, and in 1893 it officially registered with the International Bureaux, making it the oldest trademark still in business without modification.

Since 1896, Longines has been the official timekeeper of sporting events, such as the first modern Olympic Games. In 1927 it developed the Longines Weems Second-Setting Watch, designed for sailing, and 9 years later launched the calibre 13ZN, the first chronograph with flyback function for wristwatches.

During this period, Longines expanded its catalogue with collections such as Conquest and Flagship in the 1950s and the first digital LCD display in 1971. In the 1980s and 1990s, the brand continued to innovate with the launch of La Grande Classique and the DolceVita collection.

Longines continues to reinvent itself today without forgetting its heritage, as a result of which it introduced the Master Collection in 2005, followed by the Record Collection and the Spirit Collection in recent years.

The Longines collections

Longines has created a variety of collections over the years that showcase its ability to innovate without losing sight of its watchmaking heritage. The Master Collection, introduced in 2005, has been a prime example of the brand’s traditional character, achieving great success. In 2018, the Record Collection arrived on the market, with automatic watches featuring monocrystalline silicon hairsprings, known for their properties that enable high performance in different conditions.

The Heritage Classic looks to the past with inspiration from Longines’ historic models, but uses the most advanced techniques of modern watchmaking. Launched in 1957, the Flagship remains a reference choice for classic watch lovers, with a variety of dials and sizes to suit different wrist types.

On the other hand, the Longines DolceVita, introduced in 1997, presents a style inspired by Italian life, with smooth, contemporary lines that appeal to those looking for watches that are a little out of the ordinary. Launched in 1992, the Grande Classique de Longines is a key collection in the brand’s catalogue, renowned for its slim profile and variety of styles that have earned it a solid reputation. The PrimaLuna, launched in 2009 and aimed exclusively at women, stands out for its mother-of-pearl dials and diamond detailing, with options in both quartz and automatic models.

Evidenza, inspired by the 1920s, evokes the great changes that transformed both fashion and accessory design, offering watches with a different aesthetic and adapted to the needs of the time.

In terms of performance collections, Conquest, introduced in 1954, is one of Longines’ longest-standing collections and continues to be appreciated for its precision and attractive design. The Conquest Classic, with a modern approach, is designed for women who are looking for a watch that is suitable for everyday use without compromising on style.

Longines’ history in aviation is revived with the Spirit Collection, which maintains the traditional elements of pilot’s watches with the latest technological innovations. In turn, the Heritage Avigation collection brings back the aviation watches and instruments that Longines produced in the first half of the 20th century, while remaining true to the brand’s original values of precision and design.

In the world of diving, the HydroConquest, part of Longines’ sports line, has been designed for those looking for a watch that is resistant to diving while maintaining a high level of performance. The Legend Diver, originally launched in 1959, has maintained its relevance over the decades, with a design that continues to be appreciated both in the water and in everyday life. Finally, the Ultra-Chron, a new version of the 1968 model, stands out for its high frequency, reaffirming Longines’ expertise in high-precision timekeeping.

Where to buy Longines watches?

In Ideal Joyeros we have a great variety of models of all these collections. Longines. We invite you to know them in the watches section or you can also visit our boutiques to buy your Longines watch in Marbella, Tenerife, Fuerteventura or Gran Canaria.