Longines Watches: a short history
Longines is a Swiss watchmaker based at St Imier. Established in 1832 they are now part of the Swatch Group. Here is a short history of the Longines company.
Longines is a Swiss watchmaker based at St Imier. Established in 1832 they are now part of the Swatch Group.
In 1832 Auguste Agassiz started a Agassiz & compangnie with a partnership between himself and another company in Saint-Imier. By the 1850’s Auguste’s nephew Ernest Francillon took over the management of the company.
Breaking with Tradition
In the mid 19th century watch making was typically a home-based business and the watchmaker has some kind of agent (called a comptoir) who would sell their timepieces on the world market. Longines worked as an établisseur in which the company does not manufacture parts themselves but assembles watches from parts purchased from specialist suppliers. It then established trade links around the world, especially with North America.
Ernest believed it would be more efficient to bring the manufacturing inside a single factory where mechanical production methods could be used to assemble and finish the watch. The factory was located on the banks of the river Suzze in the Saint-Imier valley in 1866, an area known as Les Longines. The enterprise was stunningly successful and by 1911 had more than 1100 employees.
The logo of a winged hourglass has been in use since 1867 and became a well known symbol at sporting events such as gymnastics, horse jumping, skating, tennis and skiing. The quality of Longines time measurement was sought after for world-class sporting events events such as the Olympics (since1892) and Formula One motor racing, and it still is today. Many Baseball stadiums had Longines scoreboard analogue clocks.
The company won many awards for innovation and in 1970 produced the world’s first consumer LCD watch. Over the next decade they reduced the watch to less than 1mm thick.
In the 1980’s, Longines became part of the Swatch Group. In 2012 they celebrated 180 years in business, which is no mean achievement. In that time they have produced more than 30 million watches.
On eBay UK: | Longines Conquest 41mm Silver Dial, Serviced by Longines £ 350.00 |
 | Longines Dolce Vita Unisex Stainless Steel Watch - requires battery £ 250.00 |
 | Longines Classic Men's Watch - L.720.2 £ 140.99 |
 | LONGINES Men’s Vintage 1940’s Manual Sub-Seconds Watch 12.68Z £ 249.99 |
 | Longines Spirit 40mm Black Dial Watch £ 1,100.00 |
 | longines conquest heritage L1.611.4.75.2 £ 500.00 |
 | longines conquest 38mm L37204526 £ 1,050.00 |
 | Ladies Longines quartz date Watch L5.132.2 Les Grandes Classique 24mm, Boxed. £ 350.00 |
 | Longines La Grande Classique De Longines Model No: L4.220.4 classic ladies watch £ 250.00 |
 | Longines Presence Watch L4.720.2 Gold Plated Black Strap £ 195.00 |
 | Unisex LONGINES Quartz watch Gold Plated,Cal L152.4, 28x30mm working. £ 300.00 |
 | Longines Evidenza Chronograph L2.656.4.71.5 £ 849.99 |
 | longine dolce vita £ 80.00 |
 | longines master collection £ 1,200.00 |
 | Longines La Grande Classique L4.677.4 Watch Silver Dial Black Leather Strap £ 325.00 |
 | LONGINES Master Collection 25.5mm Stainless/rose Gold 18K Automatic £ 1,200.00 |
 | Vintage Ladies LONGINES L4.220.2 Quartz Analog Quartz Watch, 24mm, working. £ 250.00 |
 | Ladies Longines Le Grand Classique L4.209.4 24mm £ 215.00 |
 | LONGINES Spirit Silver - L3.810.4.7.36 - 40mm - Full Set - Warranty to Sep 2027 £ 1,100.00 |
 | Longines Box and Papers 33 mm quartz £ 250.00 |
On eBay USA: | LONGINES Hydroconquest Quartz 41MM Blue Dial SS Men's Watch L3.740.3.98.7 $ 687.50 |
 | VTG Longines Watch Men 32mm Champagne Dial Gold Plated Date Round New Battery $ 149.99 |
 | Longines Hydroconquest Automatic L3.695.4 $ 700.00 |
 | Longines Hydroconquest SWISS Automatic Blue Dial Men's Diver Watch L38414966 $ 899.95 |
 | 39mm Longines HydroConquest Automatic Grey Dial Steel Men's Watch, L3.780.3 $ 1,225.00 |
 | Longines HydroConquest 41mm 2-Tone SS Men's Watch L37403967 / L3.740.3.96.7 $ 687.50 |
 | Longines Spirit Zulu Time Chronometer Automatic Black Dial Men's Watch L38024636 $ 2,449.95 |
 | Vintage Longines men's watch gold dial with three hands and date New batteries $ 199.99 |
 | LONGINES Dolce Vita L5.656.4 Chronograph Black Dial Quartz Men's Watch_860256 $ 421.20 |
 | New Longines Spirit Zulu Time 39mm Anthracite Dial GMT Men's Watch L38024636 $ 2,699.00 |
 | Longines Hydroconquest 41mm men's automatic watch black $ 750.00 |
 | LONGINES Grand Classic L4.720.2 Quartz Men Gold Watch From Japan $ 181.28 |
 | LONGINES Conquest Quartz 29.5MM Women's Watch L3.376.4.16.6 / L33764166 $ 495.00 |
 | LONGINES Conquest V.H.P. 41MM Silver Dial Men's Watch L3.716.4.76.6 $ 545.00 |
 | Vintage Longines Date Men's Mechanical Wristwatch Swiss Made 10k Gold FIlled $ 275.00 |
 | Boxed Vintage Longines Flagship with Cal.L.847.3 Ref.4027-2 Mens Watch $ 249.99 |
 | Longines Legend Diver Men's Black Watch - L3.774.4.50.6 $ 1,299.99 |
 | Longines Conquest SWISS Quartz Blue Dial Stainless Steel Men's Watch L37594966 $ 649.95 |
 | Longines Spirit Zulu Time 39 mm, Titanium Auto chronometer Watch (L38021536) $ 3,500.00 |
 | Longines Vintage Watch Faces For Parts $ 99.00 |
