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.
eBay UK
On eBay USA: | LONGINES Conquest 39mm Automatic SS Blue Dial Men's Watch L3.776.4.99.6 $ 884.00 |
 | Longines HydroConquest Men’s Stainless Steel Automatic Black Waterproof 300 m $ 759.00 |
 | 1944 Longines Sei Tacche Ref. 22660 Stainless Steel Wristwatch $ 699.00 |
 | LONGINES ADMIRAL 5 five Star Silver Dial Date Automatic Men's Watch vintage 35mm $ 450.00 |
 | Vintage 1943 Men's Longines WWII 17j Cal 10L Military Wristwatch-Serviced 11/24 $ 499.95 |
 | Longines Conquest Blue Dial Stainless Steel Men's 43mm Watch L3.760.4 Quartz 7” $ 499.00 |
 | Longines HydroConquest Automatic Gold Green Men's Watch - L3.781.3.06.7 FULL KIT $ 1,199.00 |
 | VINTAGE 1950's MEN'S LONGINES STAINLESS STEEL AUTOMATIC WATCH LOT 1028 $ 450.00 |
 | Vintage 1970's Longines Olypian Automatic Men's wrist watch $ 329.00 |
 | Longines Conquest Silver Dial Stainless Steel Men's 41mm Watch L37594766 $ 585.61 |
 | LONGINES Grand classic L4.721.4 Date white Dial Automatic Men's Watch made Swiss $ 369.99 |
 | New Longines Spirit Zulu Time 39mm Anthracite Dial GMT Men's Watch L38024636 $ 2,599.00 |
 | LONGINES - Soimia Couple Watch Series (Men's watch) $ 62.22 |
 | Gorgeous Longines 18K White Gold 33mm Men's Watch $ 1,950.00 |
![Vintage [Exc+5] La Grande Classique de Longines L4.636.2 Quartz Men Watch JAPAN](https://i.ebayimg.com/thumbs/images/g/O8UAAOSwq5pnNqor/s-l140.jpg) | Vintage [Exc+5] La Grande Classique de Longines L4.636.2 Quartz Men Watch JAPAN $ 189.90 |
 | Longines Master Collection Moonphase Chrono Automatic Watch L2.773.4.61.6 $ 2,250.00 |
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 | 1951 Vintage LONGINES, Stunning BLUE Dial, Serviced & Warranty $ 550.00 |
 | Vintage 1940s LONGINES Cal. 9L 10K Gold Filled 17 Jewel Manual Wind Watch $ 175.00 |
 | longines watch men vintage $ 400.00 |
 | Longines Legend Diver Automatic Men's Watch L3.774.4.50.6 $ 1,587.65 |
 | 1950s Vintage 10K GF Longines Mens Watch/ Running $ 200.00 |
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 | Longines Vintage Men's Automatic Watch Chronograph 38mm Case, Band Luminescent $ 650.00 |
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 | Classic automatic mechanical men's watch, extraordinary, noble and elegant. $ 61.69 |
 | Longines Pioneer Series Zulu Time Watch $ 350.00 |
 | Longines deep blue dial folding buckle brand logo delicate process lines clear $ 56.64 |
 | New Longines Master Collection Power Reserve 40mm Men's Watch L2.908.4.92.0 $ 1,346.80 |
![[N MINT w/Paper] LONGINES Golden Wing L3.105.5 Women](https://i.ebayimg.com/thumbs/images/g/xbgAAOSwQO5m-jah/s-l140.jpg) | [N MINT w/Paper] LONGINES Golden Wing L3.105.5 Women's Quartz Watch From JAPAN $ 219.99 |
 | Longines de Drovina - Women's watch small square steel band $ 62.12 |
 | Vintage 33mm Longines 6473 Men's Mechanical Wristwatch 23ZS Swiss Steel $ 190.00 |
 | New Longines Conquest Quartz Blue Dial Steel Men's Watch L3.760.4.96.6 $ 632.45 |
 | New Longines HydroConquest Automatic 39mm Blue Dial Men's Watch L3.780.4.96.6 $ 1,311.31 |
 | Longines Conquest Men's Black Watch $ 699.00 |
 | Longines Heritage Military L28194932 come with Box, Papers and int. warranty $ 1,750.00 |
 | Vintage Longines L3.502.4 Admiral 5-Star White Dial Diver Automatic Watch $ 880.00 |
 | Longines Avigation bigeye $ 1,750.00 |
 | New Longines Spirit Zulu Time 39mm Black Dial Steel Men's Watch L38024536 $ 2,000.69 |
 | Longines Watch Men 33mm Champagne Dial Two Tone Round New Battery VTG $ 179.99 |
