Intriguing Facts You Probably Didn’t Know About Longines

The Swiss luxury watchmaker was founded in 1832 by Auguste Agassiz. However, it was Auguste’s nephew, Ernest Francillon, who made the company to expand and to become what it is. Longines has grown to be one of the leading luxury watch brands in the world today.

Below are some interesting things about this huge company that you might like to know.

Facts You Probably Didn’t Know About Longines

1. Longines has a huge list of celebrity ambassadors

Luxury watch brands from all over the world love to use celebrities to help promote their products and Longines is no exception. It has one of the biggest lists of celebs ranging from movie stars, models, musicians, among others.

Some of the ambassadors include Simon Baker – an accomplished Australian actor, Kohei Uchimura – a Japanese gymnast, Kate Winslet – an Academy Award-winning actress, Aksel Lund Svindal, and Andre Agassi.

2. Longines maintains records of all watches ever sold

This is amazing! Longines has a long history of elegance and craftsmanship and they are proud of that. This is one of the reasons they maintain records of all watches they have ever sold. The records can be found in their museum known as Longines Museum found in Saint-Imier at the headquarters.

3. Longines is named after a location

That’s right; Longines got its catchy name from a location! When Ernest Francillon headed the company, he set up the first manufacturing plant for the company in a place known by the locals as “Les Longines”. This is French for ‘long meadows’. The company later adopted the name of the place where the factory was located and made it the name for the brand.

4. A Longines watch was the first to break the 2mm barrier

Swiss luxury watchmakers were racing to see who produces the thinnest watch and it was Longines who emerged victorious 1979. Longines developed a magnificent quartz watch named Feuille d’Or that was 1.98mm thick. Thanks to technology, the thickness is down to 2mm globally in most categories such as automatic watches.

5. PrimaLuna is the most expensive Longines watch

Longines PrimaLuna is the most expensive watch retailing at $17,875. This is not the most expensive watch in the world without a doubt but it’s a sight to behold. It’s good to note that not all Longines watches are that expensive. For just $1,600 you can own an original Longines Conquest 24 Hours, which is an excellent choice if you are looking for an entry-level Longines.

6. Longines sponsors over 40 events every year

Longines is known globally for their association with horse racing. The brand, however, also sponsors a lot of other events either as the official timekeeper or the official watch. Some of these events include; F1 races, the Federal Gymnastic Festival, the Hampton Classic Horse Show, the Kentucky Derby, the French Open Tennis Championship, Melbourne Cup Carnival, Dubai World Cup, Royal Ascot, and the Commonwealth Games, among many others.

7. Longines watches have appeared in three James Bond movies

James Bond films are one of the most famous movies in the world. This means that everybody has heard of or watched at least one James Bond movie. Longines has appeared in three movies namely Casino Royale, Skyfall, and Spectre.

In Casino Royale, for instance, Mads Mikkelsen wears a Longines Evidenza Chronograph in a poker scene. In Skyfall, Doctor Hall can be seen wearing a Longines Evidenza. The assassin Patrice is seen wearing a Longines Legend Driver watch with black straps. Lastly in Spectre, Ralph Fiennes is seen wearing a Longines Conquest Heritage.

8. Longines has never left its birthplace in Saint-Imier

Just like Longines, most luxury watch brands had humble beginnings. During earlier days when they were beginning, craftsmen had their workshops and would make the components and take them to the manufacturer for assembly.

After the success of Longines, the logical move would have been to move their headquarters to a bigger metropolis. But that never happened; the company headquarters is still located in that French-speaking municipality – where it all began.

Conclusion

Longines is known for its exquisite craftsmanship, its high-quality timepieces, and rich history. Below is an extra bit of information about this great brand.

Bonus Fact: Charles Lindberg and Longines changed the aviation industry

In 1931, a pilot by the name of Charles Lindbergh designed a navigational instrument that Longines helped bring to life. Lindberg had just made his non-stop solo flight over the North Atlantic when it dawned on him that pilots could easily get lost.

Longines and Lindberg created the Lindberg Hour Angle watch which allowed pilots to calculate their latitude and longitude, enabling them to know their precise location at all times.