Here at Martins of Glasgow we are a fan of all things mechanical, but especially the magnificence produced by some of the premier watch brands from across the world. One of these brands is Longines; a brand which holds the oldest registered trademark as a watchmaker with its winged hourglass.
They are famed for their Aviator style watchers and are one of the speciality brands that we repair in our shop.
So, what is the rich history of the Longines brand and why is it so well celebrated?
History
Just like Breitling, Longines is a Swiss brand. Founded in 1832, the Compagnie des Montres Longines Francillon S.A. was founded and over its long history has become one of the world’s leading watchmakers. The watch company has celebrated 185 years of excellence as of 2017.
The company began as a result of the ambition of Auguste Agassiz, who began his career working in a store that traded in watch parts in a small hamlet of Switzerland, Saint-Imier. From simply trading in parts, he moved on to fully manufacturing watches and even began trade in far-flung areas of the world such as the Americas. An amazing feat from someone who had simply began his career in trading parts!
Longines is a name that comes from a later purchase of land, known as the Les Longines (long meadows) which was the location of the company’s first factory. Here the full mechanisation of the watchmaking process was developed in earnest.
Since then, the manufacturer has created over 30 million watches from this location.
Sporting Excellence
In 1896, the first modern Olympic games were held and Longines provided the timekeeping pieces for the event. In truth, Longines has one of the richest and longest histories of any watch brand. This long history has always been deeply tied to the development of modern sporting excellence.
This intimacy with the sporting world has driven the development of a number of watches developed for use in events. This includes aviation, diving, timing the Olympics (fourteen times thus far), timing Tour de France (thirty-one times thus far), equestrian, skiing and tennis. It has become a name synonymous with excellence and timing, so it is no wonder that they have such an expansive range of exclusive watches to help you reach your potential.
Renown
The amazing advancements in watchmaking as a result of this companies efforts have accrued the company a world of awards. In fact, the company was the first watchmaker to create cybernetic electronic wristwatch as early as 1969.
Having timed some of the largest sporting events in the world and won several Grand Prix’s, Longines is certainly a brand with a reputation for excellence and prestige. A reputation which has transferred into every aspect of their watchmaking process. Every dial, process and the strap are delicately created in order to complete an outstanding timepiece.
Trust Martins of Glasgow to look after your Longines watch. Contact us for watch repairs that you can rely on.
In the meantime, take a look at our other brand spotlights here: