====== Longines ======
{{wst>menue|Longines}}

{{wst>image_cr|Longines|Lindbergh|The legendary\\ [[Hour angle watch]]\\ [[Longines Lindbergh]]}}

**Longines** is a Swiss watch manufacturer, currently part of the [[Swatch Group]]'s High Range division.

===== Foundation of the famous manufacture in Saint-Imier =====
In [[1832]] [[Agassiz, Auguste|Auguste Agassiz]] opened a watch trade with fabrication in the Swiss [[Saint-Imier]] together with the watch dealer [[Raiguel, Henri|Henri Raiguel]] and [[Morel, Florian|Florian Morel]]. Agassiz shows their durable watches "in the style of Saint-Imier" at exhibitions throughout Europe and quickly acquires a reputation. In [[1838]], the Comptoir Agassiz & Cie is set up.

On 1 July [[1862]] his nephew [[Francillon, Ernest|Ernest Francillon]] takes over the [[manufacture]] and in [[1866]] acquires some land outside the village of [[Saint-Imier]] in the meadows of the district Langgewann (Les Longines). In the manufacture here built up in [[1867]] a [[pocket watch]] with the name „E. Francillon, Longines, Suisse" is produced.

In order to protect against counterfeiting even then, the name "Longines" is registered with the Federal Office of Intellectual Property on 27 May [[1889]]. On 27 March [[1893]] it is registered at the International Intellectual Property Office and thus the company is the oldest registered watch manufacturer in the world.

After Francillons death in [[1900]] the first mechanical attachment watches for ladies are launched in [[1903]]. Two years later follows the first mechanically produced [[wristwatch]] and replaces in [[1919]], finally, the [[pocket watch]].

===== In the service of time measurement =====
=== The famous hour angle watch ===
In the years that followed Longines revolutionizes the timing in the sports and supports scientific expeditions. Based on his experience with the problem of fast positioning the American aviation pioneer [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Lindbergh|Charles A. Lindbergh]] advises the company Longines on the development of a special watch ([[hour angle watch]]), by which the determination of the longitude becomes possible easily and fast.

=== Timekeeper at sports events ===
[[1945]] Longines brings the first watch with [[automatic]] winding to market. In [[1952]] Longines is the official timekeeper of the Olympic Winter Games in Oslo.

In [[1961]] the world's thinnest [[electromechanical]] movement in its category is released at the [[Basel Fair]]. In [[1967]] the "[[Longines Ultra-Chron|Ultra-Chron]]", a highly accurate [[automatic]] wristwatch with [[high-beat|36,000 A/h]] is presented, and in [[1969]] the "cybernetic" [[Longines Ultra-Quartz|Ultra-Quartz]] is launched.

===== Holding Longines SA =====
In [[1970]], Longines was part of **Holding Longines SA**, which also owned [[Rotary]]. In [[1972]], Longines is integrated into the [[General Watch Company]] under [[ASUAG]].

Longines also develops Video-Longines, an electronic timing system for sporting events and industrial processes, in [[1971]]. The following year, Longines provides timing at the Olympic Games in Munich.

In [[1972]], [[Swiss Timing]] introduces the first [[LCD]] watch. This is a joint project of Longines, [[Ebauches SA]], and Texas Instruments. Longines introduces their first [[double barrel]] automatic movement in [[1975]]. In [[1981]], Longines introduces a compact quartz movement for ladies watches, the thinnest sweep seconds and calendar movement in [[1982]], along with a watch with a lithium battery.

===== Part of the Swatch Group =====
With the advent of [[quartz]] watches in the early 1980's the company, like many other watch [[manufacture]]s, gets in severe economic difficulties. Then Longines is integrated in the [[SMH]] group, at the time the largest Swiss watch manufacturer, which in turn has now become the world's largest watch trust, the [[Swatch Group]]. The current model range includes both classics with mechanical movements such as the [[Longines Lindbergh]] and [[quartz watch]]es as well.

[[2007]], as a tribute to the first true [[pilot's watch]] of the watch history, the navigation watch Longines Weems (then the forerunner of the Longines Lindbergh), an edition with the name [[Longines Weems|Longines Weems Second-Setting Watch]] is released.

In [[2019]], Longines shipped its 50 millionth watch. The company has also grown to over SFr1.5 billion in annual sales, one of only seven Swiss watch companies over SFr1 billion. Longines, along with [[Omega]] and [[Tissot]], is one of the largest brands inside [[Swatch Group]].

===== Address =====
Longines Watch Co. Francillon Ltd.\\ CH-2610 Saint-Imier

Tel. +41 32 942 54 25\\ Fax +41 32 942 54 29

===== Weblinks =====
  *[[http://www.longines.com|Longines]]


{{tag>Watch_brands Watch_brands_Switzerland Manufactures Swatch_Group Saint-Imier Jura_triangle ASUAG Defunct_watch_and_luxury_trusts}}