Longines’ Watch History
Owned by the Swatch Group, Longines is the oldest registered watch brand, and its logo is also the oldest unchanged trademark in the whole world. Immediately recognisable, the winged hourglass logo perfectly represents Longines’ elegance, prestige and tradition.
The watchmaker has a long, rich connection to the world of sports, which began in 1878 with the manufacture of Longines’ first chronograph, the 20H movement. In 1912, Longines created the first system of electromechanical sports timing (which used wires that, when broken, started or stopped the clock in sports events); this system was used in Basel during the Federal Gymnastics Festival.
The brand is now deeply associated with sports like gymnastics, horseracing and archery.
Besides its sports heritage, Longines also has a connection with aviation. In 1919, the brand was named the official supplier for the International Aeronautical Federation and started developing highly accurate and reliable navigation instruments. Longines’ first self-winding movement, the patented calibre 22A, was released in 1945 and, in 1954, the company created its first quartz clock.
To this day, Longines has continuously sought to innovate and push boundaries, and all its watches reflect the brand’s motto of ‘Elegance is an Attitude’.
Longines’ watchmaking tradition and focus on high-performance, yet incredibly stylish pieces, have allowed the brand to become favourite in the horology world. Among the many brand ambassadors are Simon Baker and Kate Winslet, but Longines watches have also been worn by famous names like Albert Einstein and Audrey Hepburn over the years.
