Longines watch repair

The 1830S

This brand’s history began when Auguste Agassiz started to working for a company who specialised in trading watch components. The company was taken over just a year later in 1933 where Auguste and his two partners make and sell pocket watches.

The 1840S

August Agassiz becomes the head of the company and enjoys excellent success selling watches in America, thanks to the fortuitousness of having family living there.

The 1850S

Auguste’s nephew, Ernest Francillon takes over the business slowly and renames it “Longines” thanks to the patch of land known as “Les Longines” which the factory was situated. Longines has a great and rich history, we specialise in vintage watch repair if you have a classic Longines watch send it for review and watch repair by our master horologists.

The 1860S

The Longine factory produces their first 20A movement in 1867, an award-winning calibre which had an anchor escapement and a pendant winding and setting mechanism. The entire factory’s watches bear the Longines name on the dial. A winged hourglass is also engraved on the movements. The brand’s winged hourglass logo is the oldest registered trademark for a watchmaker.

The 1870S

Longines’ technical director Jacques David heads to America is 1976 and sparks the catalyst for the industrialisation of Swiss watches upon his return thanks to the report of his experiences at the United States for the Universal Exhibition.

Together, Francillon and David become pioneers in mechanised watch production. In 1878 the brand created the 20H calibre, a chronograph movement patented by Alfred Lugrin. This was the brand’s first precision piece, and an area the brand’s interest continued to grow over the years.

The 1880S

The first known advertisement for the brand can be seen in 1881 as a method to assist those in the horse racing industry looking to improve their performance. By 1886 the brand is supplying the majority of New York’s sporting officials.

After the brand received popularity in the sporting world, their next mission was to become famed for precision timing. In 1888 the brand created their first certified chronometer was the 21.59 calibre which was based on an 1878 model.

In 1889 Longines were associated with exploring for the first time, when it equips Prince Luigi Amedeo of Savoie, Duke of the Abruzzi, in his Arctic expedition.

The 1900S

Longines wins the Grand Prix with their pocket watch named La Renommée with the 21.59 calibre, over the years the brand wins more Grand Prix than any other brand. Do you own a vintage Longines watch? We offer vintage watch restoration and love to restore pre-loved timepieces.

The 1910S

In 1912 the brand created its first electromechanical watches for sports timing. These watches use wires which, when broken start and stop the watch.

The brand continues to develop its sports timing watches and develop its first 13.33Z wrist-watch with a single push-piece. The watch had a 30 minute instantaneous counter and enjoyed accuracy within 1/5 of a second.

During 1916 the brand pushes the boundaries of creativity and manufacture timepieces with oval and rectangular shaped movements for their wrist-watches.

Thanks to their highly accurate watches, Longines is named the official supper of the International Aeronautical Federation. They develop watches to be used by aviators and help time records set by these pioneers. If your watch is not keeping time accurately, send it for inspection by Repairs by Post, we are Longines watch repair specialists.

The 1920S

Longines and Navy officer Philip Van Horn Weems develop navigational devices together in 1927. These devices allow the user to synchronise the second hand with a GMT signal.

The 1930S

In 1931 a new instrument is created based on this design – the Lindbergh Hour Angle watch. This device helps aviators calculate longitude and define their geographical location. Eight years after Longines craft their navigational watches with Van Horn Weems, in 1935, a patent is finally filed.

In 1936 Longines produce their 13ZN calibre in various variations, with one or two push-pieces and semi-instantaneous 30 or 60 minute counter. This calibre has proven to be one of the most notable in the history of horology.

In 1939 the brand developed mechanical timekeeping equipment with or without a flyback hand that is accurate within 1/100 of a second.

The 1940S

The brand develops a new hand-wound mechanical movement with a chronograph function, the 30CH

The 1950S

Longines create their first quartz clock. This leads to developments in accuracy including a camera attached to a clock to record sports timings on film. In 1959 the brand developed watches especially for observatory competitions oscillating at a frequency of 36,000 vibrations per hour, for even greater accuracy. The 360 calibre sets new records for accuracy in the wrist-watch category at the Neuchâtel Observatory.

The 1960S

Longines times Donald Campbell aboard his high-speed Bluebird II car as it races across Lake Eyre in Australia on its way to setting a world land speed record of 648.565 km/h using their Chronocinégines instrument.

In 1967 Longines launched a self-winding 11½-line calibre, aiming to offer an alternative to the electronics and quartz used by other brands of the moment.

The 1970S

In 1972 the brand created its first digital watch with an LCD. The brand creates a range of watches different to their usual designs; transforming a belt buckle into a watch case.

In 1997 the brand developed its first self-winding calibre; it was the world’s flattest self-winding mechanism of its kind.

The 1980S

The brand develops the line “Longines’ La Grande Classique” an emblematic collection which proves an immediate and enduring success.

Longines becomes the official timekeeper for F1 races for a period of 10 years, and in 1983 the brand joins the Société Suisse de Microélectronique et d’Horlogerie (now Swatch Group).

In 1984 the company created the 276 VHP which limits the effect of temperature variations. This movement is still used in the Conquest Collection. If your Longines Conquest watch is damaged send it for convenient watch strap replacement.

The 1990S

To celebrate the brand’s 160th year, Longines open a museum at the company’s headquarters which traces the company’s rich history.

In 1999 they adopted the slogan “elegance is attitude.”

The 2000S

Having signed a long-term partnership agreement with France Galop, Longines is privileged to have its name associated, for the first time, with the Prix de Diane Longines held at the Chantilly racecourse.

2015

Longines unveils a game-changing development for timekeeping and tracking technology in horseracing: the Longines Positioning System (LPS). This system provides instant data on the exact position of horses during a race, race rankings, the distance between horses and speed. It boasts accuracy down to 5 centimetres and features up to 1,000 measurements per second.