Longines
- Founded
- 1832
- Based in
- Saint-Imier, Switzerland
- In our catalog
- 13 watches from $1,650 to $4,900
Longines is one of the best values in Swiss watches. It has a long history, from timing sports to navigating early transatlantic flights, a vast archive it draws on for reissues, and prices that sit well below most brands with similar heritage. Its winged hourglass logo is one of the oldest registered trademarks still in use.
History
Auguste Agassiz joined a watch business in Saint-Imier in 1832. His nephew Ernest Francillon built a factory in 1867 on a meadow called "Les Longines" (the long fields), bringing all production under one roof. The winged hourglass logo was registered in 1889.
Longines became a major name in sports timing and aviation. It timed early Olympic Games and record flights, and in 1931 made the Hour Angle Watch designed by Charles Lindbergh to help pilots calculate longitude. It made the first watches with a second time zone in the 1920s (the Zulu Time line) and the high-frequency Ultra-Chron in 1968. Longines joined the group that became the Swatch Group in 1983.
Signature models
- Spirit 40: A pilot-inspired watch with a chronometer movement and a clean, modern look.
- Spirit Zulu Time: A GMT version of the Spirit, based on Longines's 1920s Zulu Time.
- Zulu Time 39: A smaller, more classic GMT.
- HydroConquest 41: A versatile, well-priced dive watch.
- Conquest 41: A sporty everyday watch relaunched in 2023.
- Legend Diver: A reissue of a 1960s super-compressor diver with an internal bezel.
- Master Collection 34 and Master Collection Moonphase: Classic dress watches, the moon phase being one of the brand's bestsellers.
- Ultra-Chron: A reissue of the 1968 high-beat diver.
- Avigation BigEye: A vintage-style pilot's chronograph with an oversized minute counter.
- Heritage Classic Tuxedo: A 1930s-style watch with a black and white dial.
- Primaluna Moonphase and Mini DolceVita: Elegant women's watches.
What it's known for
Longines has a huge archive of historical designs and makes faithful reissues. Its movements, supplied by the Swatch Group, often have silicon balance springs and long power reserves. It also sponsors equestrian sports and tennis.
Price and positioning
Longines watches cost from about $1,600 to $4,600 for most models. It sits above Tissot and Hamilton in the Swatch Group, competing with Oris, Tudor's entry models and Frederique Constant.
Longines watches in our library
- Longines HydroConquest 41 ($1,650 to $1,900)
- Longines Mini DolceVita ($1,700 to $1,900)
- Longines Conquest 41 (2023) ($1,750 to $1,900)
- Longines Master Collection 34 ($1,950 to $2,200)
- Longines Primaluna Moonphase ($2,100 to $2,500)
- Longines Heritage Classic Tuxedo ($2,350 to $2,550)
- Longines Spirit 40 ($2,400 to $2,700)
- Longines Legend Diver ($2,800 to $3,100)
- Longines Spirit Zulu Time ($3,400 to $3,700)
- Longines Master Collection Moonphase ($3,400 to $3,800)
- Longines Zulu Time 39 ($3,600 to $3,900)
- Longines Avigation BigEye ($3,800 to $4,150)
- Longines Ultra-Chron ($4,600 to $4,900)
Vintage Longines watches
- Longines Flagship (1960s) (pre-owned, $600 to $1,500)