The Bite Magazine - issue 16

The Master Collection and Conquest Classic T he history of Longines goes back as far as 1832 when the Saint-Imier watchmaking establishment was founded by Auguste Agassiz, brother of the famous naturalist Louis Agassiz. Auguste and his two partners made and sold pocket watches with crown-wheel escapements that were similar to the ones produced by the Swiss watchmak- ing industry. Heading up the company in 1846, Auguste used his family connec- tions in the United States to help make the business successful aboard, particu- larly across the Atlantic. His nephew, Ernest Francillon, a qualified economist joined the company in 1852 and even- tually took over the family business. In 1867, Francillon established the Longines factory in Es Longines (Long Meadows) and in the same year, it produced its first movement, the 20A which had an anchor escapement as well as a pendant winding and setting mechanism. The movement won them an award at the Universal Exhibition in Paris that same year. Almost ten years later, Longines pro- duced the 20H calibre patented by watchmaker Alfred Lugrin which became the first mechanism manufactured by Longines to be used for precise timing. The brand’s winged hourglass was influenced by horse racing. The first chronographs sold in America were not only for bettors to assist them in their assessments or horse racing spec- tators but for everyone involved in sports such as buyers looking for future champions or riders aiming to improve their performance. Longines started to get involved in different aspects of sports and explorations in 1899, start- ing with equipping Prince Luigi Amedeo of Savoie, Duke of the Abruzzi, for his Artic expedition. In 1900, they won the Grand Prix at the Universal Exhibition in Paris with a pocket watch named La Renommée which contained the 21.59 calibre chronometer. Then in 1913, the watch brand developed its first calibre for a wristwatch with a single push-piece. Since then, Longines has been creating exceptional watches with cutting-edge technology. Among its many collections of watches, the Master Collection is the perfect illustration of the brand’s corporate ethos since it first launched in 2005 and would become their best-selling product. All watches in this collection are fitted with self-winding movements, with various models offering many special features. The collection is said to “bring together the classical elegance and excellent quality which never ceases to delight those who appreciate exceptional timepieces.”Whilst new sizes and sophis- tications have been added to the line over the years, the timeless classicism which is the brand’s essential character- istic and has played a major role in its success across the globe, has always been maintained. It also offers a wide range of sophistication as well as traditional models with three hands in which you could be a businessman one day, sports- man the next and a jet-setter at another time. With chronograph functions, indication of time in all 24 time-zones worldwide, power-reserve indicator, and phases of the moon or retrograde func- tion, the Master Collection ensures that you are in control all the time. The sophisticated models are availa- ble in various diameter sizes (38.5mm, 40mm, 41mm, 42mm and 44mm) so that it provides the ideal watch to suit every wrist. The cases have options of steel, steel and yellow gold, or 18 carat rose gold. The black or silver dials are dec- orated with a barley-corn design which enhances the rhodium-plated or blued steel hands.With water resistance of up to 3 bars, the models have a transpar- ent case back through which the owner can admire the fascinating workings of the movement. You can choose to have your piece mounted on either a steel and yellow gold or a steel bracelet, or on a black or dark brown alligator strap, all of which have a folding safety clasp. Using their status as a partner of some of the most prestigious flat races in the world and influence of horseracing, Jada Brookes looks at two of Longines’ watch collections and how the business was established in France. bite watches LONGINES