LEGENDARY DEPTHS

From pioneering chronographs to revolutionizing dive watches, Longines has always been at the forefront of horological advancements. Explore how the Swiss brand's journey through water-resistance shaped the future of dive watches-and made a splash in the process

- SUMIT NAG

Longines is by far one of the oldest and most storied names in the history of watchmaking. In fact, it ranks as the fifth oldest after Blancpain (1735), Vacheron Constantin (1755), Breguet (1755) and Girard-Perregaux (1791). Longines was founded in 1832. And in case you are wondering, sixth on that list is Jaeger-LeCoultre (1833). This is how pivotal the name Longines is. It also means to say that as one of the earliest pioneers, and a brand that continues to produce watches today, Longines has added significantly to all chapters of horology since its establishment. Interestingly, Longines is not only the first watch brand to use a logo, its winged hourglass form is the oldest unchanged active trademark registered with WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organisation).

One lesser known innovation of Longines since its nascent days was the dogged cataloguing and recording of all its watchmaking activities. From the very beginning of the company, Longines is said to have set aside a certain number of all watches produced for archiving. The company also states that as of 1867, every Longines watch has been consecutively and consistently numbered. This means that Longines is able to verify and identify every timepiece that it has ever produced to date.

Today, Longines is most lauded for its advancements in chronographs and sports timing in the early 1900s. You see, it was within the first two decades of the 20th century that the watch successfully transitioned from the pocket to the wrist. A lot had to do with how various militaries engaged with their preferred watchmakers to equip their soldiers with reliable timepieces. In the theatre of operations, it had become obvious that fishing out a watch from a pocket was hardly ideal, as opposed to a quick glance towards a watch strapped on the wrist. Longines, too, was involved in the development of wristwatches for civilian and military clients in this era.