GOLD RUSH, STEADY HAND

LONGINES CEO MATTHIAS BRESCHAN ON KEEPING IT COOL, CLASSIC, AND QUIETLY AMBITIOUS, EVEN AS THE BRAND FLIRTS WITH A LITTLE EXTRA SHINE.

- ANANDHI GOPINATH

CEOS TEND TO LIGHT UP when they spot a journalist wearing one of their brand’s watches—vintage, quartz, automatic, no matter. And Matthias Breschan, CEO of Longines, was no exception. We were in Seoul, South Korea, at the unveiling of Longines’ 2025 novelties, when I showed him my husband's two-decade-old Lyre, its original bracelet swapped for a glossy mauve leather strap. Breschan leaned in, smiling warmly. “Ah, but you see,” he said, inspecting it with genuine pleasure, “even if it's 20 years old, it could still be a watch we launched this year.”

In a world where many brands leap from trend to trend like caffeinated sprinters, Longines has mastered the art of stillness, of timelessness. But that doesn’t mean the brand is static. Quite the opposite. While many at the event were busy admiring the year's novelties that included reimagined classics and elegant sport watches, one timepiece quietly upended expectations: a Master Collection Chronograph Moonphase in 18-carat rose gold.

For Longines—famed for its precision in the $1,000 to $5,000 category—this is a statement piece. In Malaysia, where the Master Collection Chrono Moonphase in stainless steel is already regarded as a premium option, the new rose gold variant clearly positions itself as an even more elevated, aspirational choice. This is a measured but deliberate foray into more opulent territory. Naturally, I asked Breschan if this bold move signals a new direction.

“It’s an exception,’ he replied, almost before I'd finished the question. “There is a big appreciation for gold as it is a material that people consider a real investment, and it’s utterly aspirational. But these are exceptions—we are not going to sell huge quantities of these watches.”