Longines

As one might expect, the history of Longines is a rather storied, evolutive one. Originally named “Raiguel Jeune,” the company was set up in 1832 by Auguste Agassiz (alongside a few other business partners) in Saint Imier - an ancient township in the shadow of Mont Soleil.

By 1867, Ernest Francillon, Agassiz’s nephew and company director at that time, set up a new workshop for the purposes of serially manufacturing movements - sited on an area nicknamed “Les Longines,” giving rise to the company’s modern name. Francillon would continue to shepherd the company until his death in 1900, solidifying Longines’ status as one of the earliest examples of a modern watch manufacturer.