Longines celebrates its 180th anniversary in Saint-Imier

    
In 1832, Auguste AGASSIZ joined the world of watchmaking when he became an associate of a watch trading office installed in Saint-Imier – this was the start of the history of Longines. To mark the occasion, 180 celebrity guests, local politicians, representatives of the Swatch Group and journalists listened to a welcome address.

Recalling Longines’ rich history and its continued development across the ages, the various speakers – including Nick HAYEK, President of the Executive Group Management Board of The Swatch Group, and Walter VON KÄNEL, Director of Longines – all emphasised the importance of the close ties that link the company to the town of Saint-Imier. Then Pierre-Yves DONZE presented his latest book, commissioned to mark the occasion and entitled “Longines – From a Family Business to a Global Brand”, which recounts the history of Longines, from its origins as a watch trading office to its present-day status as indeed a worldwide brandname. Describing economic and structural issues, as well as technical developments and innovations, this work presents the evolution of Longines through various key people and the strategic and political decisions they took which have shaped the company into what it is today.

The welcome address was followed by the reopening of the Longines Museum. An initial room, dedicated to the history of the brand known by its winged hourglass logo, was opened in 1992 by the late Nicolas G. HAYEK, founder and president of the SMH Group (today The Swatch Group). The entire museum has been refurbished this year, to mark the company’s 180th anniversary, and offers visitors a coherent, structured presentation of all the different aspects of the history of Longines. The guests then had an opportunity of discovering, or re-discovering, the brand’s treasures and heritage on display in the various refurbished rooms.

World Archery President Prof Dr Ugur ERDENER was delighted to attend the 180th Anniversary of Longines. The famous Swiss watchmaker has a long tradition of precision, elegance and innovation. It has been a true supporter of sports for the most of its history and a proud sponsor of World Archery since 2008. World Archery wishes a happy anniversary to Longines.

World Archery Communication