Over the years and through its different guises, Longines has constantly striven to complement its quest for precision with exacting aesthetics. These aspects still characterise its production today. The 185 years of know-how have been shaped by tradition, elegance and performance. As such heritage deserves to be honored and perpetuated, the brand has continually worked to preserve its legacy.
From its very beginnings, the brand has been numbering its watches. Every Longines timepiece has its own unique serial number, initially recorded in the workshop books until 1969, then on microfiches during the 1970s and 1980s, before the advent of the digital age. All watches can therefore be identified down the decades and have their own individual identity. To preserve this historical legacy, Longines benefits from a one-of-a-kind database, the Longines Electronic Archives (LEA), which bring together all the existing archives concerning each serial number.
While this complete traceability simplifies the authentication of Longines pieces, it also makes it possible to accurately track the development of production. In 2018, Longines therefore exceeded 50 million watches produced. This constitutes another historic landmark for Longines, which has created a unique piece, issued from The Longines Master Collection, with the serial number 50,000,000 for the occasion.
This model houses the new and exclusive L897 automatic calibre within a 40 mm-diameter rose gold case while offering a 64-hour power reserve and displaying an annual calendar at 3 o’clock. The hours, minutes and seconds move with the blued-steel hands that stand out against a silvered dial stamped with a barleycorn motif. A commemorative inscription adorns the timepiece's transparent case back, which reveals the intricate workings of the movement.
This timepiece will add to Longines’ considerable historical Collection, which can be admired at the company's Museum in Saint-Imier, the village that saw this long-established watch brand emerge and flourish.
