Longines Honour and Glory Collection

The culmination of 125 years Longines timekeeping

Saint-Imier (Switzerland), January 28, 2003 - As it celebrates its 125 years of timekeeping service to the world of sport and the official inauguration of a permanent exhibition on the subject at its Saint-Imier museum, Longines is providing collectors of exceptional chronographs with exactly 125 opportunities, no more no less, to acquire a limited-edition two-timepiece “Honour and Glory” set.

The “Honour and Glory” maple-wood presentation case houses a large-diameter Longines timer chronograph formerly used for timing sports events along with a brand-new self-winding wrist chronograph, designed by Longines specially for this commemorative set. Both dials have been deliberately and precisely harmonized, with 35 sets featuring silver brushed-finishing, 60 silver satin-finishing and 30 being opaline brushed-finished. The stamp-transferred black hour digits are classic Breguet figures, the hands of blued steel.

A historic stopwatch

A full 66.50 mm in diameter, the chronograph’s stainless steel case houses a 24-line, 21-jewel chronograph movement with split-seconds feature originally produced in 1939 and still the most accurate mechanical movement ever built by Longines.

It is based on its 24.99 chronograph caliber dating from 1908, i.e. is part of a distinguished dynasty of hand-wound sports chronographs. It comes equipped with two center chronograph hands, one for basic timing, the other, split-seconds, hand serving for intermediate times. The dial also features a subdial for the seconds at 6 o’clock and a 30-minute totalizer at 12 o’clock. With its 18,000 vibrations per hour rate, the movement can clock times to one-fifth of a second.

An elegant wrist chronograph

The Longines chronograph that serves as the stopwatch’s limited-edition companion piece has been quite deliberately styled like its celebrated predecessor. It features the same dial with black painted Breguet numerals, the same chronograph hand… However, its 18K white gold case which comes with a black leather strap houses a fast-beat (28,800 vibrations per hour) movement providing 42 hours power reserve. In addition to a subdial for the seconds at 3 o’clock and its 30-minute totalizer at 9 o’clock, it features a date calendar at 6 o’clock.

Longines is a member of Swatch Group Ltd, the world’s leading watch manufacturer with no fewer than 158 production sites in Switzerland.