In the year 1832 Auguste Agassiz opens a watch trade with fabrication in the Swiss Saint-Imier together with the watch dealer Henri Raiguel and Florian Morel. Agassiz shows their durable watches “in the style of Saint-Imier” at exhibitions throughout Europe and quickly acquires a reputation.
On 1 July 1862 his nephew Ernest Francillon takes over the manufacture and in 1866 acquires some land outside the village of Saint-Imier in the meadows of the district Langgewann (Les Longines). In the manufacture here built up in 1867 a pocket watch with the name „E. Francillon, Longines, Suisse“ is produced.
In order to protect against counterfeiting even then, the name “Longines” is registered with the Federal Office of Intellectual Property on 27 May 1889.

On 27 March 1893 it is registered at the International Intellectual Property Office and thus the company is the oldest registered watch manufacturer in the world.
After Francillons death in 1900 the first mechanical attachment watches for ladies are launched in 1903. Two years later follows the first mechanically produced wristwatch and replaces in 1919, finally, the pocket watch.

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