Longines is a model on the transfer, and people strikes are ceaselessly airborne. That is actually true of CEO Matthias Breschan, whom we’ve got met twice in the span of a number of months, each in Asia however not in the identical nation. That’s how this outstanding story took place, with two interviews and a pair of launch occasions. The extra important of the 2 passed off in March this 12 months as Longines revealed half of its slate of novelties for the 12 months. We are going to get to these in due course, however first we must always hear from Breschan himself in regards to the model’s plans for the long run.

We’ve got met the present CEO of Longines watches a number of occasions, proper again to his days of being in cost of Rado — Breschan has spent a great deal of time with The Swatch Group, counting his time at Hamilton, and Swatch too. This being the Swatch Group, solely the chief executives are supposed to make public statements that may be quoted. Thus Breschan has a troublesome job, at all times needing to subject questions from the press, and all around the world too. He has been remarkably forthright in regards to the affect of the pandemic on enterprise, for instance. He most just lately instructed The Straits Occasions that Longines’ weaknesses in counting on tourist-spending reasonably than partaking them in their very own markets made itself evident in the course of the rocky interval of Covid-19. The model has since bounced again, reaching 2019 ranges once more in 2022; that is outstanding in itself, on condition that the journey scenario has, arguably, not but returned to 2019 ranges, and exhibits that Longines did certainly react positively to the challenges it confronted.

Whereas Breschan is clearly captivated with having the ability to go to varied markets once more, this go to is a little bit delicate. The rationale for the issue on this event is definitely the explanation we’re all gathered in Bangkok. Although we’ve got seen the novelties, and Breschan has commented on them, most are nonetheless underneath embargo so we can not say an excessive amount of.

Which means that we’ve got to talk obliquely at occasions, and the interview has been edited as such. It additionally means we can not showcase many of the novelties throughout these pages. However, Breschan did speak about common methods so we’ll go along with these feedback, supplemented by the sooner interview we did in Singapore. All of it works out, as you will notice from the very first query. In fact, that trade will not be the primary one, chronologically talking and all that follows has been edited and formatted for readability and construction.

Our Bangkok assembly passed off in the 4 Seasons, the place — purely by likelihood — the Czech boss on the resort truly wears a classic Longines Majetek watch. Breschan instructed us that this solely grew to become recognized to the model when it approached the resort about internet hosting the 2023 regional novelty launch there. Maybe this can be a fortuitous signal for each the brand new Majetek and for the novelties in common.

Earlier than we dig into aviation watches and the themes of 2023, inform us about how the technique developed in 2022?

I believe you see in the gathering of 2022 very nicely the technique of how we’re going to develop in the long run. As a result of we launched in March final 12 months, the Spirit Zulu GMT with a model new unique GMT motion. It has state-of-the-art know-how like a silicon steadiness spring, and a (true) GMT motion as a result of you may regulate the hour hand independently from the minute hand. And of course, with our historical past of inventing the GMT motion in 1925… truly it started already in 1908 with a pocket watch with two time zones, requested by the (Ottoman) sultan. With the GMT watch, in historical past, pilots wanted a reference time (to keep away from air crashes), outlined as GMT, which pilots known as zero meridian… Zero is Zulu in aviation parlance, and because of this we named the Spirit Zulu as such.

One other instance is the Extremely-Chron Diver the place we’ve got a high-frequency motion. Longines actually revolutionised timekeeping in sporting occasions with the primary such (pocket) watch already in 1914; it was then doable to measure time to an accuracy of 1/10th of a second. By 1916, we had taken it to 1/100th of a second. It was truly so common that Longines obtained solicited by all organisers of sport occasions to time sporting occasions as a result of the model’s watches have been recognized for such excessive precision. We built-in, in 1959 for the primary time, high-frequency actions in a wristwatch. For 2022, we selected a dive watch from 1968 because the inspiration for the Extremely-Chron. It’s distinctive not solely in phrases of the 36,000 VPH motion and 52-hour energy reserve but in addition in the ending of the watch itself, with the sapphire crystal insert on the bezel. Whenever you have a look at the marketplace for watches underneath US$5,000, there may be nothing like this. It is usually chronometer-certified (by Timelab, a Swiss outfit that certifies not solely the motion, as COSC does, but in addition your complete watch head).

We can not assume of any watches at that value level, with a high-frequency motion, by no means thoughts all these traits!

Truly, there’s a good story in regards to the Extremely-Chron (the modern mannequin launched in 2022). Some of the primary watches have been delivered to France — to the well-known Gallerie Lafayette division retailer, and a collector (well-known for amassing high-end items) got here to our boutique there on the day the watches arrived and requested for the Extremely-Chron. I have no idea how this particular person was conscious of the precise date the watch can be arriving on the boutique, however these days collectors know all the things! Anyway, he requested for the watch, and stated he wished to verify the precision. Our retailer supervisor grew to become fairly nervous as a result of this collector had a instrument (a tool that checks the amplitude of a mechanical motion, which in this case was transportable and thus more likely to be the Accuracy2 – Ed). The man attached the system to his cellphone, and after 5 minutes he stated he was accomplished…(that is what he stated) “I’ve by no means, ever, measured precision like you’ve got in your Extremely-Chron watch.” He purchased the watch and left.

That could be a nice story! It does deliver up a problem I’ve in all probability mentioned with you earlier than, which is the pricing of Longines watches. It appears there may be an upward development now for 2023. Is that proper?

First of all, Longines is positioned in the US$1,000 to $5,000 vary, and has been for the previous 20 years; it is going to proceed to be this fashion for the following 20 years. Now with the brand new merchandise for 2023, whereas we proceed to remain in our house, we’re transferring in the direction of the higher finish of the vary. Beforehand, the bulk of our watches, I’d say, have been inside the US$1,000 to $2,500 vary, whereas now watches just like the Majetek and the Spirit Flyback Chronograph are above that, however nonetheless under US$5,000. Just like the Spirit Zulu GMT, the brand new watches all characteristic high-end technical improvements (in case development and the use of Longines-exclusive actions) so they’re priced accordingly, however nonetheless very cheap for what they’re. Just like the Extremely-Chron, there may be nothing just like the Majetek on the market at its value level (though technically, there may be nothing in any respect in the market just like the Majetek – Ed). So, although Longines is providing all this innovation, we’ve got by no means left our value section — that is the sweetness of being in the Swatch Group. We get each economies of scale, and haven’t any must go increased as a result of (the group) has Omega, and equally no must go decrease, as a result of there may be Tissot.

Providing a flyback chronograph for underneath US$5,000 could be very daring! We additionally hear that there’s a significance to this mannequin so inform us about it please?

We’ve got to look to the timekeeping historical past of Longines (for the solutions). The information that buyers have right this moment about watches drastically elevated in the previous years. Immediately’s shoppers are extraordinarily educated and, in explicit, younger individuals. Increasingly, we see that they get obsessed with watches — about mechanical actions, particulars in watchmaking, and the historical past of the craft. For instance, (after we communicate of the Flyback Chronograph), Longines invented the primary wristwatch flyback chronograph in 1935 — we’ve got a patent for this. Actually, Longines invented the primary chronograph wristwatch in 1913 (geared up with the essential calibre 13.33Z).

So, the flyback chronograph is admittedly one thing that could be a half of our heritage (that is the legendary manual-winding 13ZN motion that’s so low-key that even Breschan studies being shocked to find out about it, after he joined the model in 2020 -Ed). Greater than this, the flyback chronograph operate was actually essential to pioneering aviators, as a result of it allowed them to cease and reset the chronograph with the push of only a single pusher, so the chronograph doesn’t lose time when beginning to document a brand new interval. This was essential in these days as a result of the aviators needed to plan course adjustments based mostly on how lengthy they’d been flying (at a specified pace), so the flyback chronograph supplied a bonus.

Given the truth that the flyback chronograph, and the chronograph in common, are sturdy for Longines, why kick off the 12 months with the Majetek, which is a more durable piece to know?

As a result of the unique watch was an actual breakthrough, and it allowed us to (spotlight) that Longines truly pioneered the turning bezel again in 1935. Not many individuals know this; most assume that this sort of bezel was invented for the dive watch (in the 1950s), however that’s not true. Actually, the operate of this sort of bezel was meant for navigators to make use of at sea or in the air (to help in serving to keep on target), and these pioneers are essential to the historical past of Longines. I don’t assume that early aviators similar to Charles Lindbergh and Amelia Earhart would have been capable of obtain what they did with out Longines as a result of they wanted dependable timing devices on their wrists (Longines additionally made cockpit timekeepers – Ed).

The Majetek additionally introduces some intelligent improvements, together with an antimagnetic escapement in silicon. In fact, you possibly can have had the identical impact with quartz too, however we perceive why you wouldn’t try this. How do you see the divide between quartz and mechanical timekeepers right this moment, on condition that Longines has each in its vary?

Nicely, I believe the individuals who recognize quartz actions, it’s a really particular clientele. They only need hassle-free watches; they don’t need to take a be careful of the drawer after which have to regulate it each time. The customer of mechanical watches, he has a unique understanding of what we make… You realize, I bear in mind this myself once I joined The Swatch Group on the very starting. I attended a category the place they defined the variations between quartz and mechanical actions. On the finish of this class, they gave us a mechanical pocket watch motion, and each participant needed to disassemble and reassemble it. From this second, my appreciation for mechanical actions, the appreciation for the work of watchmakers, for micro-mechanics, completely modified. It additionally modified my notion of mechanical watches as a result of from this second on I actually appreciated them as emotional equipment. Yeah, you retain it to your lifetime, even for the following era; you don’t change to a different watch each six months or a 12 months, and also you by no means throw it away. That is once you start to really recognize the mechanical motion; this realisation is when your notion of watchmaking completely adjustments.

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