Longines, the Swiss watchmaker with more than 180 years of craftsmanship history dedicated to tradition, innovation and elegance, officially opened its first Thailand flagship store at Siam Paragon last week.
The first Longines flagship store at Siam Paragon.
Presided over by David Ponzo, managing director of Swatch Group Trading (Thailand), the event also unveiled the new "Longines Conquest Classic", a series of contemporary yet elegant timepieces, all fitted with self-winding calibres. This new timepiece collection was unveiled earlier this year at BaselWorld 2013, the world's largest watch and jewellery fair.
The Longines "Conquest" was patented through the WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization) on May 25, 1954. Since then this name has been used for many successful models manufactured by Longines across the years.
The 29mm La Grande Classique de Longines 100 Diamonds (208,100 baht).
The new Conquest Classic line is dedicated to those who share the excitement of attending the season's most prestigious horse race meetings, from Chantilly to Hong Kong and from Dubai to Royal Ascot. The Conquest Classic is available in three sizes. The ladies' models have a diameter of 29.50mm and show the hours, minutes and seconds as well as the date; they are available in steel, rose gold or in a combination of steel and rose gold. The black or silvered dial has applied 12, 6 and 9 numerals, lending this model a truly sporty look.
Various versions are also available with a diameter of 40mm. The mother-of-pearl dial set with 12 diamonds lends the ladies' models an extra air of refinement, and in some models the bezel is also set with 30 diamonds. These models are fitted on black alligator straps, and a steel or steel and rose gold bracelets, each to match the dial.
With a diameter of 41mm, the chronographs are fitted with an L688 column-wheel movement. The case is either in steel, steel and rose gold or rose gold alone. The silvered or black dial shows the hours and minutes, with a small seconds at 9 o'clock, date and chronograph functions: a centre sweep seconds, a 30-minute counter at 3 o'clock and a 12-hour counter at 6 o'clock. These chronographs are fitted on a black alligator strap, and a steel or steel and rose gold bracelet.
The brand also added a touch of sophistication to the opening event with the presentation of La Grande Classique de Longines 100 Diamonds.
La Grande Classique de Longines collection was presented for the first time in 1992. Since then, these timepieces have become the brand's symbol of classical elegance and are popular all over the world.
With its ultra-slim case, this stainless-steel model has a diameter of 29mm and is fitted with the quartz movement L209. The bezel is set with 100 Wesselton VVS diamonds and the black lacquered dial displays silvered baton hands. The stainless-steel bracelet adds a final touch of elegance and comes with a folding safety clasp and push-piece opening mechanism.
The history of Longines dates back to 1832, when Auguste Agassiz set up a watch trading business in Saint-Imier. During the 1850s, Agassiz's nephew Ernest Francillon took over and decided to build a watch factory on the site known locally as Les Longines and he adopted "Longines" as the name for the factory there in 1867. Today, the brand is known by its winged hourglass logo with the slogan "Elegance is an Attitude" and has outlets in more than 130 countries.
The Longines flagship store is on M floor of Siam Paragon shopping centre. Call 02-610-0251.
Models present the new ‘Longines Conquest Classic’ collection.
The 29.50mm Conquest Classic in steel and rose gold set with 30 diamonds (199,400 baht).
The 40mm Conquest Classic in steel and rose gold (135,900 baht).
