Longines Celebrates Triple Crown Victory And Equestrian Heritage

Jennifer Judkins and Juan Carlos Capelli, center, both of Longines, award Jockey Victor Espinoza, left, and Bob Baffert, right, Longines Conquest Classic 18k gold timepieces after Espinoza rode American Pharaoh to win the first Triple Crown in 37 years. Photo credit: Stuart Ramson/Invision for Longines/AP Images

By Gretchen Friedrich
Jewelry News Network Social Media Manager

Saturday's Belmont Stakes set racing history when American Pharoah became the first horse to win the coveted “Triple Crown” of horse racing since 1978. 

The win also represented a marketing coup for Longines. The longtime official timekeeper for the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness, the Swiss luxury watch brand began as the official timekeeper for the Belmont Stakes in 2013. Saturday marked the first opportunity for the brand to present 18k rose gold Conquest Classic watches to mark the occasion to the winning team (owner Zayat Stables, trainer Bob Baffert and jockey Victor Espinoza). Winning team members also received Longines Conquest Classic watches following each victory in the Derby and Preakness.

American Pharoah secured his spot in the very exclusive “Triple Crown” club by winning the Belmont Stakes by five and a half lengths. Not exactly wire to wire, but he was a solid contender the entire race.

Victor Espinoza rides American Pharaoh to victory at the 147th Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park Race Track, to secure the first Triple Crown win in 37 years. The longines clock prominent in the background as the race's Official Timekeeper. Photo credit: Stuart Ramson/Invision for Longines/AP Images

The term “wire to wire” is a familiar one in the world of horse racing. It refers to a horse that leads the race from the starting gate to the finish line. The term resides comfortably in the vernacular of racing enthusiasts. It is also closely associated with Longines, which is interwoven into the silks of horse racing history.

Beginning in Es Longines, Switzerland, in 1832, the company has a rich history in equestrian sports. Awards and accolades highlight achievements, not only in the realm of monitoring time, but also how to apply time calculations in the context of competition. Over the years, Longines has won dozens of awards based on its frontier spirit in the world of time calculating mechanics.

Longines first stopwatch was perfected at its Swiss headquarters in 1888, then shipped to the United States. It was a true advancement for the horse racing statisticians. Casual observers could “clock” a horse’s race time alongside trainers, owners, or serious gamblers. Anyone who had interest in a horse’s performance, against the clock for improvement verification, or against the competition’s stats, could acquire relevant data.

A significant timekeeping apparatus appeared in the 1912 Gymnastics Festival in Basel, Switzerland. Wires were attached to Longines clocks. Simple, yet effective, this device took precision in sports to a whole new level. The wires started and stopped the clocks, hence the term “wire to wire.”

In 1954, Longines was the first to combine photography with timekeeping. Its quartz clock was attached to a camera to record photos and time simultaneously. This is the premise of the “photo finishes” seen today in sporting events of all kinds, especially horse racing.

Over the years, Longines has become more involved in all aspects of horse racing. 

Robert Masterson, owner of the horse named Tepin, center, accepts a Longines Classic Conquest timepiece from Jennifer Judkins, center left, and a trophy from Juan Carlos Capelli of Longines, center right, after jockey Julien Leparoux wins the Longines "Just a Game" race Saturday, prior to the Belmont Stakes. Photo credit: Stuart Ramson/Invision for Longines/AP Images

It involves the crowd at events by hosting contests such as “Most Elegant Woman” at Belmont, with the winner receiving a Longines watch. It also formed a group that keeps statistics, and it sponsors the “Just a Game” race at Belmont, held prior to the Belmont Stakes. 

It all coincides with the Longines tradition of providing winning owners and jockeys with watches at the end of the prized races. A tradition it began in 1938. 

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Swatch Group Reports Record Sales For 2013 But Warns of Overvaluation of Swiss Franc

Swatch Group Ltd., the largest Swiss watch business, on Monday said year-over-year gross sales for 2013 increased 8.3 percent to 8.82 billion Swiss francs ($9.7 billion), far outpacing the 1.8 percent growth for the rest of the Swiss watch industry at the end of November. 

“This clearly indicates the gain in market share,” the company, which consists of 20 watch brands encompassing all market segments as well as luxury jeweler Harry Winston, said in a statement. “In production, specific capacities have been expanded and put into operation. Additional increases in capacity are either in the planning phase or already under construction.”

The company—which designs, manufactures, distributes and sells finished watches, watch movements, watch components, electronic systems and jewelry—said that excluding production, revenue increased more than 10 percent.

It also forecasts a “positive outlook” for 2014, which has already begun with a “strong start by all brands.” 

However, the company warns that that despite its robust growth and forecast, the ongoing over-valuation of the Swiss Franc, particularly against the US dollar and Japanese yen, is having a negative impact on its sales. For example, in the second half of the year, the company said the negative effect of currency exchange rates cost it more than 100 million Swiss francs ($110 million). Its electronics operation reported a decrease of 3.9 percent due to price pressures placed by the overvaluation of the Swiss currency.

Despite this negative currency situation, it expects good results for 2013 at operating profit and net income level. The Swatch Group’s key figures will be published at the latest on 20 February 2014. Publication of the annual report at a media and analysts’ conference on 20 March 2014 is planned.

The company, in its statement, didn’t address a December 30 fire that destroyed its ETA movement operation. These watch movements are among the most common in the industry. They are used to power watches from Swatch Group brands such as Blancpain and Longines and for many other watches used by their competitors. It previously had said it will slow the production of watches by many brands.

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The Swatch Group Brands at Baselworld 2013 (including Harry Winston)

Harry Winston Opus XIII

The powerful presence of the Swatch Group was present like never before at Baselworld 2013, taking up a larger chunk of the renovated Hall 1.0, the most prestigious area at the show for the majority of its 19 watch brands, which span just about every segment of the watch industry.

In addition, the company, which also owns watch movement manufacturers and retail brands, hosted a separate museum-quality exhibition in Hall 2.0 for its Swatch timepieces; the brand that has been the most responsible for the company’s enormous success.

The newest brand under Swatch Group’s enormous umbrella, Harry Winston, still had its own space in Hall 1.1, as the $1 billion acquisition occurred in March, well too late  for Harry Winston to be folded into the other company holdings (perhaps next year).

Below are some of new releases from the seven brands in the group that I had the chance to visit during the eight-day tradeshow. I included Harry Winston as the company's new CEO, Nayla Hayek, was announced Friday.

Blancpain Carrousel, Minute Repeater and Chronograph
The Swiss luxury watch brand has created a fully mechanical watch that combines a one-minute flying carrousel (similar to a tourbillon) and a minute repeater with a flyback chronograph.

For the minute repeater, the blades of its cathedral gong wrap one and a half times around the movement to emit the sound. Its transmission is optimized by fixing the gongs inside the case, which increases volume and clarity. A flying governor reduces the background noise produced by the movement.

The pusher for the chronograph function with the flyback or instant-restart function (historically used by pilots) is located at 4 o’clock and enables the wearer to restart a time measurement while a first measurement is in progress.

The watch comes in a red gold 45 mm case with a chapter ring, a 30-minute and hour-markers in grand feu enamel. The open dial and sapphire crystal case-back provides in-depth views of this complex device.

Breguet Classique Chronométrie 7727
Available in rose or white gold, the watch is fitted with the new in-house caliber 574DR, which has a balance frequency of 10Hz.thus, improving the time-keeping performance of the balance and spring. It is fitted with a double balance-spring, pallet lever and escape wheel, all in specially prepared silicon. The result is a regulating power equivalent to around 830 microwatts. Despite its high frequency, it has a power reserve of 60 hours.

However, Breguet says the major innovation of this model is the use of magnetic pivots, which not only controls the negative effects of magnetism in a watch, but also uses the magnetic force to improve the pivoting, rotation and stability of the balance staff.

The dial shows an off-center chapter of hours and minutes, small seconds at 12 o'clock, a power-reserve indicator at 5 o'clock and a tenth-of-a-second indicator at 1 o'clock having a patented lightweight silicon hand with low inertia that doesn’t affect the balance. The pare-chute is visible at 2 o'clock, both as a reminder of A-L Breguet’s 1790 invention and to make the timepiece slimmer.

The dial is engine-turned in six patterns: “Geneva waves” in the center, a hobnail pattern for the small seconds, sunrays on the tenth-of-a-second dial and chevrons for the power-reserve indicator. The hours chapter is cross-hatched while a barleycorn pattern decorates the outer edge. The hands are in polished steel with the Breguet open tip, while the case displays delicate fluting.

Glashütte Original Senator Chronometer Regulator
This new timepiece unites the classic regulator display with an officially certified manual winding chronometer movement.

The dominant central position on the lacquered silver-grainé dial is the blue minute hand with its polished eye. On the central axis above and below the minute indicator are smaller hour and seconds displays.

The Glashütte Original panorama date display is placed at 3 o’clock. The date change takes place at midnight. From 6 in the morning until 6 in the evening, the small circle in the region of the hour display is white; from 6 pm until 6 am it is black. This timepiece is framed by a 42 mm polished case in red gold or a white gold version.

The watch is driven by the caliber 58-04, which permits the precise coordination of minute and seconds hands. A second-zero-stop-mechanism makes it is easy for the wearer to set the exact time. When winding the crown, the time display is stopped, the second hand jumps to zero and remains there. At the same time, the minute hand is also moved to the next full minute index. When one winds the crown to set the time, the minute hand always rests only on the full minute indices. This provides the correct relationship of the displayed seconds and minutes. A power reserve display at 9 o’clock indicates the energy remaining in the manual winding movement.

The watch is officially certified and bears a certificate from the German Calibration Service after a 15-day testing period.

Hamilton Jazzmaster Regulator
The H-12 movement in this watch allows the separation of the minute and hour hands on  different axials and sub-dials. The idea is to make the watch more accurate and provide an easier way for the person who owns the timepiece to read the time. However, I think most people wear such a watch is because of the appearance. Add to this the blue or silver dial and you have watch that can be worn for casual or formal occasions. There are three 42mm timepieces in the collection. In addition to the dial choice straps come in either leather or stainless steel.


Harry Winston Opus XIII (top photo)
It was difficult to determine which of the many technically advanced and aesthetically pleasing timepieces from this luxury brand to show. In the end I chose the newest addition to its iconic Opus collection. Opus is the watch that introduced Harry Winston to the world as more than just luxury jeweler. Each year the brand works with gifted independent watchmakers to build a timepiece with the goal of defying the conventional rules of watchmaking.

This year the newest member of the Swatch Group created a watch where the minutes accumulate around a track. Eleven rotating silver triangles spring from a faceted dome to show the hours. Every 12 hours, Harry Winston’s logo is appears on the dial and vanishes after sixty minutes. The 59 minute hands pivot on a ring of steel shafts that are held in place by 242 ruby bearings.

The mechanical watch is powered by the in-house HW4101 movement, which has 364 components. The case is made of 18k white gold.

Jaquet Droz Perpetual Calendar Eclipse
This newest version of the Eclispe line presents a new moon phase complication, which displays the cycles of the night of the sky on the dial, with the perpetual calendar complication. On the black or ivory-colored Grand Feu enamel dial, two straight hands contrast with the curves of two wavy hands, tipped with a crescent moon. The calendar information is easily read on several places on the dial: on the right is the date, on the left is the day of the week. At 12 o’clock, a single-hand counter indicates the month with the leap year appearing in a small window. At 6 o’clock, a black or ivory-colored onyx index moves across the face of a golden moon, revealing, and then concealing it until its total eclipse, unfolding on a night sky of eight golden stars, the watchmaker’s favorite number. The timepiece is powered by a Jaquet Droz 5853LR.4 self-winding mechanical movement, double barrel, perpetual calendar, retrograding moon phase, 22-carat white gold oscillating weight.

Longines Heritage Military 1938
Following Orb’s victory in the Kentucky Derby, Longines, the Official Watch and Timekeeper for the celebrated race, awarded the horse’s owner, trainer and jockey with watches from the brand’s Saint-Imier collection at the event’s Winners’ Circle Party. The Swiss watchmaking brand was the Official Watch and Timekeeper of Kentucky Derby 139 and Entitlement Partner of Longines Kentucky Oaks 139. Now the luxury watch brand is Paris where it is the Official Timekeep of Roland-Garros, home of the French Open.

Prior to both events, the brand was in Baselworld showing off its new watch collections. Among them was the Longines Heritage Military 1938, which uses the same aesthetics based on the design of a military watch produced by Longines in the 1930s. With a diameter of 42 mm and fitted with the automatic calibre L705, this timepiece displays the hours and minutes, a 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock, the date at 6 o’clock and the small second at 9 o’clock. Large white Arabic numerals, coated with Super-LumiNova and a minute circle white as well contrasts with the deep matt black of the dial.

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Swatch Group 2010 Sales Sets New Record

The Swatch Group reported Wednesday that sales for 2010 totaled 6.4 billion Swiss Francs ($6.6 billion), an increase at constant exchange rates of 21.8 percent over 2009 and 12.7 percent over 2008, despite capacity bottlenecks and adverse exchange rates. At constant exchange rates, the increase was 28.1 percent.

“The extraordinary strength of our brand portfolio was again reflected in an excellent performance by the Watch segment in practically all markets and price segments,” the company said in a statement. “Outlook remains optimistic in the entire year 2011 for further strong organic sales growth.”

The company’s Watches & Jewelry segment reported a 21 percent year-over-year gain at constant exchange rates, with indications that double-digit growth will continue into at least January. The company has a far reaching group of watch brands, from mass market to luxury: Breguet, Blancpain, Glashütte Original, Jaquet Droz, Léon Hatot, Omega, Tiffany & Co., Longines, Rado, Union Glashütte, Tissot, ck watch & jewelry, Balmain, Certina, Mido, Hamilton, Swatch, Flik Flak, Endura and Tourbillon.

The production segment of the company, which supplies movements and components to third-party watchmakers in Switzerland and around the world, reported an increase of 7.5 percent for the year.

The electronics segment, which supply electronic systems used in watchmaking and other industries and in the field of sports event timing, reported an 11.7 percent gain, year-over-year.

The company also it expects an improved operating margin compared to the previous year as well as higher net profit for the year, despite an unfavorable currency conditions.

The decline of the dollar and the Euro caused a three percent drop in revenue, the company said. But despite this issue, Swatch Group said it expects strong growth in 2011.

“The Swatch Group will further generate dynamic and organic sales growth in 2011 and continue investment in its distribution and the expansion of its production capacities. the company said. “Sales in January 2011 are already exhibiting a positive trend with double-digit growth in local currencies. The optimistic expectations are supported by the Group’s strategic positioning in all market segments and its geographic presence throughout the world.”

Timepiece Tuesday: Time Machine Wins Award, Bottega Veneta's Luxury Watch, Aggasi and Longines Make Education Pitch

Time Machine Wins Concept and Design Award

The Horological Machine No. 4 Thunderbolt has received the prestigious Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Geneve award for best Concept and Design Watch. It’s maker, MB&F created the aviation-inspired watch case and engine as a single unit. The Thunderbolt's engine is the result of three years of development. Each of the 300-plus components–including the regulator and even the screws–was developed specifically for this particular watch. Every component and form has a technical purpose, the watchmaker said. 

Bottega Veneta Introduces Luxury Watch

Italian luxury goods house Bottega Veneta has teamed up with Swiss luxury watchmaker Girard-Perregaux for its first ever watch, the Bottega Veneta BVX, a unisex watch that features the fashion house’s signature woven leather pattern on its strap. The dial has a black, brushed titanium cover case while the face is brown. The strap is crocodile leather and is cigar colored. It has an 18k rose gold automatic movement made by Girard Perregaux. The case measures 41 mm across and is made of brushed titanium. Titanium has the highest strength-to-weight ratio of any metal and is also corrosion-resistant and hypoallergenic. The back of the watch is faced with crystal, leaving the workings completely exposed. The case is finished with a PVd coating in Bottega Veneta’s signature brunito color. Read more about at Lorre White, the Guru of Luxury Web site.

Agassi, Longines, and Fink’s Jewelry Host Education Event

Swiss luxury watch company, Longines hosted “A Day With A Legend Event” at Fink’s Jewelers on November 16 at its Tysons Corner location. Longines brand ambassador and tennis legend Andre Agassi spoke to children from the USTA Mid/Atlantic and fans about his views on education in America, the Longines Elegance Scholarship Fund, his school, The Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy, and the work of his foundation, the Andre Agassi Foundation for Education. The foundation has raised $150 million for education initiatives since it’s founding in 1994. Agassi was accompanied by a graduating senior, Micah Jones, from his Nevada-based preparatory academy. Longines set up a smash court in-store where the tennis legend hit a few balls with the children from the USTA Mid/Atlantic. For a $5 donation to Agassi’s foundation, attendees at were able to test the speed of their serve. The fastest men’s and women’s serve received a Longines timepiece. Fink’s Jewelers said it would donate 10 percent of the sales of Longines timepieces for the month of November and December to Agassi’s Foundation. Later that evening, Longines hosted a dinner at Fink’s Jewelers where education was the topic of discussion.