Almost every watch brand has a few retro styles referencing antique models these days, but why did the “Revival” prize from this year’s prestigious Grand Prix de l’Horlogerie de Genève go to Longines Avigation BigEye? The reason is simple: Longines has a glorious history that many Swiss are proud of.
Longines’ logo is a winged hourglass which signifies the watchmaker’s connection with aviation in early 20th Century. The brand was appointed as the official supplier of the International Aeronautical Federation, and later became the official timekeeper for many international sports events, including the International Equestrian Competition in Geneva in 1926 and the Brazil Grand Prix in 1933. Longines used to produced numerous excellent mechanical chronographs, including the famous Cal. 13ZN and Cal. 30CH. Yet since the brand was acquired by Ebauches in the 1970s, the movement manufacturing factories were shut down one by one and Longines started to use third party movements like the renowned Valjoux 7750 on many of its chronographs.
In 2009, the brand finally launched its first in-house movement, the L688.2, through movement manufacturer ETA from the same group. The L688.2 was an automatic chronograph movement produced by ETA exclusively for Longines (even though it was also used as Cal. 3330 on Omega watches), featuring the column-wheel mechanism found on traditional mechanical chronographs, bringing back the precise structure and finishing. Although it is debatable as to whether the L688.2 (aka ETA A08.L01) is an authentic in-house movement, as the brand’s first column-wheel movement since the 1970s, it was well received by the watchmaking industry.
As to why the prize from the Grand Prix de l’Horlogerie de Genève came eight years after the launch of this movement, it’s probably because Longines has just created the ideal case for it. This year’s Avigation BigEye is a reinterpretation of a chronograph designed for pilots from the 1930s. It features a stainless steel 41mm case, with the Aravic numerals and hands on the black dial coated with SuperLuminovac. Paired with a brown leather strap, the watch is the epitome of past military style and certainly brings out the “revival” watchmaking spirit.
