La Grande Classique from Longines: a new era of watches
Our everything
La Grande Classique was born in 1990, and it can can be called «turning» more than any other contemporary model: combining historical background of Longines factory origin in the XIX century, the best horology achievements of the twentieth century, it extrapolated them to XXI century - times of global domination and universality of trend.
La Grande Classique Longines received its fame due to Auguste Agassiz (the founder), numerous developments in ultrathin watches manufacture and simply striking intuition of Longines President, Walter von K?nel, who predicted watch fashion development for two dozen years. Of course, this model can hardly be called collective, and, say directly, a sophisticated connoisseur of watch art or a man claiming to a certain social status, will look rather disrespectable wearing this watch in public. However, one can be a fan of Houellebecq and Begbeder, what does not negate his knowledge of «Eugene Onegin» chapters by heart. In this respect, La Grande Classique is also "our everything". Probably any judge of Swiss watches wore or tried it at least once. They are presented for a graduation night, a birthday, on an occasion of the first «serious» work obtaining. They are both well associated with strict office suit and a creative person's casual style - for many years actors and musicians were among La Grande Classique "faces" not without reason. Without exaggeration, everyone knows this watch.
One should be a talented watchmaker to create a super-complicated mechanism or unusual design. And, indeed, only a genius could create such a popular idol, as La Grande Classique.
Agassiz Jubilee
Although La Grande Classique is a mass line with huge volume of production and variety of models, it appeared due to a rare collectible model Auguste Agassiz. However, such story is usual for Longines. For example, in the 30-ies the most popular pre-war three-button 13ZN chronograph appeared from a «limited toy» for collectors, it became an official timekeeper of Olympic Games in Garmisch-Partekirche and Berlin.
In 1982, Longines celebrated its formal date of foundation: 150 years ago, a 27-year-old hapless banker Auguste Agassiz bought out a share a common workshop for watch assembling, Raiguel Jeune et Cie, where he worked for 6 years and renamed it in Agassiz et Co. The workshop situated in a tiny town of Saint-Imier, in the mountains, not far from Biel. Good quality of watches and frequent Agassiz's trips to Germany, Austria and the United States helped the company gaining a solid reputation in the international market. However, already in 1952 he was forced to move to Lausanne due to health reasons, and passed the company's management to his sister's son, Ernest Francillon. It is this time when the real history of brand, known worldwide as the Longines begins.
In 1866 Francillon bought a plot of land to the south-west of Saint-Imier, indicated on maps as Les Longines, what can be translated as «long grasslands». And a year later, when a new factory's building, fitted with advanced equipment able to produce large quantities of parts mechanically, was constructed, Francillon decided to change the company's name in honor of its location.
Archival records of Agassiz workshop are all that remained of the company's founder; Francillon and his cousin, engineer Jacques David, who equipped factory with mechanized conveyors, are considered its true "fathers". However, in honor of Agassiz's solution to change a bank for a watchmaker, the company issued a limited Agassiz series: classic round watch with Roman markings, the most notable feature of which was the gold shell's height- a little less than 3 mm. Longines had been walking to an idea of ultrathin watch issuing for several decades and became one of the most reputable manufacturers.
Here and below
By the second half of the twentieth century, Longines achieved exceptional accuracy in the field of sports chorography and high levels of reliability, creating models for pilots, military and pioneers. However, it was necessary to take another high - earn the right to be considered the most elegant watches in the world. The battle field was not very easy - Longines specialists began striving to extremely small thickness of shell. Back in 1960 the company created the thinnest electric watch in the world. However, crystal oscillator technology provided even greater opportunities for experimentation. In 1979 they issued the two of still unsurpassed models Feuille d'Or («Golden sheet»): men's watch with entire thickness of 1.98 mm and ladies - 1.68 mm, based on famous ETA Delirium Tremence caliber, and Longines, Eterna, and Concord acquired the right to use them.
Longines
They've already written a lot about hyperfine Delirium, which axle supports were fastened directly to the shell's platinum back cover. Just as about its major weakness: the model's shell was so thin, that it did not bear strain of wrist strap's pressure, that's why Feuille d'Or was abandoned.
However, Longines still did not leave an idea of creating a thin watch. Caliber L990 they were creating at Longines factory during two years became a world sensation immediately after its release in 1977. At that time it was the thinnest automatic mechanism (only 2.95 mm) with central second hand and calendar. Caliber L990 was the latest significant breakthrough of Saint Imier factory in the field of mechanical watches.
Agassiz, released five years later, was already quartz, and before the third millennium, Longines almost did not return to the subject of mechanics (in 2001, in honor of the 30 million Longines watch's copy's release at Nouvelle Lemania factory, they rebuilt caliber L990, basing another series of collection, limited to just 990 copies). Quartz mechanisms are not usually praised. However, we cannot ignore the fact that, freed from mechanism's dictate, Longines was able to create a new vision of classic watch. And, first of all, it was based on perfectly-planned appearance.
Metro classics
In 1988 Walter von Kaenel announced the factory's staff the following statement: «Quartz revolution has changed the balance of power in horology. Whereas previously the company was divided into those who made a mechanism by themselves, and those who bought it, now the victory belongs to those who pay attention to other areas: constant perfection of technical details and design, and search for new global ideas. Longines success in the new world depends on creation of a concept with widespread popularity, offering not a watch, but a way of life». This was required in the 90's: all-out style, demonstrating a successful way of life. Twenty years ago recognition was more important than originality. Only freaks boasted of their unusual style, while most people responded to world fashion trends enthusiastically. In the 90's, people wore Rolex Daytona, reflecting their social status. Longines had to create such universal model, which would say all of your status and taste.
The design was largely influenced by the 90's fashion, with its minimalism, domination of black, called subsequently «heroin style», emergence of the first anorexic top models and apparent roll towards unisex clothing and behavior, which later led to emergence of metrosexuals in the end of the century. After striking 80ies the world required modesty and sophistication (the 90s were the time of Blancpain blossoming popularity, they also made a bid for ultrathin elegant Villeret).
It is not surprising that Agassiz series was the center of La Grande Classique trend collection of the decade, which in its turn borrowed design from classic pocket watches of XIX century: the best new is competently rethought old. Roman numerals, two hands, white face and ultrathin shell, significantly improved compared with Feuille d'Or through bracelet fastening, where main weight came not on thin pins inserted in «ears», but steel cylinder, permanently soldered to the body.
The main difference from Agassiz, issued in golden case, consisted in La Grande Classique's democracy: one did not have to take a credit in bank to purchase eternal classic in a steel casing.
Today La Grande Classique offers male and female models of typical design: a thin round shell (thickness of quartz watch is 4.2 or 4.4 mm, and mechanical - 7.05 mm), pure white or gold-plated face with strict Roman markings or thin indices and firm attachment of bracelet, seeming almost imperceptible. Everything else is a buyer's choice. Today La Grande Classique also has steel models, with bi-color or total PVD-coating, and models made of 18 carat gold. On a steel, gold, aureate bracelet or leather strap. Ledge of both female and male models can be enchased with Top Wesselton diamonds, weighing from 0.48 to 0.64 carats. In recent years, La Grande Classique tried to experiment: there appeared a series of Maxi (in 44 mm case) and Tonneau in the form of «barrel», a model for women with pink face. However, they failed to circumvent a popular original version.
Of course, now the emphasis has changed, and the company again tends to split between those who produce mechanisms, and those who buy them. And same Longines relies entirely on other collections, offering no longer a universal design, but Sport de Lux, jewelry and complex mechanics - all that is trendy now. However, it is worth remembering that the notion of «trend» appeared mainly due to La Grande Classique, extremely simple and modest, but thought over to the smallest detail.
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