Longines founded at Saint-Imier

Background. Saint-Imier is a municipality in the Jura bernois district of Switzerland, whose economy was so dependent on watchmaking that the crises of the 1930s and the 1970s hit the town hard. Longines, formally Compagnie des Montres Longines, Francillon S.A., is based there. The town's identity is closely tied to the industry, with the entire urban village listed as part of the Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites.

Founding. The company was established in 1832 by Auguste Agassiz, a Swiss watchmaker and brother of biologist Louis Agassiz. While the legacy row suggests a specific date of August 14, the provided passages only confirm the year 1832. The company later became a subsidiary of the Swatch Group in 1983, but this falls outside the founding scope.

Legacy. Longines is recognized as the hometown watchmaking company in Saint-Imier. The town's identity is closely tied to the industry, with the entire urban village listed as part of the Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites. This connection underscores the significance of the 1832 founding within the local historical context.