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: Well, Longines is one of the oldest in-house manufacturers around;
: going baack 175 years.

: Its "sports" themed sponsorship stands on its own; from
: the Weems Lindbergh to Divers and Race Chronographs.

: As one of 3 Offical timers of Formula 1, I think it makes the cut.

: As the offical timer of Bonnevile Salt flats time record trials it
: also makes the cut.

: As a timer of the European Rally Championships it also makes the
: cut.

: I have books re: the Monaco Grand Prix, and Longines banners are
: draped all over the famous Loewes turn, on drivers Nomex suits,
: helmets, etc.

: Its decals are on some of the most famous Ferrari racers of the
: 70s-80s that sell for millions at auction.

: I would argue if we have another watch brand in vintage motorsports
: the better.

: Re: the community: Its split

: -Some collect the antique Admiral, Conquest type models
: -Some collect the 2-crown Divers that were copied by all
: -Some collect the Valjoux based chronographs of the 60s
: -Some collect Aviation themed watches

: Vintage Longines routine outsell "higher" level brands on
: ebay; their sports models are rarer in production
: and will ultimately be collectable.

: Having to revert to Seiko, Oris, Tissot, Chopard for moto-heritage
: gets to be a stretch....although all have done race timing.

: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3lkI8zhJek

: In 1980 Longines began an association with Ferrari in Formula 1 and
: this was followed by a similar arrangement with Renault and
: ultimately for Longines to become the official timekeeper of F1.
: At the same time, the watch business was undergoing huge changes
: with the arrival of electronic watches. This led to the collapse
: of ASUAG and a merger with another watch conglomerate called
: SSIH in 1983. The company was then taken private in 1985 by
: Nicholas Hayek and was the basis of what is today the Swatch
: Group. Longines left F1 in 1988