In the Air, On Land, and At Sea: Longines Pilot’s Watches

Step back in time to the early 1900s, a period when the vast expanse of the sky was being unlocked, and aviation milestones were set one after another. Guiding this remarkable era was none other than the precision mechanics of Longines.

As the first quarter of the 20th century unfolded, humanity’s fascination with flight took off. What began with the Wright Brothers’ pioneering experiments in 1903 soon led to the first paid passenger flight between St. Petersburg and Tampa in 1914. The post-war era saw aviation evolve at lightning speed, with both military and civilian planes soaring through the skies, and pilots trained en masse during World War I.

lde chapitre5 picture1 1 1 — *Longines Lindbergh watch, 1931*

Among the daring aviators of this time, one name shines bright—Charles Lindbergh. Nicknamed the “Lone Eagle” or “Lucky Lindy,” Lindbergh made history in 1927 when he flew solo across the Atlantic in just 33.5 hours. His groundbreaking flight condensed the once-days-long journey into mere hours, and he did it alone.

This historic feat was timed by none other than Longines, a watchmaker from Saint-Imier, Switzerland. With their exceptional craftsmanship, Longines became part of aviation’s most thrilling chapter, measuring Lindbergh’s success on behalf of the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI).

In the 1930s, Longines’ connection to aviation was solidified through John P. V. Heinmuller, the head of the company’s U.S. distributor and an avid pilot himself. Heinmuller, who set flight records in the 1920s, had firsthand knowledge of what pilots needed from a wristwatch. His close ties with aviators played a key role in strengthening Longines’ presence in the world of aviation.

One of the earliest aviators to use a Longines watch during a record-breaking flight was Swiss pilot Walter Mittelholzer. He relied on a Longines in-flight chronometer for his four-week expedition in the winter of 1924-25. When Australian pilot Charles Kingsford Smith made his historic transpacific flight in 1928, Longines once again kept time. In fact, the brand served as the official timekeeper for over 30 record-breaking flights leading up to the Second World War.