In mid-June, Longines celebrated 90 years of patent protection for its flyback chronographs. With this invention, the long-established Swiss company revolutionized aviation.
As aviation broke new ground in the 1930s, pilots faced a challenge: they needed to measure time intervals quickly and accurately during flight. Longines provided the solution to this problem. With the patenting of the flyback chronograph on June 16, 1936, the Swiss watch manufacturer created a technical innovation that not only simplified navigation in the air but also had a lasting impact on the development of modern chronographs. And so, the last 90 years have flown by.
The unique feature of the flyback mechanism was its efficiency. While conventional chronographs required several steps to start a new time measurement, the flyback could be stopped, reset to zero, and restarted immediately with just a single push of a button. What may seem obvious today represented a decisive advance at the time. For pilots who had to precisely calculate course changes or waypoints during a flight, this feature reduced both the time required and the risk of operating errors.
A watch you had to keep an eye on
The invention came at a time when speed and technological progress were changing the world. Airplanes were covering ever-greater distances, expeditions were exploring previously uncharted regions, and precision instruments had become indispensable companions. Even back then, Longines watches were part of the equipment of many aviators.
This innovation gained particular significance thanks to the 13ZN caliber, which went into mass production in 1936 and is now considered one of the most legendary chronograph movements of the 20th century. Collectors value the movement for its technical sophistication, its reliability, and its comparatively short production run. Among its prominent wearers was the American polar explorer Richard Byrd, who relied on a Longines flyback during his expeditions to Antarctica, which was largely unexplored at the time.
The fact that this invention remains relevant to this day is evident in the brand’s current collections. Models such as the Longines Spirit Flyback or the new Spirit Pilot Flyback draw on this historic function and translate it into contemporary mechanics. Modern calibers featuring silicon balance springs, a long power reserve, and COSC certification combine traditional watchmaking craftsmanship with the demands of the 21st century.
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Photos: © Longines
