Last Updated on March 1, 2025 by Jason
I must be honest; in this post, I am actually writing about a vintage watch I had no intention of buying. It is a Longines Surfing wristwatch, Reference: 7625-1 dating from 1966. I have a great deal of respect for the Longines brand, but I see them as a watchmaker that focuses on elegance rather than tool or sports watches. This is just a personal opinion. Although I know some collectors will argue that the Lindbergh Hour Angle Watch and the Skin Diver range are examples of Longines tool watches. It struck me as being a strange name for the Longines brand, and I found myself trying to uncover the history behind the “Surfing” label. It was frustrating, to say the least, there is virtually nothing online, apart from the occasional Surfing watch being offered for sale. Here is what little I uncovered.
A brief history of Longines
Longines is one of the oldest watchmakers still in operation today. The company started in 1832 when Auguste Agassiz set up shop in the Swiss town of Saint-Imier. Over the years, Longines has built a solid reputation for precision, reliability, and fresh ideas. The company opened its first factory in 1867, kicking off mechanised production. This move towards industrialised watchmaking allowed Longines to produce watches more consistently and with greater precision.
In 1889, Longines registered its iconic winged hourglass logo, which is still in use today—one of the oldest unchanged logos around. Throughout the 20th century, the brand became a big name in timekeeping. In 1919, it became an official supplier to the International Aeronautical Federation. Legendary aviator Charles Lindbergh even helped design the Hour Angle Watch. Longines kept pushing boundaries, launching its first automatic movement in 1945. It also became the official timekeeper for top sporting events like Formula One and the French Open at Roland Garros.
Calibre 701
The watch has a Longines calibre 701 17-jewel hand-winding movement, which is apparently keeping good time. The movement is fully signed, and it has a serial number which dates it back to 1966. During my long search to uncover the history of the Longines Surfing model, the year 1966 was the only recorded year. Consequently, I think the model had a short Lifespan. Strangely, I wasn’t even able to uncover any 1960s advertising material that included the Longines Surfing model.
According to Ranfft, the Longines calibre 701 was based on the Record 651. The movement features a power reserve of 37 hours, a frequency of 19,800 vph, 17 jewels and Kif Flector shock protection. According to Ranfft and Emmy Watch the 701 was produced in the 1970s. However, given the date of the watch, it must have been from the mid-1960s. According to some sources, the calibre 701 included a quick set date function where the date can be manually advanced when required, by moving the hands backwards and forwards between 9 pm and midnight.
Case and dial
The watch measures 34mm in diameter, excluding the winding crown and the lugs. The case is stainless steel, and it is in good condition. The inside of the case back has the Longines logo. The back of the watch states that the watch is waterproof. However, as with any vintage watch, it should be kept away from water and moisture. The watch has the original Longines signed winding crown, which is rare on hand-wound watches of this vintage. The acrylic lens is in very good condition, with no obvious scratches and without magnification. The signed dial is in good original condition with interesting cross hair detailing, original hands, centre seconds and a date display.
Surfing trademark
According to Mikrolisk, the horological trade mark index, the Surfing trademark was registered by the Longines Watch Co. SA in St.-Imier, Geneva and Courtelary, Switzerland, on February 14, 1964.
Variations include a plain dial (no crosshair) and a case back emblazoned with an engraving showing a surfer on a wave. Most cases were stainless steel. However, there were some examples in 18k gold.
Other obscure Longines models from the period include the Silver Arrow and the Sport Chief.
Summary
It was a frustrating search for information on what I can only assume was a short-lived model. Detailed information about the model was notably absent online. As a result, the information posted here is limited. I welcome any additional information on the Longines Surfing watch in the comments below.
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