This International Women’s Day, we remember the two female pioneers behind Longines’ reimagination of its heritage in aviation and exploration in the light of contemporary codes and innovation.

Wearing a Longines chronograph, aviator Amelia Earhart made headlines in 1932 after she successfully flew solo non-stop across the Atlantic, taking 14 hours and 56 minutes. Despite icy winds and mechanical failures, she became the first woman to connect the continents, after being the first woman to ever fly over the Atlantic in 1928 in a co-pilot capacity.

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Earhart was not the only female to conquer the skies back in the early 20th century. Though her counterpart Elinor Smith failed to break a flying record in 1931 after blacking out at 30,000 feet, she managed to regain consciousness to land safely before her plane hit the ground.

Ten days later, the gutsy aviator took to the skies again to spectacularly set a new record at 32,576 feet, with help from her trusted Longines watch. Smith was the youngest licensed pilot in the world at 16 and went on to set multiple solo endurance, speed and altitude records.

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Pioneers Amelia Earhart, Paul-Emile Victor, Elinor Smith and Howard Hughes had one thing in common&mdash;they had famously put their trust (and life) in Longines time instruments to conquer the air, land and sea.

To navigate successfully on their missions, they all endured and fought against unpredictable and extreme fluctuations in weather, lighting, altitude and temperature. Their ultimate triumph over adversity has left an indelible mark in history, courtesy of the reliability, accuracy and robustness of their Longines watches and devices.

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Today, if women (or anyone really) needed a reminder to be courageous and to bring back to life the pioneering spirit that led these exceptional ladies (and men) to surpass themselves, pursue new ambitions and believe in the impossible, there may very well be a perfect Longines timepiece to help with that.

The Longines Spirit collection joined the brand&rsquo;s Sport category in 2020 in a nod to the design philosophy of the Longines timepieces worn by some of the most legendary aviators and explorers of the 20th century. Drawing from this deep and revered tradition, the collection&rsquo;s impeccable pedigree is a testament and tribute to the pioneers who have inspired us to be fearless in pushing boundaries and launching forth.

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Aesthetically, the Longines Spirit references the traditional elements of pilot&rsquo;s watches where accuracy and precision reign supreme. This is especially seen in the oversized winding crown that can be adjusted with gloved hands that top the list, besides the high-contrast,reflective numerals and hands with luminescent coating for night-time flying.

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Giving a modern touch is the state-of-the-art technology yet elegant microblasted and polished crown which reveals an embossed Longines logo. The case, bracelet and outer dial flange boast coherence and harmony, while the stars, lettering and anti-reflective domed sapphire glass improve&nbsp;legibility.

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Notably, the 6-screw case back is a classic Longines hallmark while the self-winding movement with a tiny silicon balance spring has been exceptionally crafted to be harder, lighter and more durable than any traditional balance spring as to ensure the accuracy of the chronometer certification.

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The Longines Spirit collection is available in three hand/calendar models in 40 mm and 42 mm, with the choice of a matte black, grained silver or sunray blue dial with five applied stars. There is also a chronograph version in 42 mm. To partner all these variants are a selection of steel bracelet, or leather strap in dark brown, light brown or blue.

Optimal versatility for the Longines Spirit can be found in the &ldquo;Prestige&rdquo; edition, which is presented with three interchangeable straps: steel, leather and NATO in brown leather.

In 2021, the call to surpass our limits, to pursue new dreams and visions, and to believe in the impossible cannot have come at a better moment after a year of unprecedented challenges. And to shine the light on &ldquo;The Pioneer Spirt Lives On&hellip;&rdquo; is the legacy and courage of Earhart, Victor, Smith and Hughes, as seen channelled through the Longines Spirit collection.

Visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.longines.com/watches/sport/longines-spirit">longines.com</a>&nbsp;to find out more.

Great Exploits: The Longines Spirit collection

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