Longines occupies a particular place in the Saudi market. It is Swiss, it is old — Saint-Imier, 1832 — and it sits at a price where a first serious watch is a decision rather than an indulgence. That combination raises the same handful of questions again and again, and this guide answers them with current Kingdom prices rather than international list figures.
Quick Answers
- Is Longines luxury? Yes, in the accessible tier — Swiss-made, in-house-specified movements, and a manufacture founded in 1832, at a fraction of Rolex or Omega money.
- What does it cost in Saudi Arabia? Roughly SAR 3,800 to SAR 16,500 at authorised retail. Most of the range sits between SAR 9,000 and SAR 15,000.
- Which model should I start with? The Master Collection for a dress watch, Conquest V.H.P. for accuracy on a budget, PrimaLuna for a smaller wrist, Ultra-Chron for the enthusiast.
- Where do I buy one? Al-Hussaini Trading is the authorised retailer in the Kingdom. Buying outside the authorised network voids the international warranty.
Is Longines a luxury brand?
Longines is Swiss-made, owned by the Swatch Group since the 1983 merger of ASUAG and SSIH, and builds on movements developed with ETA to its own specification. Its winged hourglass, registered in 1889, is recognised by the World Intellectual Property Organization as the oldest unchanged trademark still in active use.
What it is not is a manufacture in the sense that Patek Philippe or Rolex are. It does not machine its own escapements. The honest description is accessible luxury: genuine Swiss watchmaking, a documented history, and finishing that holds up under a loupe — at a third of the price of the brands it is usually compared to.
How much does a Longines cost in Saudi Arabia?
At authorised retail in the Kingdom, the range runs from about SAR 3,800 for a quartz Conquest V.H.P. chronograph to roughly SAR 16,500 for a gold-and-steel Master Collection. The bulk of the catalogue — the classic automatics most buyers actually choose — sits between SAR 9,000 and SAR 15,000.
| Segment | Price in Saudi Arabia |
| Quartz chronographs (Conquest V.H.P.) | SAR 3,800 – 8,700 |
| Automatic dress watches (Master Collection) | SAR 9,500 – 16,500 |
| Ladies (PrimaLuna) | SAR 11,500 – 13,200 |
| High-frequency (Ultra-Chron) | SAR 14,400 – 15,000 |
Prices below were recorded at Al-Hussaini Trading, the authorised Longines retailer in Saudi Arabia, and include the five-year international warranty. They move with the catalogue, so treat them as a guide rather than a quote.
Four Longines watches worth knowing, and who each one is for
1. Conquest V.H.P. Chronograph — the accuracy argument
V.H.P. stands for Very High Precision, and it is not marketing. The movement holds ±5 seconds a year, resets its hands automatically after a shock or a magnetic field, and runs for around four years on a battery. For someone who wants a Swiss chronograph that will simply be right every morning without winding, nothing else at this price does the same job.
| Reference | L3.717.2.96.6 |
| Movement | Quartz V.H.P., ±5 seconds/year |
| Functions | Chronograph, perpetual calendar |
| Price in Saudi Arabia | SAR 3,793 |
| Best for | A first Swiss watch, or a daily beater |
2. Master Collection — the one most people mean
The Master Collection is the reason Longines is in the conversation at all. A round automatic dress watch with an exhibition case back, a sunray or barleycorn dial, and proportions that work under a cuff. It is the direct answer to the question of what to wear to a wedding, a signing, or an office where a rubber strap would be noticed.
| Reference | L2.357.4.72.6 |
| Movement | Automatic, sapphire case back |
| Style | Round dress watch, steel bracelet |
| Price in Saudi Arabia | SAR 9,690 |
| Best for | The one formal watch you keep for years |
3. PrimaLuna Moonphase — the smaller wrist, without compromise
PrimaLuna is Longines’ answer for a smaller wrist, and the moonphase version adds the complication that reads as jewellery rather than as engineering. Mother-of-pearl, a diamond-set bezel on most references, and a case that stays proportionate rather than shrinking a man’s design.
| Reference | L8.126.4.97.6 |
| Complication | Moonphase |
| Dial | Mother-of-pearl, diamond indexes |
| Price in Saudi Arabia | SAR 13,110 |
| Best for | A gift, or a first fine watch for a smaller wrist |
4. Ultra-Chron Classic — for the person who reads the spec sheet
The Ultra-Chron revives a 1968 high-frequency movement running at 36,000 vibrations per hour — five beats a second instead of the usual four. Longines certifies it to ±5 seconds a day, tighter than COSC. It is the reference to reach for when the buyer wants to know what the watch actually does, not what it looks like.
| Reference | L2.537.4.72.2 |
| Frequency | 36,000 vibrations/hour |
| Accuracy | ±5 seconds/day, certified |
| Price in Saudi Arabia | SAR 14,440 |
| Best for | The enthusiast buying on movement, not on name |
Where to buy a genuine Longines in Saudi Arabia
Al-Hussaini Trading is the authorised Longines retailer in the Kingdom, with points of sale in Riyadh and Jeddah. Buying there is what activates the five-year international warranty and gives you a servicing route that does not involve shipping the watch abroad at your own risk.
Longines also appears on Amazon.sa, Noon and various grey-market sites, often below authorised pricing. Those watches may well be genuine, but they arrive without a stamped warranty card, and Longines service centres will treat them as unwarranted. On a watch you intend to keep, that discount is expensive.
Frequently asked questions
Is Longines better than Tissot?
They belong to the same group, and Longines sits a tier above: better finishing, sapphire case backs as standard, and movements specified to a higher grade. Expect to pay roughly double for the same style of watch.
Does Longines hold its value?
Less well than Rolex, better than most at its price. The Master Collection and the heritage reissues hold up best; quartz references depreciate like any quartz watch. Buy a Longines to wear, not to trade.
What is the winged hourglass?
The brand’s trademark, registered in 1889 and never redrawn. WIPO records it as the oldest unchanged trademark still in active use — which is itself the clearest statement of what the house sells.
Why is Longines associated with horses and sport?
It has timed competition since 1912, starting with equestrian events, and still serves as official timekeeper across equestrian, archery, gymnastics and athletics. The flyback chronograph it patented in 1936 came out of that timing work.
Which Longines should I buy first?
If it is your first Swiss watch, the Master Collection at around SAR 9,700. If budget matters more than movement, the Conquest V.H.P. at SAR 3,800 will keep better time than any automatic in the catalogue.
