Saint-Imier sits in the Bernese Jura, on the Suze river valley between La Chaux-de-Fonds and Bienne. Watchmaking developed here from the early 19th century alongside the broader Jura industry. Longines was founded in Saint-Imier in 1832 by Auguste Agassiz; the brand has manufactured continuously in the same town since, making Longines the longest-continuously-located major Swiss brand.
Heuer-Leonidas was based in Saint-Imier through the 20th century after the 1959 Heuer-Leonidas merger; the company was the predecessor to the modern TAG Heuer. Modern Saint-Imier is part of the broader Swatch Group manufacturing footprint; ETA, Longines, and supplier industries continue to employ several thousand watchmaking workers across the town.
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