Longines vs Omega: Which Is Better? A Vintage Comparison With Real Prices

Written by Alex, DuMarko · Updated October 2026

Longines or Omega? The two Swiss brands now belong to the Swatch Group, and if we talk about vintage, each made excellent watches decades before that. We've listed 353 vintage watches from these two brands since 2022, so this comparison uses our own prices and expertise.

Below we look at how the two brands grew up and came to share an owner, and at the movements inside their vintage watches. After that we compare prices in our shop, with five Longines and Omega pairs from the same era, and explain which brand makes more sense for your budget.

When a customer can't choose between a Longines and an Omega, we suggest comparing the case size and lug-to-lug in our listings with a watch they already own. In our experience, the case size and the dial settle the question.

Alex, DuMarko

Longines vs Omega at a Glance

The table sets the two brands side by side. The rows on prices, decades and models come from our own listings, with prices in US dollars as of October 2026.

Who Owns Longines and Omega?

The Swatch Group owns both brands, and they've shared an owner since 1983. Their paths into the group started separately, decades apart.

Omega merged with Tissot in 1930 to form a group called SSIH. Longines stayed independent for much longer. In the early 1970s, ASUAG and Ébauches SA bought Longines shares and put the company's finances back on a stable footing. In 1983 ASUAG and SSIH merged into a single company, SMH, which later took the name Swatch Group.

In the 1990s the group gave each brand its own place in the range. According to Wikipedia's history of Longines, Longines moved into a less expensive segment, while Omega's job was to compete with Rolex and Cartier. That decision explains the price gap on new watches today. A 1950s Longines dates from long before anyone drew those lines, so on vintage pieces the gap is smaller.

Is Longines Owned by Omega?

No, neither brand owns the other. They're sister companies inside the same group. Longines still makes its watches in Saint-Imier, and Omega has its headquarters in Biel/Bienne.

Two Histories: 1832 and 1848

Longines is 16 years older than Omega. The two companies built their names on precision and then became known for different kinds of watches.

Longines: The Winged Hourglass and Aviation

Auguste Agassiz founded the company in Saint-Imier in 1832. The name comes from Les Longines, the "long meadows" where the factory later stood. Ernest Francillon registered the Longines name in 1880 and the winged hourglass logo in 1889. It's the oldest unchanged trademark still active in the WIPO register.

Longines also has a strong record in chronographs and pilot's watches. In 1913 it introduced the 13.33Z, its first chronograph caliber for a wristwatch, started and stopped with a single pusher. P.V.H. Weems worked with Longines on a navigation watch in 1927, and Charles Lindbergh helped design the Hour Angle watch in 1931.

The flyback chronograph followed. Longines filed a patent for it in June 1935, and the patent appeared in June 1936. Europa Star's account of the flyback patent traces how that work led to the caliber 13ZN, launched the same year.

Omega: The Olympics and the Moon

Louis Brandt started the company in La Chaux-de-Fonds in 1848. In 1894 the firm launched a movement called the Omega, and in 1903 the whole company took that name. Omega first timed the Olympic Games in 1932 and still holds that role today.

The Speedmaster gave Omega its best-known story. NASA qualified it for crewed missions in 1965, and Buzz Aldrin wore his on the Moon in 1969. In 1999 Omega released the first series-made watch with the Co-Axial escapement. Omega has also appeared in James Bond films since 1995. Our guide to 10 vintage Omega watches every collector should know covers the famous models one by one.

The Real Difference: Movements

Each brand made its own calibers for decades, so the names worth knowing differ from one brand to the other.

Longines Calibers

We've sold 11 Longines with the hand-wound caliber 12.68Z, and in our shop it turns up in watches from the 1930s and 1940s. The 23M is another hand-wound Longines caliber. Our steel Longines with a salmon dial has one, and its serial number dates it to 1943.

In Our Shop — Longines Cal. 23M

Vintage Longines Swiss Watch, Rare Salmon Patina Dial, Cal. 23M, 1943

A 31mm steel dress watch with the hand-wound caliber 23M and a salmon dial that has aged evenly.

$1,884.00 — View Watch →

The 30L family appeared in the mid-1950s and powers the Flagship we sold for $2,112. Longines also made automatics, such as the caliber 19AS, which it introduced in 1952 and which runs our 1950s Longines with a black crosshair dial. In 1977 Longines released the L990, an automatic only 2.95mm thick. According to the watch magazine Chronos, it was the last movement Longines developed in-house.

Longines also spent decades chasing precision. Europa Star reports that its caliber 360 of 1959 earned 498 certificates at the Neuchâtel Observatory by 1967. The Ultra-Chron followed in 1966 as the first high-frequency automatic wristwatch, running at 36,000 vibrations per hour, and Longines made 520,000 of them between 1967 and 1975.

Omega Calibers

Omega introduced the hand-wound 30T2 in 1939 and used it in its 1940s dress watches and in the W.W.W. military watch. Our article on the Omega 30T2 explains its versions. In the 1960s, the automatic 550 series ran the Seamaster, the Seamaster De Ville and the Constellation. Among chronographs, the caliber 321 powered the Speedmaster until 1968, when the 861 replaced it.

Omega's first automatics of the 1940s used a "bumper" rotor, which swings through part of a turn and bounces off two small springs. In the 1950s Omega moved to automatics with a full rotor, and these are the calibers inside the Constellations and Seamasters we see most.

Vintage Calibers by Era

The table puts the calibers of the two brands next to each other, decade by decade. A movement that the brand made itself sits in every row up to the 1970s.

Both Turned to Shared Movements

By the 1980s both brands used movements from ETA, the Swatch Group's movement maker. You can see it in two watches we have now. Our 1982 Omega De Ville Tank runs on the quartz caliber 1377, based on the ETA 959.001. Our 1980s Longines moonphase uses a hand-wound movement built on an ETA 1100 base.

If you want a movement the brand made itself, check the caliber and the date in the listing. A 1950s Longines with a 30L and a 1950s Omega with a 30T2 or a 500 series automatic are both in-house watches.

Dating Either Brand by Its Serial Number

Both brands numbered their movements in sequence, so the serial on the movement gives you an approximate year. On a Longines, a serial between 9,521,000 and 9,858,999 points to 1955. On an Omega, a serial between 15,500,000 and 15,999,999 points to 1957. You can look up any number in our Longines serial number decoder and our Omega serial number decoder.

Read the result as the earliest likely date, because a movement could sit in stock for months before it went into a case. Speedmasters follow a separate serial list, so check one against the Speedmaster chart on the Omega decoder.

Vintage Models: What Each Brand Is Known For

Omega built its vintage range around model families with names, and those names fill our listings. Of the 248 Omegas we've listed, 58 are De Villes, 25 are Seamasters, 24 are Constellations and 16 are Genèves. Named Longines models are much rarer in our shop. Among our 106 Longines we've had one Conquest, one Flagship and one Admiral, and buyers know the rest by reference and caliber.

The model name moves the price more on an Omega. In our shop the Constellation has the highest median of the Omega families at about $3,300, while Seamasters sit near $1,900, De Villes near $1,800 and Genèves near $1,500. Our five Calatrava-style Longines have a median of about $1,500. The Admiral, Flagship and Conquest we sold went for about $2,950, $2,100 and $1,000.

Every watch we list stays on our site after it's sold, so you can still see the photos and details. These examples of each brand's models found new owners at the prices shown.

Longines · Admiral Admiral 5 Star, Chocolate Dial, Full Set Sold · $2,968 Longines · Flagship Flagship, Two-Tone Dial, Cal. 30L Sold · $2,112 Longines · Steel Ref. 4179, Black Sector Dial, 1940 Sold · $3,414 Omega · Constellation Ref. 2852/2853 SC, 18K Gold, 1956 Sold · $9,018 Omega · Speedmaster Speedmaster Professional, Cal. 861 Sold · $6,621 Omega · Seamaster Ref. 14701 SC-61, 14K Gold, c. 1961 Sold · $5,594

What Longines and Omega Cost in Our Shop

We counted every vintage Longines and Omega we've listed since 2022, sold and in stock. The numbers below compare the two brands across all of those listings.

The median gap between the two brands is $229, which is smaller than the price gap on new watches. The difference grows at the top, where Omega has gold Constellations, the Speedmaster and the Cosmic moonphase. Our most expensive Longines sale was an 18K rose gold dress watch at $5,251. An 18K gold Constellation from 1956 sold with us for $9,018.

At the entry level, a Longines gives you more to choose from. Just over a third of the Longines we've listed cost under $1,500, and for Omega the figure is one in five.

Which Period to Buy From

We sorted the Longines and Omega watches we've listed by the decade in their titles. The table shows how many we've had from each decade and the median price, as of October 2026. Some decades hold only a dozen Longines, so read the figures as a guide.

The two brands come closest in the 1940s and 1950s. In those decades the median Longines in our shop costs the same as the median Omega, or a little more. The gap is widest in the 1930s and the 1960s, where the median Omega costs about $400 more.

1930s and 1940s: Small Hand-Wound Watches

Both brands made small dress watches in these decades, with their own hand-wound calibers inside. The two 1940s watches in our first pair below measure 31mm and 35mm. If you like this period, a 1940s Longines gives you an in-house caliber at about the same price as an Omega from the same years.

1950s and 1960s: Automatics and Named Models

This is when the famous names arrived, from the Constellation and the Seamaster De Ville to the Conquest and the Flagship. Automatic movements became common, and the two automatic dress watches in our pairs both measure 34mm. Omega's named models carry the higher prices in our shop, so a 1960s Longines can be the better value.

1970s and 1980s: Quartz and Shared Movements

Longines released its last in-house movement, the L990, in 1977, and both brands moved to ETA bases and quartz in the years that followed. We'd buy a watch from these decades for its design or its gold case. In our shop the 1980s medians of the two brands are the same, at about $1,900.

Same Era, Similar Money: Five Pairs From Our Shop

To get a fairer comparison, we matched Longines and Omega watches in our shop by type and era. All ten watches are in stock as of October 2026.

1940s Hand-Wound Steel

Longines · Cal. 23M Salmon Patina Dial, Steel, 1943 31mm steel case, hand-wound In stock · $1,884 Omega · Cal. 30T2 Bullseye, Ref. 2383-6, Steel, 1947 35mm steel case, hand-wound In stock · $3,356

Both are hand-wound steel dress watches from the 1940s with sub-seconds. The Omega costs $1,472 more, and part of the gap comes from its larger 35mm case and the 30T2, which collectors know well.

Automatic Dress Watches

Longines · Cal. 19AS Black Crosshair Gilt Dial, 1950s 34mm, 10K gold-filled, automatic In stock · $2,169 Omega · Cal. 550 Seamaster De Ville, Ref. 165.020, 1965 34mm steel monocoque, automatic In stock · $2,512

These two cost within $350 of each other and wear at the same 34mm. You would be choosing between the 10K gold-filled case of the Longines and the one-piece steel case of the Omega, which carries a Seamaster caseback.

Solid Gold With Sub-Seconds

Longines · 14K Rose Gold Two-Tone Dial, Sub-Seconds, Cal. 23M 33.5mm, hand-wound In stock · $2,877 Omega · 18K Gold Ref. 14715-61, Gold Dial, Cal. 268, 1962 34mm, hand-wound In stock · $4,509

Here the price gap is $1,632. Part of it comes from the extra gold, since the Omega has an 18K case and a solid gold dial and the Longines a 14K rose gold case.

Gold Tank Watches

Longines · 18K Gold Tank, Linen Dial, Cal. 994.1, 1979 29 × 36.4mm, automatic In stock · $3,836 Omega · 14K Gold De Ville Tank, Striped Dial, 1982 24.5 × 40mm, quartz cal. 1377 In stock · $3,836

We list both at exactly $3,836. For that price the Longines comes in 18K gold with an automatic movement, and the Omega in 14K gold with the quartz caliber 1377.

Moonphase Triple Calendars

Longines · 18K Gold Phase de Lune Triple Date, 1980s 32mm, hand-wound In stock · $6,393 Omega · Steel Cosmic Triple Calendar, Ref. 2471/1, 1944 35mm, hand-wound cal. 381 In stock · $6,621

The Omega Cosmic costs $228 more even though it comes in steel. The Longines is solid 18K gold, and its hand-wound movement uses an ETA 1100 base.

In four of the five pairs the Omega costs more, and in one the two prices match. Where the Longines comes in lower, you get the same type of watch from the same era. In the tank pair, the same money buys an 18K case and an automatic movement.

Should You Buy a Longines or Save Up for an Omega?

Here's how we'd decide, depending on what you want the watch for.

When a Longines Is the Better Buy

Choose a Longines if you want a 1930s to 1960s dress watch with an in-house movement and your budget is under $2,000. Longines also suits smaller wrists, and the Longines dress watches in this article measure between 31mm and 34mm. If solid gold matters to you, a Longines gets you there for less. Our 14K rose gold Longines costs $2,877, and our 18K Omega dress watch costs $4,509.

When It's Worth Saving for an Omega

An Omega is worth saving for when you have a specific model in mind, such as a Speedmaster, a Constellation or a Seamaster. Buyers search for these watches by name, which makes an Omega easier to sell later. It's also the better choice if you want a vintage watch from a brand that everyone around you will recognize.

If you're torn, compare a Longines and an Omega from the same decade in a similar size and metal. The pairs above are a good place to start, and the gap between two matched watches shows how much extra you'd pay for the Omega name.

Which Brand Holds Its Value Better?

We've sold 218 vintage Omegas since 2022 against 84 Longines, so Omega clearly has the larger market. A larger pool of buyers makes an Omega quicker to resell, especially the named models.

Longines has a smaller but well-informed group of buyers who know the calibers and the references. A Longines with an original dial and a sought-after caliber, such as the 13.34 or the 30L, can sell well above the brand median. Our Longines for West End Watch Co. with a 1926 enamel dial and the caliber 13.34 sold for $4,452.

Longines · Cal. 13.34 West End Watch Co., Enamel Dial, 1926 Sold · $4,452 Longines · Cal. 30L Ref. 7293-1, Rose Gold-Capped, 1963 Sold · $4,110

We aren't financial advisers, so please read this as a dealer's view. We'd buy either brand to wear first.

Longines vs Omega vs Rolex

If you're weighing all three, Rolex sits above both on price for new watches. The Swatch Group positioned Omega to compete with Rolex, and Longines sits a step below. For vintage watches, prices depend on the exact model, so it makes sense to compare specific references.

Servicing a Vintage Longines or Omega

Servicing works the same way for both brands, because the Swatch Group controls the spare parts for each of them. Since 1 January 2016 the group has supplied parts only to watchmakers who hold an approved account, according to the British watchmaker Watchguy. A watchmaker without an account works from old stock and donor movements.

The movement decides how easy the service will be. A 1980s watch on an ETA base shares its parts with movements that other Swiss brands also used, so a watchmaker can find them without much trouble. The in-house calibers of the 1930s to the 1960s, such as the Longines 12.68Z or the Omega 30T2, need a watchmaker who knows vintage pieces and keeps parts for them. Ask the seller who serviced the watch last, and plan a service into your budget if nobody knows.

Archive Documents From Both Brands

Longines issues an archive extract for watches over 10 years old. It costs CHF 120, takes four to five weeks and confirms details such as the production date, the original market and the caliber. A Longines certificate of authenticity costs CHF 300 and takes about three months, since a Longines watchmaker examines the watch itself. Omega issues its own Extract of the Archives on request. An extract makes the most sense for a high-value watch or a sale at auction, and the serial number decoders give you a free first estimate.

What to Check Before Buying Either Brand

We check both brands the same way, starting with the points below.

• The dial. A refinished dial lowers the value of both brands. Look for sharp, even printing and aging that matches the hands.
• The case material. Longines sold in the US came in 10K gold-filled cases, like two in our shop now, and Omega used gold-capped cases on watches like the Constellation. Our guide to gold, gold-plated, gold-filled and gold-capped watches explains the difference.
• The movement and the date. The caliber should fit the model, and the serial number should fit the period. Our Longines and Omega serial number decoders, linked in the movements section above, give you the approximate year.
• The reference inside the caseback. Both brands stamped reference numbers inside the back, such as 7293-1 on a Longines or 2383-6 on an Omega. They should match the watch.

You can see everything we have now in our vintage Longines collection and our vintage Omega collection, with prices as of October 2026.