Longines celebrates and awards elegant timepieces for World Approval's victory at Longines Dixie Stakes and Cloud Computing's at Preakness Stakes

BALTIMORE, MD and SAINT-IMIER, SWITZERLAND--(Marketwired - May 22, 2017) - The Swiss watchmaker Longines was the Official Partner, Timekeeper and Watch of the 142^nd Preakness Stakes, at which Cloud Computing ridden by Xavier Castellano stole the limelight. The owner, jockey and trainer were granted an elegant Longines watch to celebrate Cloud Computing's victory. The Longines Dixie Stakes, the race presented by the watchmaker, was captured by World Approval and Julien Leparoux.

Longines, the Official Partner, Timekeeper and Watch of the 142^nd Preakness Stakes, ceremoniously awarded the winning owner, trainer and jockey of Cloud Computing with elegant watches at Pimlico racetrack on Saturday, May 20. Cloud Computing won the second leg of the esteemed Triple Crown series. The Swiss watch brand is also proudly associated with the 1^st and 3^rd leg of the series as the Official Partner, Timekeeper and Watch: The Kentucky Derby and the Belmont Stakes.

Longines had a prominent presence throughout Pimlico on Preakness day. The watch brand granted watches to the winning horse World Approval's owner, trainer and jockey of the Longines Dixie Stakes. The brand also hosted the Longines Prize for Elegance at Preakness Fashion Contest to celebrate the refined style of the female racegoers. With the help of a panel of judges, Longines chose the most elegant woman and presented her a watch.

The race day was attended by three of the four laureates of the 2017 Longines Ladies Awards: American jumping rider Reed Kessler, Australian jockey Michelle Payne and Canadian business woman in the horseracing industry Belinda Stronach. The previous day, these personalities and the fourth recipient, American jumping rider Georgina Bloomberg, were honored at a ceremony organized in Washington DC by Longines for their careers dedicated to positive influence and exceptional commitment in the equine cause.

The spectators at Pimlico racetrack had the opportunity to discover the Official Watch of the event: a lady model of the Longines DolceVita collection. The steel and gold lady piece is set with diamonds and features a solid rose gold crown. It displays a silver-coloured "flinqué" dial adorned with painted Roman numerals and a rose gold hourglass. It is mounted on a steel and rose gold cap bracelet. The watch belongs to a collection, which has been an homage to the sweetness and femininity of life since its inception.

Longines has drawn strength from this commitment throughout its centuries-long history. An engraving featuring jockey and mount appeared on a chronograph as early as 1878. It wasn't long before the model earned the success it deserved: in 1881, most sports judges in New York began using it as their preferred time measuring tool. Since then, Longines' commitment toward those who organize the most famous equestrian events has never faltered. Today, Longines' presence can be found on race tracks over the world. If the equestrian sports consolidate Elegance, Tradition and Performance, Longines carries those very same values in its heart.

For more information and photography from the 142nd Preakness Stakes visit:

http://inr.synapticdigital.com/Longines/preakness_2017

Longines has been based at Saint-Imier, Switzerland, since 1832. It has generations of experience as the official timekeeper at world championships and as a partner of international sports federations. Longines is a member of Swatch Group S.A., the world's leading manufacturer of horological products. With an excellent reputation for creating refined timepieces, the brand, whose emblem is the winged hourglass, has outlets in over 150 countries.