Watch designs have been trending towards smaller case sizes in recent years, even in the realms of sports timepieces, with the latest example being the Longines Spirit Zulu Time. First introduced in a 42mm case last year, this pilot’s watch family is a tribute to the brand’s first GMT timepiece born in 1925. For those, who are not familiar with the term, “Zulu time” is the military name for UTC and is used primarily in aviation, at sea, and in other military settings. It is also displayed on the watch face, alongside with the five stars that symbolize highest quality at Longines.
This year, the collection welcomes new executions in downsized 39mm cases. From lug to lug, the dual-time newcomers measure 21mm and are 13.50mm in height. They are available with a matte black, sandblasted anthracite, or sunray blue dial with a date window centered at the 6 o’clock position. The flagship of the collection sports an 18K yellow gold bezel and a chocolate brown ceramic insert with a gilt GMT track.
An exclusive Longines caliber with a silicon balance-spring is at the heart of the Longines Spirit Zulu Time. The brand has also updated two components which, like the silicon balance-spring, are made of anti-magnetic material. This allows for an anti-magnetic resistance certification according to the ISO764 standard, with resistance to fields of 600 to 800 gauss ensured. The self-winding movement, which ticks behind a closed and engraved case back, has a power reserve of 72 hours and is chronometer-certified by the COSC.
Pricing for the Longines Zulu Time 39mm starts at $3,050 for the stainless-steel variants with a leather or fabric strap and at $4,200 for the two-tone executions. The metal bracelet iterations cost $100 more.
To learn more, visit Longines, here.
This watch has a quick set hour hand, making it a ‘real GMT’ travellers watch, where the GMT hand can be left set to home time, or UTC for pilots. I’ve got a 42mm version and it is gaining just 0.1 seconds every few days.
Love this piece from Longines…