Pilot’s watches are among the most popular of all types of timepieces, offering high functionality, robustness and sporty/casual charisma. Marrying yesteryear’s styles with today’s state-of-the-art technical advancements, vintage-style pilot’s are particularly sought after, and even more so if they have a GMT function.
Offering the indication of three time zones and tasteful looks as well as a new movement, the brand-new Longines Spirit Zulu Time is a great example for this popularity. 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 military settings. The debutante, which is a tribute to the brand’s first GMT timepiece born in 1925, takes to the skies in a 42mm stainless-steel case and is water-resistant to 100 meters. It is driven by the new COSC-certified caliber L844.4 which amasses a power reserve of 72 hours and boasts an innovative silicon balance spring for enhanced reliability and precision.
The outer features are as impressive as the mechanics inside. The dials, available in matte black, sandblasted anthracite and sunray blue, are distinguished by bold applied Arabic numerals coated with Super-LumiNova for best readability in the dark. The blue respectively orange arrowed central hand indicates the second time zone, whereas a third one can be set via the bidirectional rotating bezel with black, green or blue ceramic inserts.
The Longines Spirit Zulu Time boast a closed caseback with an engraving and is complemented by a brown, beige or blue strap respectively a metal bracelet. Thanks to an interchangeable system, they can easily be exchanged. The leather-strap version retails for $2,950, the bracelet variant is $3,050.
To learn more, visit Longines, here.
The article doesn’t mention an important feature – like Omega and Rolex, it has a quick-set hour hand, making it a real GMT watch for travellers where the GMT hand stays at home time or UTC. I have one and it gains only 0.1 seconds every few days. Extremely accurate timing.
Important that you mention that the new Longines Zulu Time is a “True GMT”. Can change local time without impacting the third Zulu time hand.