Longines Spirit Zulu Time 1925

Tom Austin

• Longines celebrates the 100-year anniversary of its first twin time wristwatch by unveiling three new colourways for the Spirit Zulu Time.
• Alongside some barely totally different bezel and dial mixtures, probably the most putting addition is a mannequin with an 18ct rose gold bezel insert, that includes engraved numerals.
• New fashions additionally characteristic rose gold-plated arms and hour markers, setting this celebratory assortment aside from the remainder of the vary.

For the reason that daybreak of air journey, pilots and jet-setters alike have relied on wristwatches to trace the time throughout totally different time zones. Whereas Rolex takes many of the credit score for inventing the trendy GMT watch,  it might shock you that Longines has its personal justifiable share of travel-time historical past. 2025 marks 100 years for the reason that first Longines wristwatch to characteristic twin time zones, simply 14 years after the primary time zone was crossed in an aeroplane by pilot Calbraith Perry Rodgers in 1911.

Air journey superior shortly throughout that interval, and over the next a long time, wristwatches developed into dependable instruments to accompany travellers alongside their journeys. Longines moved together with this with a number of pilots’ watches through the years, culminating at this time with their newest launch, the Longines Spirit Zulu Time 1925 assortment.

Launched in 2022, the primary Spirit Zulu Time got here in a 42mm guise, then shortly took on extra compact and ergonomic proportions when the 39mm model was launched round a yr later. It’s a vastly fashionable watch, taking components from the travel-watch recipe e book that work exceptionally properly, and incorporating them in a chic and useful package deal. This new assortment brings some adjustments, albeit delicate, which are a mix of all-new designs and reworkings of different elements used elsewhere within the Spirit Zulu Time vary. All of which can be found in 42mm and 39mm sizes.

Firstly, there are two ceramic bezel additions. One is a strong blue, now paired with a black dial as a substitute of the sunburst blue dial we’ve seen beforehand. Additionally, the two-tone black and gray ceramic bezel insert has made its approach onto a metal mannequin, after solely being launched on the latest titanium Spirit Zulu. It needs to be stated that whereas these do look nice, and there’s a component of retro-cool concerning the new blue combo, and the two-tone sees the addition of gold-tinted hour markers within the bezel, these aren’t groundbreaking tweaks – however welcome ones nonetheless.

Fortunately, there’s a mannequin within the vary which is like no different. Out there within the 39mm selection solely, the third mannequin options a way more fascinating 18ct rose gold bezel insert. It matches the gilt dial options fantastically and is brushed to mitigate the irritating scratches from on a regular basis put on. The 24-hour numerals are finely engraved into the gold floor, and whereas it lacks the day/night time side of a GMT bezel, it doesn’t actually matter, as a result of gold, proper?

All three watches are set with a matt black dial, contrasting in opposition to the brilliant lumed Arabic hour markers. On the gold and black/gray mannequin, these, together with the arms, are actually in a cultured rose gold end. In distinction, the blue mannequin retains the yellow end of the present mannequin – why Longines selected to do that is anyone’s guess, as it will have made extra sense to stay with rose gold a minimum of for consistency throughout this assortment, nevertheless it’s not a dealbreaker.

The GMT hand is completed with a rose gold tip to match the remainder, though with nearly all of the hand painted black, it fades into the dial virtually a bit of an excessive amount of, bringing fast legibility of the second time zone into query barely. As with the opposite fashions within the vary, although, high quality and end are very good and exceed expectations at this worth level. That, too, extends into the bracelet choices, with the three-link metal bracelet providing a premium appear and feel, and the gold mannequin providing a cool black NATO-style strap within the field for some selection.

The whole lot else with the brand new 1925 assortment is what we get pleasure from concerning the Spirit Zulu Time: particularly the comfy chrome steel case with polished chamfers and no crown guards, the domed sapphire crystal and properly proportioned bezel. All of those components are what make it objectively an amazing watch, albeit whereas the 42mm could also be on the bigger facet for many, it’s good to see the 39mm is given the identical choices.

Its performance stays, too, with the usage of the Longines unique calibre L844.4, a COSC-certified chronometer motion primarily based on an ETA A31.411. Fortunately, it’s a “true” GMT motion, which at this worth level is a should, together with a hefty 72 hours of energy reserve. One different factor to notice is that the gold bezelled anniversary mannequin options an exhibition caseback, which, fortunately, has not added any thickness to the watch in any respect.

Whereas there’s nothing mistaken with the Spirit Zulu Time, it’s simple to criticise sure points of this new assortment, purely from a design viewpoint. Longines has a wealthy historical past in the case of twin time zone watches, and it will have been fascinating to see them play into that a bit of extra and discover some extra daring choices, primarily based on historic references. Or then once more, maybe it’s simply due to my very own inadequacies of not being as good-looking as Henry Cavill when sporting one… Both approach, there are some cool particulars with the brand new Spirit Zulu Time 1925 assortment, and I can’t wait to see that new gold bezel insert within the metallic.

Longines Spirit Zulu Time 1925 pricing and availability

The Longines Spirit Zulu Time 1925 assortment is on the market now from Longines retailers. Worth: US$3,300 (39mm and 42mm ceramic bezel fashions), US$4,350 (39mm rose gold bezel mannequin)