The New Longines Spirit Zulu Time 1925 Edition

Few manufacturers can look again on a historical past in aviation timekeeping as Longines. The model’s archive is as broad as it’s deep, with names like Weems, Lindbergh and Majetek being simply the tip of the iceberg. At the moment, Longines seems to be again in time but once more to have fun a century of the Zulu, a reputation linked to pilots’ watches for very apparent causes. Known as the Spirit Zulu Time 1925, it’s all the pieces we all know and love from the Spirit Zulu Time assortment, with just a little cherry on high!

a century of Zulu time

In the case of watchmaking for the skies, Longines is a real pioneer within the area. Again in 1908, the corporate created a pocket watch with two time zones on a single dial. It had twin hour and minute fingers to simply convert Turkish time to Western European time (see under, left). Such a show, with break up time on a single dial, may also be discovered within the Weems watch from 1930 (see under, proper). A legendary piece in Longines’ archive, the fingers could possibly be set independently to but once more point out the time in two totally different locations on earth.

1908 Longines Twin Time Zone Pocket Look ahead to Turkish to Western European time conversions.

1933 Longines Weems Watch with twin Minute & Hour fingers.

A yr later, Longines created particular cockpit clocks with the assistance of aviators Clyde Pangborn and Hugh Herndon (see gallery under). A big pusher on the rim of the clock stopped the motion and synchronised it with a radio time sign. Different stand-out watches or clocks embody a 1935 pilot’s watch with an internal rotating bezel, a primary on such a watch, and a 1937 cockpit clock with a rotating exterior bezel and triangular pointer. Such a pointer may be discovered on the watches provided to the Czechoslovakian Air Drive within the Nineteen Thirties, which is the inspiration behind in the present day’s Pilot Majetek assortment.

One watch, nonetheless, means extra to the present-day Spirit Zulu assortment than all of those, and that’s the 1925 Zulu Time (see under). This was the primary wristwatch to show each native time and a second timezone on one dial. Named after the time format as utilized in army aviation, the Zulu Time had a sq. case, a double scale dial and a fourth central hand for the second time zone. The little flag you possibly can see under the Longines title refers to Zulu Time, which is the time on the prime meridian, in any other case often called Greenwich Imply Time, GMT, or Coordinated Common Time, UTC briefly. That very watch additionally served because the inspiration for the present Spirit Zulu Time assortment, at the least by title. Coming full circle, the brand new Longines Spirit Zulu Time 1925 celebrates that milestone watch from 1925. And, a century onward, the usage of a GMT watch continues to be very a lot alive, because it’s excellent for frequent travellers crossing a number of time zones of their adventures!

The Spirit Zulu 1925

The Longines Spirit Zulu Time assortment was launched in 2022 and has since develop into a extremely popular selection for fans and collectors. The solidly constructed watches are available in a number of sizes, supplies and color combos, which now expands as soon as extra with the Spirit Zulu 1925. It makes use of the extra compact 39mm chrome steel case we’re already conversant in from earlier editions. Fitted with a bidirectional rotating bezel, it tops out at 13.25mm in top. The bezel itself has an 18k rose gold capped insert with a 24-hour scale engraved into it.

The bezel’s edge has a finely knurled profile for further grip. Setting it’s simply completed in each instructions, with a agency sense of suggestions and resistance. You gained’t simply make a mistake or have it manipulated on the fly by chance. The case is primarily brushed, with polished bevels offering a contact of class and distinction, and there’s a sapphire crystal on each side. The screw-down crown ensures it’s water-proof to 100 meters, greater than sufficient to take it for a dip within the ocean or a pool, or to outlive an sudden bathe of rain.

A watch that’s designed with a objective wants a dial to satisfy that objective, too, and the Spirit Zulu Time 1925 definitely hits the mark. The matte black dial has utilized hour markers, with a gold minute observe on the periphery. Recessed diamond-shaped markers visually join the 2 parts, and the 6 o’clock marker makes approach for the date indication.

The central sword-shaped hour and minute fingers are accompanied by an arrow-tipped seconds hand. The GMT hand stands out due to a big triangular tip and a black stem. Like the opposite fingers and markers, this additionally has a luminescent insert. Telling time at night time is a breeze, due to the robust glow of the Tremendous-LumiNova. The ending touches on the dial embody the model’s title, the well-known winged hourglass brand, printed “Zulu Time” and “Chronometer” script within the backside, and the 5 utilized stars. I do know that some folks would like to see such a dial with out the celebrities, however they do join the watch to pilot’s watches from Longines’ previous.

A Flyer-GMT through-and-through

Technically talking, nothing has modified below the hood of the Spirit Zulu Time 1925. It nonetheless depends on the model’s Calibre L844.4 which is solely produced by ETA for Longines, each a part of the Swatch Group after all. This runs at a frequency of 25,200vph and has a really comfy energy reserve of 72 hours. One factor to notice is that this motion makes the Spirit Zulu Time 1925 a Flyer’s GMT. It lets you regulate the native hour hand in one-hour increments by means of the crown, whereas the GMT hand signifies the time again at residence. This makes it not solely simple to set as you contact down within the nation you’re visiting, but additionally simple to inform time the place you’re.

To mark the event of 100 years of the Zulu Time title, the rotor is coated in gold PVD, matching it with the bezel up entrance. It’s additionally engraved with a partial map of the world and the prime meridian operating from north to south and over Greenwich, within the UK. The caseback itself, fitted with a sapphire crystal as a substitute of being closed, and held in place with six screws, can also be engraved with 1925-2025 for the event.

The Longines Spirit Zulu Time 1925 is provided with each a black NATO-style strap with a pin buckle and a chrome steel bracelet with a folding clasp. The bracelet has polished edges the place the internal and outer hyperlinks meet, and a built-in quick-release system. And whereas the folding clasp has a number of positions to regulate the size of the bracelet, there’s no micro-adjustability system right here.

All in all, it’s a welcome growth of the Spirit Zulu Time line by Longines. It seems to be excellent, particularly contemplating the extra compact case diameter, and feels rock-solid on the wrist. The match and end are excellent, and it has some fascinating particulars to have fun a century of Zulu Time watchmaking by Longines, with out going overboard. The watch retails for EUR 4,500, which suggests it’s EUR 1,000 greater than the common fashions with a closed caseback, and no further straps as customary. Not too unhealthy, Longines, not too unhealthy in any respect!

For extra info, please go to Longines.com.