{"id":39178,"date":"2022-03-23T10:00:18","date_gmt":"2022-03-23T09:00:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.horbiter.com\/?p=39178"},"modified":"2024-05-19T14:05:22","modified_gmt":"2024-05-19T12:05:22","slug":"the-longines-spirit-zulu-time-watch-hands-on","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.horbiter.com\/en\/the-longines-spirit-zulu-time-watch-hands-on\/","title":{"rendered":"The Longines Spirit Zulu Time watch hands-on"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Spirit Zulu Time\u2019s pedigree<\/h2>\n

The term \u201cAvigation\u201d<\/em>, which means \u201cAerial Navigation\u201d<\/em>, summarizes Longines<\/strong>\u2018 legacy as a long-established manufacturer of wrist or dash instruments developed explicitly for flight, be they experimental tools like the Lindbergh Hour Angle<\/strong> or the glorious Weems<\/strong>, whose innovative features were a breakthrough back in time, or watches displaying a second timezone.<\/p>\n

\"Pangborn<\/p>\n

Longines<\/strong>\u2018 heritage dates back to a century ago as long as multiple time zones are concerned. Contrary to popular belief, timepieces providing a second timezone complication are rooted in the past; e.g., the first Longines<\/strong> wristwatch housing two timezones appeared in 1925<\/strong> and came with a rectangular case. Its name was Longines Zulu Time<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\"longines<\/p>\n

The name mentioned above explains why the new collection comes as Spirit Zulu Time<\/strong>. GMT<\/strong> watches rose in popularity during the early 1950s with the consistent development of commercial flights across different timezones. Then, the American company Pan Am<\/strong> decided to provide its long-range pilots with a mechanical wristwatch that simultaneously measured the time in two different timezones. The business grew during the seventies to such an extent to be, in 2022<\/strong>, a significant business segment.<\/p>\n

From GMT to Zulu Time<\/h2>\n

What does Zulu Time<\/strong> mean? Indeed, the Zulu Time<\/strong> moniker is not as common as GMT<\/strong> or UTC<\/strong>. GMT<\/strong> stood for Greenwich Mean Time<\/strong> and was established in 1884<\/strong> during the International Meridian Conference<\/strong> held in Washington<\/strong>. Back then, 24 representatives out of 25 nations, including Italy<\/strong>, voted to identify the reference meridian, to synchronize all the watches around the globe. UTC<\/strong> after that replaced the GMT<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\"greenwich
Alvesgaspar, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The 1925 Zulu Time<\/strong> watch came after the convention introducing the Greenwich Mean Time<\/strong> standard; the term Zulu<\/strong> proves how Longines<\/strong>\u2018 mission was to craft instrument watches. The name \u201cSpirit Zulu Time\u201d<\/em> equally has a historical meaning since it bridges old and new and is a clever communication strategy setting the new collection apart from any other GMT<\/strong> watch in the industry.<\/p>\n

The product collection has proven DNA with roots in watchmaking history; nonetheless, the brand was too late in joining the party, in my opinion, considering that most competitors cannot guarantee a pedigree so impressive.<\/p>\n

\"longines<\/p>\n

However, a true watch enthusiast values product specs as much as a brand\u2019s history, which is the foundation of that brand and boosts awareness. The historical association between Longines<\/strong> and the world of aviation, and among watches with a second timezone, especially, has unmatched roots in watchmaking and is powerful. The good news is that the brand has now closed this gap by launching its first-ever Longines GMT<\/strong> watch or, case in point, Zulu Time<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The Product Design<\/h2>\n

Can we consider it a new collection? We certainly can, either in engineering or style and functions, but there\u2019s no doubt that the Longines<\/strong> Spirit Zulu Time<\/strong> belongs to the Spirit<\/strong> collection, which is contemporary and is thus not reissuing any model from the past as it usually happens with any model from the Heritage<\/strong> collection. It summarizes several sources of inspiration picked from various historical models, carefully mixed up to such an extent that it\u2019s hard to identify every source of inspiration unless you\u2019re a proven Longines<\/strong> expert.<\/p>\n

\"longines<\/p>\n

For example, the Arabic numerals\u2019 font takes inspiration from a 1937<\/strong> cockpit clock, while the luminous baton-shaped hour and minute hands first appeared on Weems<\/strong> wristwatches. The in-line five stars, marking the timepiece\u2019s above-the-average accuracy, pay homage to the Longines Admiral<\/strong>. Finally, and most importantly, the dial houses the hallmark diamond-shaped indexes found on historical Pilot\u2019s watches.<\/p>\n

\"longines<\/p>\n

In my opinion, Longines<\/strong> aimed, with Spirit<\/strong><\/a>, at summarizing the brand\u2019s respected history, technically and aesthetically. The polished applied golden ring stands out and enhances the dial\u2019s lure while contrasting the \u201cmicro-bill\u00e9\u201d<\/em> matte anthracite dial, even more so within this Green option whose touch and feel is premium, proving how Longines<\/strong> is slightly moving upmarket. This \u201cGreen and Gold\u201d<\/em> option is the collection\u2019s hero and is distinctive in the GMT<\/strong> scenario.<\/p>\n

\"longines<\/p>\n

You\u2019ll notice that Longines<\/strong> designers didn\u2019t opt for a two-tone, day and night, 24 hours<\/strong> ring. They were perhaps searching for superior sophistication, a choice I fully approve of; it also ends up being less \u201cdeja vu\u201d<\/em> than most competitors.<\/p>\n

\"longines<\/p>\n

Another relevant design cue is that the bezel is relatively thin and houses a green ceramic inlay. Such choice visually lightens the watch and preserves the dial\u2019s readability other than further integrating this model into the base Spirit<\/strong> collection. From a technical and usability point of view, there are two things I\u2019d underline: the bezel is sturdy, and there is no gap against the case, something I have noticed on competing models costing more than a Spirit Zulu Time<\/strong> instead.<\/p>\n

While rotating the bezel in one-hour increments forward and backwards, a smooth final click suggests you\u2019re in the assigned position, while the deep grooves help the wearer easily grasp and rotate the bezel itself.<\/p>\n

\"longines<\/p>\n

The self-winding calibre\u2019s size creates a somewhat visual displacement on the 42 mm<\/strong> large case. As seen via the date window, the disc elapsing the days of the month looks misplaced Vs the ideal line passing amidst the Arabic numerals. Just compare this case and the recently released 37 mil three-hands case<\/strong>, and you\u2019ll agree that the date window holds the reference position here. Overall, however, thumbs up to the high build quality.<\/p>\n

\"longines<\/p>\n

Also, I appreciate the bracelet\u2019s quick-release mechanism. It is super easy to use and ensures a gap-free and solid fastening between case and bracelet. Let\u2019s move to the base specs: the case \u2013 crown excluded \u2013 measures 42 mm<\/strong> across and is 13,9 mm<\/strong> thick.<\/p>\n

In the benchmark, as an example, a Tudor Black Bay GMT<\/strong>, retailing at a premium over the Longines Spirit Zulu Time<\/strong>, is 15 mm<\/strong> thick, while a Seiko Presage GMT<\/strong> is less refined instead and equals the Longines<\/strong>, at 13,7 mm<\/strong> across. The brand has highlighted that the timepiece offers a thoroughly-thought lug-to-lug distance to make the watch adaptable to most wrist sizes, a feat you might enhance by swapping the bracelet with the strap and vice versa.<\/p>\n

\"longines<\/p>\n

The leather strap is a masterpiece in its category; it is soft and reduces, as much as possible, the annoying effect of the case protruding from the wrist when adopting a new strap paired with a folding buckle. It features a micro-adjustment mechanism<\/strong> mimicking the micro-adjustment found on metal bracelets.<\/p>\n

It looks bizarre, but the bracelet doesn\u2019t come standard with any micro-adjustment instead. The pin buckle houses a tiny rectangular button to adjust the pin\u2019s position finely. I keep believing a tang buckle is the way to go if you want to taper the watch around the wrist effortlessly; also, it helps reduce the product cost; yet, it seems that consumers prefer folding clasps; and I guess it has mainly to do with style.<\/p>\n

The Longines Spirit Zulu Time 39 mm<\/h2>\n

In 2023, Longines extended the Spirit Zulu Time lineup by adding a 39 mm variant<\/strong>. Here is what most enthusiasts have been waiting for since the collection hit the market in 2022.<\/p>\n

By offering a smaller Spirit Zulu Time, Longines now attracts a broader audience<\/strong>, given that the new diameter comes with a 13,50 mm case thickness instead of 13,90mm.<\/p>\n

\"longines<\/p>\n

All in all, it looks and, especially, feels like a new model<\/strong>, refining the collection following a continuous improvement process which involves every new recently-introduced Longines where technical prowess has to meet enhanced comfort, a combination any brand won\u2019t dismiss in such a competitive market scenario.<\/p>\n

\"longines<\/p>\n

With the new size\u2019s reveal, Longines has launched a hero model, and the most precious so far; it is the Spirit Zulu Time 39 in steel with yellow gold accents (on the rotating bezel\u2019s knurled profile and crown), paired with a first-ever brown chocolate ceramic inlay on the bezel.<\/p>\n