Two great names and yet another collaboration. Longines and Hodinkee have joined forces to launch the LONGINES SPIRIT ZULU TIME.
This is a 500-piece limited edition made entirely of Grade 5 titanium alloy with high specific strength and excellent corrosion resistance. At first glance at the new watch, we are under no illusions that this is a pure tool launch through and through.
You must return to 1925 to find the first Longines watch, which offered dual time zone capability. This watch featured the famous Zulu flag, denoted by the letter Z, which has been, and still is, an indicator of aviation and military Universal ZULU Time.
Like many watch manufacturers, Longines has opted for a 39mm case to give this watch a contemporary edge, supporting the speculation that the 45mm big tool watch era is over. The new watch is beautifully finished, be it subtly. The brushed titanium finish will probably scratch, but the watch will look good and be well-travelled with it. As expected on any quality GMT watch, the Longines has a bidirectional titanium bezel featuring a laser-engraved 24-hour scale. The screw-down crown, also in titanium, allows the time zone and time setting to be set independently.
The watch's heart is the Longines Calibre L844.4, which comes as standard with a silicon balance spring and magnetic resistance ten times greater than ISO 764 requires. This self-winding COSC-certified mechanical movement has a power reserve of 72 hours.
The excellent legibility is via domed sapphire crystal, and the dial is a striking blasted anthracite colour featuring a date window at 3 o'clock. The applied hour markers, numerals, and hands are in polished PVD titanium. As you would expect in a watch of this calibre, all of the critical elements are coated in Super LumiNova light old radium. The GMT hand has the industry standard orange tip with a luminescent arrow in the same colour as the "ZULU TIME" inscription. All in all, it's a great package.
What do we think?
Well, we love no-nonsense tool watches and Longines, so this collaboration has it all. It's pretty brave of a brand to come out with a reasonably plain watch, but it's very welcome and refreshing. For some reason, this watch reminds us of American Raven Watches. Still, of course, it's almost certainly built to a different standard with titanium, COSC and a massive brand behind the creation. It's a great-looking tool watch, even if it is a little plain, but there is nothing not to like about it. Price TBC.
LONGINES SPIRIT ZULU TIME Essential Tech Specs:
- CALIBRE - Self-winding mechanical movement. Exclusive Longines calibre L844.4. 11½ lines, 21 jewels, 25'200 vibrations per hours. Magnetically resistant, with silicon balance spring. Power reserve: up to 72 hours. COSC officially certified chronometer
- FUNCTIONS - Hours, minutes, seconds and date aperture at 3 o’clock, 24-hour hand with time zone mechanism (GMT)
- CASE - 39 mm, 13,50 mm thickness, round, Grade 5 titanium; satin & polished finishing. Sapphire domed glass with multi-layered anti-reflective coating on both sides. Circular-brushed bi-directional rotating Grade 5 titanium bezel, laser engraved 24-hour scale. Special engraving “Longines Spirit Hodinkee Limited Edition” and individual numbering indication “No xxx/500”. Lug-to-lug: 46,80 mm / Lug width: 21 mm
- DIAL - Anthracite sandblasted, polished titanium PVD hour markers and 11 Arabic numerals, light old radium Super-LumiNova, Orange “ZULU TIME” print
- HANDS - Polished titanium PVD, light old radium Super-LumiNova, Black mat GMT hand, with a lacquered orange arrow filled with light old radium Super-LumiNova
- WATER-RESISTANCE - 10 bar (100 metres)
- BRACELET - Grade 5 titanium with double-safety folding clasp engraved with the winged hourglass symbol, and push-piece opening mechanism. Fitted with an interchangeability system
