This week fans of luxury Swiss brand Longines have been rewarded with not one but two new releases within the Spirit collection. It was announced earlier today that both the popular Flyback and Zulu Time ranges would be expanded, with three new references added to refresh the lines.
Longines Spirit Zulu Time Titanium
Originally offered a couple of years back as a 39mm Stainless Steel variant, the new Longines Spirit Zulu Time Titanium reference (L3.802.1.53.6) has now been reworked into a sleek Grade 5 Titanium case of the same size. The lightweight yet durable model measures in at 39mm in diameter and 13.50mm in thickness for enhanced wearer comfort and is waterproof up to 10 bar (100 metres). Presented on an interchangeable bracelet (also Grade 5 Titanium) with a double-security folding clasp and pusher-operated opening mechanism, the Zulu Time represents one of Longines’ best offerings to the tool-watch category.
COSC-certified thanks to the use of the exclusive Longines GMT calibre L844.4, the Spirit Zulu Time Titanium is equipped with a silicon balance-spring and magnetic field resistance ten times greater than the ISO 764 reference standard. Its precise, self-winding movement provides a 72-hour power reserve.
Presented with bi-directional ceramic bezel, a contrasting matte black and intense polished black uni-directional ceramic bezel to separate day from night and an anthracite dial, the Longines Spirit Zulu Time Titanium also features a date window at 6 o’clock as well as a matte black GMT hand with a luminescent arrow. The tip of the GMT hand perfectly matches the red “Zulu Time” inscription on the dial which references Longines’ first dual time-zone wristwatch. Originally released in 1925, the dial of the first dual time-zone Longines watch was decorated with the Zulu flag, a clever nod to the letter Z which was historically used as the designated universal time for aviators and sailors.
Longines Spirit Flyback
Now featuring shaded matte green (L3.821.5.53.2) and shaded matte brown (L3.821.5.59.2) dials, alongside matching ceramic bezel inserts, and cases made up of steel and 18-carat gold, the new versions of the Longines Spirit Flyback also take to the skies once again. Equipped with the extremely precise Longines calibre L791.4, the Flyback models maintain an identical magnetic field resistance to the new Zulu Time model but have a mildly inferior 68-hour power reserve. The Flyback’s COSC-certified movement can be viewed through a transparent exhibition caseback.
The sophisticated new dials feature a small sub-seconds dial at 9 o’clock as well as a 30-minute timer at 3 o’clock in keeping with the revolutionary tools Longines have been responsible for providing since the 1920s. The flyback complication has enabled pilots to conquer the skies, timing different stages of flight and facilitating safe navigation. Offered with either yellow or rose gold hands and numerals, each have been generously coated with Super-LumiNova Old Radium for a true vintage aesthetic that also ensures maximised legibility in the air and on the ground. The Flyback reference is also water resistant to 100m.
Full technical specifications for all three new references as well as purchasing information can be found here.
