Longines adds a trio of aces to its Spirit collection of pilot watches
By combining the traditional features of a heritage pilot watch with modern horology in innovative new timepieces, Longines’ pilot watches have as much of a place on an aviator’s wrist today as they did a century ago
By Cayle Reid
WITH THE INCREASING prevalence of time-telling smartphones and constant advancements in technology, society has become less reliant on specialised watches. Case in point, divers aren’t relying on bulky dive watches to join them on journeys into the deep anymore; they have dive computers and sonar systems to do the job. Pilot watches, then, remain one of the last bastions of practical timekeeping – maintaining utilitarianism requires respecting the past while embracing the future.
Thanks to the inability of smartphones to adapt to air travel, you might be surprised to learn that pilot watches are just as useful today as they were when mankind first took to the skies. Whether you want to check the time while still in flight, have just landed and haven’t been bothered to swap out your SIM card yet, or simply want to stay connected to multiple time zones courtesy of a GMT function, there are actually several areas where smartphones are yet to catch up to the tried and tested function of a pilot watch.
And at Longines, those tried and trusted watches continue being improved upon. Recently, the iconic Swiss watchmaker released two new versions of some celebrated watches from the Spirit collection.
The Spirit collection is Longines’ line of pilot and aviation watches. Each watch in the collection, which includes the vaunted Longines Spirit Zulu Time and Longines Spirit Flyback models, is imbued with a sense of heritage meeting modernity. The timepieces boast the traditional features of aviators’ watches as well as the latest innovations in horological technology – and both the Longines Spirit Zulu Time and Longines Spirit Flyback range have just received new versions.
First, let’s talk about the Longines Spirit Zulu Time, which was originally introduced last year. The watch now comes in a 39mm version set in Grade 5 titanium, an alloy chosen for its robustness and lightweight properties – which would usually be contradictory qualities, in any other material.
Like every watch in the Spirit collection, the Longines Spirit Zulu Time is steeped in history. It draws its name from the first Longines dual time-zone wristwatch produced in 1925. For those who aren’t familiar with the ins and outs of maritime and aviation jargon, Zulu here refers to the letter Z in the NATO phonetic alphabet, and Zulu time, which is the universal time used by aviators and sailors, similar to Greenwich Mean Time.
The new Longines Spirit Zulu Time model is powered by the Longines GMT calibre L844.4. Like all watches in the Spirit collection, this self-winding mechanical movement boasts a silicon balance-spring, offering resistance to magnetic fields ten times greater than the standard – which can come in handy at great heights. It also has a power reserve of up to 72 hours, longer than any commercial flight you’ll ever take.
The aesthetics of the new Longines Spirit Zulu Time are what make it really stand out. Like we said, it has a 39mm titanium case, but it also has a bi-directional ceramic bezel with a 24-hour scale divided into two shades – matte black and polished black – to indicate day and night hours. The anthracite dial includes a date aperture at 6 o’clock and gold-plated hands. Then there’s the GMT hand with a red tip and luminescent arrow, a must for any pilot watch and an homage to Longines’ history. Back in 1908, Longines created a watch that could convert Turkish time to Western European time for the Ottoman Empire. The importance of a GMT function still hasn’t waned.
Also joining the Longines Spirit collection are two new versions of the Longines Spirit Flyback model. The new varieties feature green or brown dials and cases made of steel and 18-carat gold. The first flyback complication was a revelation in aviation, allowing the chronograph seconds hand to be quickly reset at the push of a button and by extension, for consecutive intervals to be timed with ease. This was an essential step forward in navigation, and it’s still in use today.
The new Longines Spirit Flybacks are powered by the Longines calibre L791.4. Like the Longines Spirit Zulu Time, they’re equipped with a silicon balance-spring and are ten times more resistant to magnetic fields. Under the hood, the watch’s transparent caseback reveals the supreme detail and craftsmanship that went into designing the calibre, with a gold oscillating weight engraved with a globe, the emblem of the Longines Spirit collection.
The revamped Longines Spirit Flybacks come in two colour schemes. There’s a green-dial model with a steel and 18-carat yellow gold case and rotating bezel, and a brown-dial version with a steel and 18-carat rose gold case and rotating bezel. The dials are topped with a multi-layer anti-reflective sapphire crystal and feature a sub-seconds dial at 9 o’clock and a 30-minute timer at 3 o’clock. The models are also water-resistant up to 100 metres – presumably in case the plane goes down – and come with leather straps matching their dial colours.
Ultimately, the new additions to the Longines Spirit collection are pleasing to look at – but then again, most modern timepieces are. What sets them apart is Longines’ commitment to crafting watches that remain practical in a world where many watches have become jewellery with no functional purpose. When you strap on a Longines Spirit, you’re not just wearing a watch, you’re equipping yourself with everything you need to conquer any obstacle – and, at the very least, get through any long-haul flight.
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