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Longines Spirit Zulu Time “Pioneering time zones” 42mm
Ref. L38124532
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Stepping up in the same colour and case shape
The Spirit Zulu Time reaches back to 1925, when Longines produced its first dual-time-zone wristwatch — a piece that used a Zulu flag on the dial to mark a second reference time. This model is a direct descendant of that idea, built for the same purpose: reading two time zones at once without fumbling, now with COSC chronometer certification behind it. The L844.4 at its core carries a monocrystalline silicon balance spring, which keeps it resistant to magnetic fields in ways that conventional hairsprings cannot match — a quiet but meaningful advantage for frequent travellers. On the wrist, the combination of straight lugs and a 49mm lug-to-lug span means it wears with real presence; this is not a watch that disappears beneath a cuff, and it is sized accordingly. The matte black dial with gilt Arabic numerals reads cleanly in low light, and the bidirectional ceramic bezel insert lets the GMT function work as intended — set, rotated, read — without the bezel feeling decorative. The screw-in crown is shaped as a cone, a small but considered detail that makes it easier to find and grip cleanly. The deployant clasp includes both a micro-adjustment system and a tool-free quick-release on the strap, which matters more than it sounds once you are switching between strap options or adjusting fit on a long flight.
- Reference
- L38124532
- Brand
- Longines
- Collection
- Spirit
- Case size
- 42mm
- Case thickness
- 13.9mm
- Lug width
- 22mm
- Case material
- Stainless steel
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- Black
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Bezel
- Bidirectional rotating
- Movement
- Automatic
- Calibre
- ETA A31.411
- Functions
- GMT, Date
- Water resistance
- 100m
- Bracelet / strap
- Leather strap
- Strap colour
- Brown
- Clasp
- Deployant clasp
- Lume
- Super-LumiNova
- Retailer
- Goldsmiths
Additional specifications
- Lug-to-lug
- 49mm
- Power reserve
- 72 hours
Learn more about Longines
Auguste Agassiz began trading watches in Saint-Imier in 1832, but the modern company dates from 1860, when his nephew Ernest Francillon built a factory in the meadows beside the Suze — the longines of the local dialect — and consolidated the scattered outworkers of the region under one roof.
Longines registered its winged hourglass in 1889. It is the oldest watch trademark still in continuous use.
The company's identity was built on precision and on timing things in public. It supplied chronographs for the first modern Olympic events it timed in 1896, timed the 1912 Federal Gymnastics Festival with a broken-wire mechanism accurate to a hundredth of a second, and developed the photo-finish camera and the quartz timing devices used across twentieth-century athletics.
Its aviation associations are equally deep. Longines instruments were carried by Charles Lindbergh across the Atlantic in 1927, and the Hour Angle watch, designed to Lindbergh's own specification to simplify longitude calculation, remains in the catalogue. Amelia Earhart and Howard Hughes both navigated by Longines.
The house was among the most decorated at nineteenth-century observatory trials, holding numerous precision records. Since joining the Swatch Group in 1983 it has occupied the accessible-heritage position: exclusive ETA-based movements, archive-driven designs through the Heritage line, and volume that makes it one of the group's most important brands.
- 1860
- Ernest Francillon builds the factory at Les Longines.
- 1889
- The winged hourglass is registered — the oldest watch trademark in use.
- 1912
- Broken-wire timing achieves hundredth-second accuracy.
- 1927
- Lindbergh crosses the Atlantic with Longines instruments.
- 1983
- Becomes part of the Swatch Group.
Also in 6 collections
This watch appears in the Longines Spirit range (34), Back in Stock (5,018), Stainless Steel Watches (3,307), Automatic Watches (1,811), Leather Strap Watches (1,092) and GMT Watches (257).
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What the specifications mean
A mechanical watch for everyday wear.
Strengths
- 100m water resistance covers swimming and watersports
- 49mm lug-to-lug keeps the 42mm case wearable
- Sapphire crystal, which resists scratching
- 72-hour reserve survives a weekend off the wrist
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
Worth knowing
- Leather does not suit regular contact with water
Longines Spirit Zulu Time “Pioneering alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | L38124532 | BMM0A10659 | 2785-BC5-20001 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £2,850 | £2,900 | £2,995 |
| Case size | 42mm | 42mm | 42mm |
| Water resistance | 100m | 100m | 100m |
| Movement | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Strap | Leather strap | Rubber strap | Fabric strap |
| Power reserve | 72 hours | 42 hours | 41 hours |
| This watch | Closely matched | Closely matched |
Your new watch
Frequently asked questions, and things you should know about this watch
Can I swim with it?
Yes. At 100m it is rated for swimming and snorkelling, though not for diving.
Water resistance explainedWill the glass scratch?
Unlikely. Sapphire is second only to diamond in hardness and shrugs off everyday marking.
Sapphire, mineral and acrylic comparedDoes it need a battery?
No. It is automatic — the motion of your wrist winds it, and there is no cell to replace.
Quartz, automatic and solar comparedHow long does it run for when it's not worn?
About 72 hours fully wound — enough to sit off the wrist over a weekend and still be running.
What size strap does it take?
22mm. Any strap of that width will fit, and on most modern watches quick-release bars make the swap a two-minute job with no tools.
Will it fit my wrist?
Lug-to-lug is 49mm, which suits wrists from roughly 16.5cm (6½ inches) upward.
Lug-to-lug decides fit more than case diameter does.
How to size a watch to your wristIs it a men's or women's watch?
Listed as men's.
Cheapest place to buy
Both Mappin & Webb and Goldsmiths list it at £2,850, so choose on delivery and warranty rather than price.
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