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Longines Spirit Zulu Time “Pioneering time zones” 42mm
Ref. L38124636
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Stepping up in the same colour and case shape
The Spirit collection is Longines's tribute to the aviators and explorers who shaped the brand's mid-century identity, and the Zulu Time is the most purposeful expression of it: a pilot's GMT built not just to display a second time zone but to set it independently, jumping the local hour hand in single increments while the movement runs undisturbed. That traveller's GMT function matters on long-haul trips where the home time must stay accurate while local time is being adjusted through multiple stops. At 42mm with a 49.4mm lug-to-lug span it has real presence, but 13.9mm of thickness is restrained for what it is — a COSC-certified automatic with a true GMT complication and a 72-hour reserve — and it avoids the bulky profile that most pilot watches in this class carry. The green ceramic bezel reads as a sharp contrast against the anthracite dial, and the gold-polished Arabic numerals hold legibility in dim conditions before the Super-LumiNova takes over entirely. The silicon balance spring means the movement is unaffected by magnetic fields, which is relevant aboard aircraft and in transit environments where most mechanical watches begin to drift.
- Reference
- L38124636
- Brand
- Longines
- Collection
- Spirit
- Case size
- 42mm
- Case thickness
- 13.9mm
- Lug width
- 22mm
- Case material
- Stainless steel
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- Anthracite
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Bezel
- Bidirectional rotating
- Movement
- Automatic
- Calibre
- L844.4
- Functions
- GMT, Date
- Water resistance
- 100m
- Bracelet / strap
- Stainless steel bracelet
- Strap colour
- Silver
- Clasp
- Folding clasp
- Lume
- Super-LumiNova
- Retailer
- Goldsmiths
Additional specifications
- Lug-to-lug
- 49.4mm
- 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 4 collections
This watch appears in Stainless Steel Watches (2,425), Automatic Watches (1,203), Grey Dial Watches (202) and GMT Watches (154).
Manufacturer’s guarantee
What the specifications mean
A mechanical watch for everyday wear.
Strengths
- 100m water resistance covers swimming and watersports
- 49.4mm 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
Compare alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | L38124636 |  129766 |  SLA087J1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £2,950 | £3,035 | £2,900 |
| Case size | 42mm | 42mm | 41mm |
| Water resistance | 100m | 100m | 100m |
| Movement | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Strap | Stainless steel bracelet | Rubber strap | Stainless steel bracelet |
| Power reserve | 72 hours | — | 72 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.
Will the glass scratch?
Unlikely. Sapphire is second only to diamond in hardness and shrugs off everyday marking.
Does it need a battery?
No. It is automatic — the motion of your wrist winds it, and there is no cell to replace.
How 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 49.4mm, which suits wrists from roughly 16.5cm (6½ inches) upward.
Lug-to-lug decides fit more than case diameter does.
Is it a men's or women's watch?
Listed as men's.
Cheapest place to buy
Goldsmiths is the only UK retailer we track stocking this reference, so there is nothing to compare it against today.
Who are Goldsmiths?
Goldsmiths has been selling watches in Britain since 1778 and is part of the Watches of Switzerland Group, which is listed on the London Stock Exchange. They are an authorised dealer, so a watch comes with the manufacturer’s own warranty.
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