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Longines Spirit Zulu Time “Pioneering time zones” 42mm
Ref. L38124936
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Stepping up in the same colour and case shape
The Zulu Time name traces directly to a Longines original from 1925 — a dual-timezone wristwatch that carried the Zulu flag on its dial and is widely regarded as the first of its kind. The Spirit collection revives that idea in contemporary form, and the detail that makes the revival serious rather than decorative is the GMT implementation: the local hour hand adjusts independently in one-hour steps while the minute, seconds, and reference GMT hands continue uninterrupted. For anyone crossing time zones regularly, that distinction matters more than any finishing choice. The L844.4 is COSC-certified and runs a silicon balance spring, which handles magnetic fields that would degrade a conventional hairspring — relevant in aircraft cabins and anywhere near electronic equipment. At 13.9mm the case is not slim, but the down-turned lugs bring it flat against the wrist so it sits without lifting at the edges. The 49.4mm lug-to-lug measurement means it is genuinely present on the wrist; at 17cm or under, it will dominate. The sunray blue dial shifts noticeably between artificial and natural light, and the applied numerals carry enough Super-LumiNova to be readable in full darkness without reaching for illumination. The bracelet swaps without tools via a quick-release system at the lugs, and the clasp adjusts through both standard link removal and micro-holes in the housing — two independent methods of sizing that between them cover most wrist changes without a watchmaker's involvement.
- Reference
- L38124936
- Brand
- Longines
- Collection
- Spirit
- Case size
- 42mm
- Case thickness
- 13.9mm
- Lug width
- 22mm
- Case material
- Stainless steel
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- Blue
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Bezel
- Bidirectional rotating
- Movement
- Automatic
- Calibre
- ETA A31.L11
- Functions
- GMT, Date
- Water resistance
- 100m
- Bracelet / strap
- Stainless steel bracelet
- Strap colour
- Silver
- Clasp
- Folding clasp
- Lume
- Super-LumiNova
- Retailer
- Mappin & Webb
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 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), Blue Dial Watches (914) and GMT Watches (257).
Manufacturer’s guarantee
Best of 2 retailers
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
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 | L38124936 | 2785-BC5-20001 | BMM0A10659 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £2,950 | £2,995 | £2,900 |
| Case size | 42mm | 42mm | 42mm |
| Water resistance | 100m | 100m | 100m |
| Movement | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Strap | Stainless steel bracelet | Fabric strap | Rubber strap |
| Power reserve | 72 hours | 41 hours | 42 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 49.4mm, 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 Goldsmiths and Mappin & Webb list it at £2,950, so choose on delivery and warranty rather than price.
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