Longines have long been connected to the world of pilot’s watches and have tackled several styles of aviation watches over the years. In 2024 we’ve already seen a new version of the Majetek. However, their modern flagship pilot’s watch collection is the Spirit, a gorgeous 1920s inspired tool watch range predominantly split between time-only, chronograph and dual time models. For 2024 Longines have expanded the latter styles with the launch of a new Longines Spirit Zulu Time Titanium and a pair of Longines Spirit Flybacks in bi-metallic cases.
Longines Spirit Zulu Time Titanium
If you’re interested in the history of the Longines Spirit Zulu Time, including how it got the name Zulu, I recommend you go back and read our full article on the subject from when the modern collection was launched in 2022. Today we are squarely focussed on the present, which means jumping right in with the Longines Spirit Zulu Time Titanium.
It’s a 39mm diameter watch with a case made from the lightweight and strong material, titanium. There’s a standard three-hand Spirit in titanium but this is the first time it’s made its way to the Zulu Time. Titanium naturally has a darker tone to it than steel, which is why it’s been paired with a grey and black ceramic 24-hour bezel to create a serious and cool aesthetic.
The only dash of bright colour on the dial is the red tipped GMT hand and matching red Zulu Time inscription. The rest of the display is black with brass coloured accents to create the retro aviation feel. In my opinion it’s one of the most handsome pilot’s watches on the market.
Powering the Longines Spirit Zulu Time Titanium is the COSC certified L844.4 automatic movement with 72-hour power reserve. 72-hours is the magic number for being properly weekend proof, meaning you can put it down on Friday evening and it will still be ticking on Monday morning. It’s exactly the type of movement you want at a price of £3,900.
Price and Specs:
Longines Spirit Flyback Bi-Metal
There are two new Spirit Flyback offerings. Both have 42mm diameter steel cases but the first one has 18k yellow gold pushers, crown and bezel while the second is 18k rose gold. Coinciding with these metallic differences, the yellow gold edition has a green gradient dial while the rose gold is a rich brown colour.
Bi-metallic watches are an interesting niche in the watch sphere. In many ways they fulfil the same role as desk divers (many desk divers are in fact bi-metal), which is to say they take tool watches and present them in a way in which they are purely aesthetic objects and not designed for the intense, practical use that was their original purpose. In the case of pilot’s watches, that means they go from being tools of the actual pilots to more of an accessory for a jet-setting business person. At the same time they’re also more accessible than full gold editions.
Beyond the new bi-metal cases, these watches are more or less as you’d expect from the Spirit Flyback range. The have bicompax chronograph layouts with a small seconds subdial and a 30-minute timer as well as central hours, minutes and chronograph seconds. By being a flyback, the chronograph counters can be stopped and reset with a single pusher press.
The movement inside both of the Longines Spirit Flyback Bi-Metal watches is the L791, another COSC chronometer certified movement like the L844.4 above. Although this one has a 68-hour power reserve likely due to the energy intensive chronograph functions, plus it operates at a slightly higher frequency of 4 Hz. Due to the gold present on these models and the more complex movement, they have a higher price than the Zulu Time Titanium, though still very reasonable at £5,900.
Price and Specs:
More details at Longines.
