Style Edit: Longines celebrates 100 years of Zulu Time with an elegant and contemporary Greenwich-inspired watch, and a new campaign starring brand ambassador Henry Cavill
For nearly a century,
Longines has recognised that time knows no boundaries. In 1925, the Swiss watchmaker unveiled its first dual time zone wristwatch – a pioneering creation that introduced the 'Zulu' maritime signal flag to watch dials and laid the foundation for 100 years of travel-ready timekeeping. It was an innovation that reflected the spirit of an increasingly connected world, where knowing the time elsewhere was just as essential as knowing the time at home.
The Spirit Zulu Time 1925 enables you to move seamlessly between time zones. Photo: Handout
Nearly 100 years later, that legacy continues with the Spirit Zulu Time collection – launched in 2022 and designed for those who move seamlessly between time zones, whether for adventure, work or connection.
Advertisement
Now, Longines marks the centennial of that first Zulu Time watch with a commemorative edition that blends historical significance with contemporary refinement.
Housed in a 39mm stainless steel case, this commemorative edition is distinguished by a rotating bezel capped with 18k rose gold – a first for the collection. The engraved 24-hour scale allows the wearer to track up to three time zones, making it as practical as it is refined.
For brand ambassador and actor on the move Henry Cavill, the Spirit Zulu Time 1925 'represents not only precision timekeeping, but also connection'. Photo: Handout
The use of rose gold goes beyond mere aesthetics: it pays homage to the copper strip embedded in the ground at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich – the historical prime meridian and a highly symbolic reference point in global timekeeping. Turn the watch over, and a transparent caseback reveals the self-winding movement, complete with a rose-gold-tone rotor engraved with a globe intersected by the meridian. It's a subtle but thoughtful detail that connects the past to the present.
At its heart is the Longines calibre L844.4 – a movement certified by the official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute, COSC – that offers magnetic resistance well beyond ISO standards, plus a 72-hour power reserve and unwavering precision. The matt black dial enhances legibility, complemented by rose-gold hands and markers treated with Super-LumiNova. Five stars sit proudly above the 6 o'clock position, along with a discreet '1925–2025' legend – a quiet nod to the watch's anniversary.
Travel with elegance wearing the new Longines Spirit Zulu Time 1925. Photo: Handout
The story of connection extends beyond the wrist too. The new Longines Spirit Zulu Time 1925 campaign, starring brand ambassador
Henry Cavill , explores the emotional thread that links people across distances, positing a commonly posed question that transcends time zones: 'What time is it there?'
Alongside this limited edition, Longines expands the Spirit Zulu Time collection with new references featuring bold blue ceramic bezels and sleek black dials in both 39mm and 42mm sizes. These models retain the full GMT functionality, catering to modern travellers who equally appreciate both form and function.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South China Morning Post
a day ago
- South China Morning Post
Roger Federer's long-term deals see him become tennis' first billionaire
Tennis superstar Roger Federer is now one of the few athletes who can count themselves a billionaire. Federer, who won 20 grand slam titles between 2003 and 2018, amassed US$130.6 million in prize money during a 24-year playing career that ended in 2022. But the bulk of the Swiss star's wealth has come via a series of bumper sponsorship deals, alongside an astute investment in a local sneaker brand. His net worth is about US$1.3 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, putting him in elite company. Michael Jordan's hit an estimated US$3.5 billion after the sale of his stake in the Charlotte Hornets in 2023, while last year Bloomberg calculated Tiger Woods' wealth at about US$1.36 billion. Federer is worth considerably more than US$1 billion, according to people close to him who spoke on condition of anonymity. Bloomberg's valuation takes into account Federer's career earnings, investments and endorsement deals, adjusted for prevailing Swiss tax rates and market performance. Many of his deals have lasted decades, from sponsorships with Credit Suisse bank (now UBS Group AG), watchmaker Rolex and Swiss chocolatier Chocoladefabriken Lindt & Sprungli AG. Roger Federer and his wife, Mirka, at Paris Fashion Week in the French capital on Friday. Photo: AFP Federer has also built a close advisory network around him, including through Team8, the management company he co-founded with long-time agent Tony Godsick in 2013, and also the Swiss firm Format A AG, which helps manage various investments and his charitable foundation.
South China Morning Post
a day ago
- South China Morning Post
Japan Princess Kako goes viral after photo of her asleep on economy flight emerges
Princess Kako of Japan has attracted attention online after a photo of her sleeping on an economy flight to Brazil went viral. The 30-year-old princess is the niece of Emperor Naruhito and a member of Japan's imperial family. Her younger brother, Prince Hisahito, is next in line to the throne, as Japan still bars women from royal succession. Japan's Princess Kako is well known for her unusually flamboyant fashion choices. Photo: In June, Princess Kako visited Brazil on an 11-day trip, touring eight cities at the invitation of the country's government. During a domestic flight, she was seen flying economy class and resting against the window. In the video, Princess Kako appears exhausted and falls asleep shortly after taking her seat. According to the Japanese media, she had visited four different locations on that same day.
South China Morning Post
a day ago
- South China Morning Post
1 Chinese auntie, 5 apps, 60 first dates
Just before the pandemic hit, I emerged from a 10-year relationship – newly single and stuck with half a mortgage, a Brompton bike bought on an impulse and a high-maintenance ginkgo tree. After giving myself four months to recover, I bounced back into the dating world, not necessarily looking for a husband (yeah, right) but to conduct what I told myself was an anthropological experiment. So yes, this is about dating. On Tinder, Bumble, Hinge, all while donning the armour of a Chinese diasporic auntie in sensible shoes and with 40-something hang-ups. Too old for bars, I launched a three-pronged plan: swing dance classes (fun, but everyone was already coupled up from primary school), community centre craft sessions (mudslinging with lovely people – all born before 1955), and the intervention of meddlesome friends. 'Divorce market is hot right now,' said meddlesome friend E. 'Asian women are ageless! Just redefine 'relationship'.' Her bold new suggestion? An agricultural economist who did Aikido. We met – I soon ran out of Aikido-related small talk. So I turned to dating apps. Five of them. Because I am nothing if not a pragmatic auntie maximising outcomes.
