Latest news with #SpiritZuluTime1925
Elle
18-06-2025
- Automotive
- Elle
Longines Is Betting on Equestrian Sports
Formula 1 might be the racing sport on everyone's lips right now, but heritage timepiece brand Longines is focusing on one of the original speed sports: horse racing. The official timekeeper of both The Triple Crown and The Royal Ascot—the latter of which is taking place this week in Ascot, Berkshire, England—Longines has dedicated its time (pun intended) and money to the centuries-old pastime. The brand recently extended its already decades-long partnership with The Royal Ascot into 2030, which means five more years of a shared passion for prestige and precision. Longines has been a longstanding innovator in timekeeping, thanks to its focus on performance. In 1869, the house first produced a pocket watch with a horse motif, and in 1878 it developed its first performance-based chronograph movement. Since then, Longines has been a go-to fixture for equestrian judges and continues its legacy as even more modern technologies evolve. For the 2025 Ascot, Longines presented a new watch model, the Spirit Zulu Time 1925, a nod to the 100th anniversary of the brand's first dual-time zone wristwatch. This updated version, named for the military concept of 'Zulu time' and adorned with 18-karat rose gold, can actually track three time zones, celebrating both horological innovation and modern-day travel needs. As for the Ascot itself, the second race day of the week was filled with spirit and more importantly (to us) fashion. Polka dots—trending this season —bright florals, and fruit patterns (Amalfi Coast summer, anyone?) abounded, complete with matching hats and fascinators, of course, making for quite the day of elevated race fashion. William, Prince of Wales, presented prizes for The Prince of Wales's Stakes, though Princess Kate was not in attendance. The winners of the Ascot Stakes and Royal Hunt Cup, which are the biggest races of the event, will be presented with Longines timepieces as part of their prize.
Business Times
12-06-2025
- Automotive
- Business Times
Gifting Dad the art of time with IWC, Louis Vuitton, and Longines
IWC Pilot's Watch Automatic 41 Top Gun Mojave Desert IWC Schaffhausen adds a bold new timepiece to its Colours of Top Gun collection with the Pilot's Watch Automatic 41 Top Gun Mojave Desert. Featuring a 41mm case crafted from sand-coloured ceramic, this model draws inspiration from US Navy flight suits and the desert terrain of the China Lake area in the Western Mojave Desert. The watch showcases a brown dial with beige-toned Super-LumiNova markers and a beige rubber strap with textile inlay, creating a distinctive, monochromatic military aesthetic. Inside, the in-house Calibre 32112 offers 120 hours of power reserve. The movement's precision is matched by the ruggedness of its case, crafted through a meticulous sintering process using zirconium oxide and metallic oxides to achieve the unique Mojave Desert tone. Titanium is used for the engraved caseback and buckle, enhancing both durability and lightness. This latest model is a compelling choice for fathers who value military heritage, cutting-edge materials, and understated luxury. A rugged yet refined gift for adventurous spirits. The IWC Pilot's Watch Automatic 41 Top Gun Mojave Desert is a rugged dad's new best friend. PHOTO: IWC Longines Spirit Zulu Time 1925 To celebrate 100 years since launching the first dual time zone wristwatch, Longines introduces the Spirit Zulu Time 1925, a refined GMT timepiece blending heritage and innovation. Housed in a 39mm stainless steel case with a luxurious 18K rose-gold-capped bezel, this anniversary model honours Longines' 1925 'Zulu Time' original, used by early aviators to synchronise global navigation via Greenwich Mean Time (GMT+0). A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU Friday, 2 pm Lifestyle Our picks of the latest dining, travel and leisure options to treat yourself. Sign Up Sign Up The matte black dial features rose-gold accents, Super-LumiNova® markers, and a subtle engraving of '1925-2025' on the back to mark the anniversary. A transparent caseback reveals the rose-gold PVD rotor, and powering the watch is the exclusive Longines Calibre L844.4. This COSC-certified automatic GMT movement offers 72 hours of power reserve and the silicon balance spring boasts superior magnetic resistance. With both a stainless steel bracelet and black NATO strap included, this timepiece offers elegant versatility. Longines also expands the Spirit Zulu Time collection with new 39mm and 42mm models, making this perfect for globetrotting fathers who value precision, legacy, and worldly elegance. The Longines Spirit Zulu Time 1925 is the perfect gift for fathers who travel regularly. PHOTO: LONGINES Louis Vuitton Tambour Steel Louis Vuitton reimagines its iconic Tambour watch in a refined, contemporary form, marking a new era in its two-decade legacy. The redesigned Tambour features a sleek, unisex 40mm stainless steel case, just 8.3mm thick, and introduces the brand's first integrated bracelet – a lug-free, ergonomic design that flows seamlessly around the wrist. Available in silver-grey or deep blue dials, the watch balances elegance and everyday wearability. The in-house automatic movement, Calibre LFT023, is developed by Le Cercle des Horlogers and crafted by La Fabrique du Temps – the watchmaking atelier of the Maison in Geneva – founded and led by master watchmakers Enrico Barbasini and Michel Navas. This chronometer-certified mechanism includes a 22K gold micro-rotor decorated with a stylised LV in a repeating motif, 50-hour power reserve, and avant-garde finishes, all visible through a sapphire case back. Design details elevate the Tambour's understated luxury including a sandblasted bezel with polished raised letters. With a distinctly Parisian aesthetic, the new Tambour models are ideal for fashionista fathers who appreciate craftsmanship, innovation, and timeless design.
Man of Many
10-06-2025
- Business
- Man of Many
Retro Revival: Why Longines is Banking on the Vintage Watch Trend
In a softening global market, Swiss luxury watchmaker Longines is banking on vintage nostalgia to drive sales, proving that you don't have to reinvent the wheel, just reissue it. Don't call it a comeback, Longines' retro-revival is far more nuanced than that. If you have been paying attention to the global watch market over the past five years, two things may have stood out. The first is the rapid acceleration of the second-hand market as the sentiment surrounding timepieces shifts from interest to investment, while the second is the remarkable revitalisation of Longines. What may be surprising to note is that the two aren't mutually exclusive. In a market where tech-laden smartwatches and ultra-modern designs dominate headlines, the Swiss watchmaker is leaning into its past to shape the future. With a renewed focus on vintage-inspired designs, Longines is tapping into a wave of nostalgia that's sweeping through the watch world, and it may end up paying dividends. You don't need to look far to see where the influence lies. At the heart of Longines' retro revival is the Heritage Collection, a carefully curated series of reissued timepieces that borrow directly from the brand's archives. From the revival of the much-loved Ultra-Chron in 2022 to the recent unveiling of the Spirit Zulu Time 1925, the maison's retro-modernist approach is helping to bridge the gap between old-world charm and contemporary elegance. And while the designs may feel timeless, outgoing CEO Matthias Breschan revealed that the strategy behind them is anything but old-fashioned. 'The watch industry, in general, is perhaps the only industry that really draws inspiration from the past to define the future,' he told me back in March during Longines' press meeting in Seoul. 'This is very unique. And while we try to be inspired by the past, we do so using state-of-the-art technology, because all the watches that we have now are exclusive Longines calibres, all of them. We will definitely continue to go in this direction. What made Longines so strong in the past century was that it was one of the most awarded brands when it came to the precision of watch calibres.' Leveraging History The outgoing CEO, who announced his departure from the role earlier this month, has been instrumental in taking the brand from a mid-tier luxury watch brand to arguably the industry's most exciting producer. Recent product line extensions, most notably with the Ultra-Chron Carbon, Spirit Zulu Time Titanium and Pilot Majetek Pioneer Edition, have demonstrated the brand's finesse for reimagining the design codes of the past for a modern audience. As Breschan explained, Longines' success has always been underpinned by expertise and tradition, and for good reason. Few brands can hold a candle to Longines' frankly ludicrous level of historical significance in the realms of product development, innovation and growth. The brand famously introduced the first two-time-zone dial timepiece in 1908, brought modern chronograph technology to the masses with its Calibre 13.33Z in 1913 and, perhaps most impressively of all, pioneered the first-ever wrist chronograph with a flyback function. As Breschan explains, the spirit of innovation isn't just a marketing tagline; for Longines, it is the brand's very DNA. 'So many people don't know that Longines invented all these GMT movements, flyback movements, and that we had this huge advantage in high-frequency technology,' he said. 'Now this is the point where we need to bring this information to the wider public, because I truly consider, after Breguet, the Longines history and heritage is the nicest in the whole Swiss watch industry.' 'When you go back in history, there are some very iconic milestones in the Longines story. So Longines was extremely well known, of course, for the first Chronograph Flyback, the 13ZN movement…This is a big difference because most brands develop products, and then they somehow try to find a story to tell around it. But for us, the story to tell is written in our history books. This is a huge advantage.' The Vintage Revival In this current economic climate, watch maisons are looking for any advantage they can get, and for Longines, it means taking a piece of the vintage pie. With a sharp increase in demand for vintage timepieces, largely from the youth consumer market, BRescahn believes there is a greater opportunity for watch brands with legacy to make meaningful inroads. 'I think we have the big advantage and luxury that we can almost cherry-pick the best parts in our history and heritage to develop new watches that are vintage-inspired or even almost replica-styles,' Breschan said. 'This gives us really an amazing platform that we can use in the future because the interest, in particular for young people, now in these (vintage) watches, is growing. They see the mechanical watch as a sustainable piece. You don't throw it away after six or 12 months; you keep it for a lifetime, or the next generation, and there's a good chance that the value will increase.' 'It's really something, I would also say, that is not only in the watch industry but outside, totally corresponding to the spirit of the young generation, what they expect today from a good consumer product.' The New Longines Consumer Admittedly, Longines' trajectory faces some uphill battles. Breschan exits the CEO role at a time when the brand's global sales have softened, largely due to weakened demand from Chinese consumers. In its January annual report, Swatch Group noted that despite record sales and market share gains in the USA, Japan, India and the Middle East, the 'persistently difficult market situation' in China was proving to be a difficult obstacle. The challenge, not exclusive to Longines, is seeing the wider watch industry change tack to accommodate new consumer demographics and price point is the name of the game. 'We should never forget that while when you compare it (Longines) to many brands, you could say 'Up to USD$1,000 to USD$5,000 is nothing'. There are so many watches that sell for $10, $50, $100,000, but for 99 per cent of the population, $1,000 to $5,000 US dollars or Australian dollars is a lot of money This is what we should never forget,' Breschan explained. 'This is a segment that is still, in particular for young people, a very interesting segment where we want to stay. We have always stayed there in the past, and we continue to stay there.' '(We love) to take something inspired from the past and then marry it with state-of-the-art technology, but also ensure that we stay in our price range of 1,000 to 5,000 US dollars. So we really want to bring the state-of-the-art technology in this price segment where we're always strong and which we dominate with the market share, depending on the counter between 20 and 80 per cent.' 'We have something that is unique, that differentiates us from all others. This is why our success, even within the multi-brand environment, is very different and larger versus the other brands because we bring an added value that nobody else has.'
The Herald Scotland
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
Make a super statement of true elegance with the Spirit Zulu Time 1925
This exceptional wristwatch marks the centenary of Longines' first dual-time zone watch – a timepiece forged not only from steel and gold but from a heritage of innovation, adventure and connection across meridians. Now available at Longines' Glasgow boutique, the Spirit Zulu Time 1925 is priced at £3,750 and represents a meeting of fine engineering and cultural resonance. Launched with British actor and Longines Ambassador of Elegance, Henry Cavill, the campaign evokes a single poignant question: What time is it there? There is no doubt Cavill has become the ideal modern-day avatar for a watch that connects distant geographies with elegance and technical rigour. 'It gives me, at a glance, that immediate connection with [loved ones],' says the actor, noting how the timepiece offers more than functional precision – but also continuity in a fractured world. The Spirit Zulu Time 1925 is far from a mere homage. It is a distillation of Longines' long-standing dedication to horological accuracy and innovation across borders. Universal reference IN 1925, Longines introduced its first dual-time zone wristwatch, the original "Zulu Time", whose dial was adorned with the maritime signal flag for the letter 'Z' (Zulu) – a reference to Greenwich Mean Time), the universal reference used by aviators and mariners alike. To celebrate the centenary, Longines has crafted a 39-mm stainless steel case fitted with a bidirectional rotating bezel. A first for the Spirit Zulu Time collection, the bezel features an 18K rose gold cap with a circular-brushed insert and engraved 24-hour graduations. It allows for the simultaneous reading of a third time zone—an increasingly valuable function for today's cosmopolitan traveller. The use of rose gold not only adds warmth but subtly nods to the copper strip embedded in the ground at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich—literal and symbolic grounding for the Prime Meridian. The dial is a masterclass in functional elegance. Matt black, it creates visual drama against rose-gold-coloured hands and indexes. Treated with Super-LumiNova®, they glow softly in low light, ensuring legibility in even the most far-flung cockpit or cabin. Five stars rest just above the six o'clock marker, a traditional Longines motif signifying the highest quality movements – accompanied by a discreet date window and a commemorative engraving of the years '1925 – 2025'. Turn the watch over and you'll find another first: a transparent case back revealing a rose-gold-coloured PVD rotor engraved with a planisphere crossed by the Prime Meridian. Inside beats the Longines calibre L844.4, a COSC-certified self-winding mechanical movement with a silicon balance spring that makes it up to ten times more resistant to magnetic fields than ISO standards demand. The watch's true significance, however, transcends technical detail. It stands as a continuation of Longines' commitment to making time visible, navigable and shared. From the brand's early 'Turkish Watches' in 1908, made for the Ottoman Empire, to cockpit clocks used by pioneering aviators like Clyde Pangborn and Hugh Herndon, Longines has placed itself at the axis of geographical timekeeping. In recent years, the Spirit Zulu Time line has evolved to accommodate the needs of a new generation of travellers, explorers and aesthetes. Available now in Glasgow THAT the Spirit Zulu Time 1925 is now available in Glasgow is not merely a retail announcement – it is an invitation. Whether worn under the cuff of a three-piece suit or over the sleeve of a flight jacket, this watch speaks the quiet, articulate language of refinement and purpose. For those who value not only where they are but where they've been – and those they hope to meet across the world's meridians – the Longines Spirit Zulu Time 1925 offers something few watches can: elegant precision wrapped in living history.
Tatler Asia
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Tatler Asia
Henry Cavill on elegance, legacy and what truly matters across time zones
The timing of this collaboration is especially significant, as Longines celebrates 100 years since it debuted the world's first dual-time zone wristwatch in 1925. That historic timepiece, the Zulu Time, borrowed its name from the NATO phonetic designation for 'Z' (UTC+0), a reference to Greenwich Mean Time. First created for the Royal Canadian Navy, the original Zulu Time represented a breakthrough for global navigation, especially in the age of pioneering aviation. To commemorate the centennial, Longines introduces the Spirit Zulu Time 1925, a special-edition watch that blends the brand's pioneering legacy with modern sophistication. Housed in a 39mm stainless steel case with an 18-karat rose gold-capped rotating bezel, the model debuts several firsts for the collection. The black dial, adorned with rose gold-coloured indexes and Super-LumiNova-treated hour markers, is refined yet highly legible. Under the dial, the exclusive Longines calibre L844.4 offers true GMT functionality and a 72-hour power reserve. Its silicon balance spring and cutting-edge components ensure magnetic resistance far exceeding ISO standards, while the transparent caseback reveals a rose gold PVD rotor engraved with a planisphere intersected by the Prime Meridian. For Cavill, such craftsmanship is more than a technical marvel; it's a form of storytelling. 'There is such a history to watchmaking and to keeping time. These days, we really take it for granted—quite how important it was for navigation, and how the smallest error meant the difference between life and death.' Read more: Tag Heuer unveils two new Monaco timepieces
