LONGINES

FROM HERE TO ELSEWHERE, IN STYLE

Dan Diaconu

When creating, is it better to evoke the legends of the past, to be inspired by the icons of yesteryear, or to start from scratch? Longines sliced away, like the mythical King Gordias. The "at the same time" approach is conceivable. The process comes to life in the form of the Spirit Zulu Time. Its name calls for opening the history books. Since 1 March 1956, the NATO Phonetic Alphabet dictates its laws in the sky and at sea. Thanks to this alphabet, people can communicate anywhere in a universally recognised language. Each letter is assigned a universal pronunciation. Zulu is used to denote Z. Zulu is also used to designate the Prime Meridian of Greenwich time zone corresponding to 0 hour (UTC+0).

The dial's composition conveys a nostalgic visual emotion with its

aviator watch-inspired appearance and harmonious colour combination. It features large numerals coated with Super-LumiNova®. In addition to the traditional trio of hands, there is also a fourth very distinct hand ending in an arrow, in gold, blue, or orange depending on the variation. This points to a bidirectional rotating bezel enhanced by a ceramic insert in black, green, or azure, featuring a 24-hour scale. The open layout and the omnipresence of the luminescent coating ensure excellent legibility in all light conditions.

The crown acts as the conductor of the orchestra, adjusting the reference time once the second hand has been placed at 12 o'clock, and then, by changing position, synchronising the local time and the date. In order to display a third time zone, the bezel is

THEN AS NOW, PURSUING THE PATH OF PERFECTION LEADS TO EXCELLENCE.

simply moved in one direction or the other depending on the time difference. Functionality is thus the order of the day. The ballet of the hands comes to life within a 42mm-diameter steel case water-resistant to a depth of 100m. The latter protects an automatic calibre developed and assembled in-house, the L844.4, offering 72 hours of autonomy. This remarkably high-performance movement, equipped with a silicon balance spring, is distinguished by its Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC) certified chronometry.

Precision is also the distinguishing feature of the Ultra-Chron. This diver's watch is remarkable for its mechanism and its design inspired by a model originally conceived in the 1960s. The brand with the winged hourglass proposes a contemporary evolution of it, taking up the main aesthetic codes. Its 43mm-diameter steel case, waterresistant to a depth of 300m, comes in an elegant cushion shape design. It is fitted with a unidirectional rotating bezel with a sapphire insert. On the black grained dial decorated with the logo of yesteryear, one finds a composition equipped with markers. Shades of red also add vitality to the graphic design. Inside the case beats the L836.6 calibre with 52 hours of power reserve. This self-winding movement has a highfrequency balance like the 1968 diver's watch, oscillating at 36,000 vibrations per hour. After passing a series of tests, its chronometric precision was certified by the independent Geneva laboratory Timelab. Then as now, pursuing the path of perfection leads to excellence.

THE ULTRA-CHRON SYMBOLISES TIMELESS ELEGANCE AND THE TECHNICAL MASTERY OF LONGINES.

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