ZULU TIME - WHAT IS IT?
Zulu time, its origins: the international radio alphabet invented in the 1950s.
A = Alpha, B= Bravo, C= Charlie… Z= Zulu.
Nowadays, there are several names for universal time, i.e., the time at the prime meridian:
- UTC (Coordinated Universal Time)
- GMT (Greenwich Mean Time)
- “Z” time or “Zulu” time
In the aeronautical world, the reference time used is UTC universal time. Why? Because unlike local time, UTC time is the same for everyone at the same given moment, which avoids confusion. Furthermore, summer time is not taken into account.
So, wherever you are, in Paris, Tokyo or Washington, if a plane takes off at 12:00 UTC and lands at 23:00 UTC, the flight time is easy to calculate: 11 hours.
Nowadays, the armed forces and the aeronautical sectors of many countries use the Z (Zulu) to express the UTC +/- 00:00 time
Z = UTC +/- 00:00
For example: It is 1100Z
Longines Spirit ZULU TIME: The Details That Make All The Difference
- Ergonomically designed and harmonious case - The lugs have been shortened and softened to make the piece more comfortable to wear and more aesthetic. The way in which the end of the bracelet fits into the case band has also been reworked. The result: a perfectly balanced piece, suitable for all wrists.
- Anthracite dial - An alternative to the traditional black watch face. A muted tint that enhances the dark green of the bezel and the golden hands and numerals.
- Date at the 6 o'clock position - It blends harmoniously into the dial.
- New Longines calibre: L844 - A technological feat that enables GMT to be set independently of the hour hand.
- GMT function - • Up to 3 time zones can be read • The GMT hand is activated not with a push button, but via the screw down crown. A rare device!
- Bezel with green ceramic insert and gold numerals - • The green: The 2022 colour of the year • The bidirectional bezel is graduated over 24 hours; this way, an additional time zone can be shown • The lacquered numbers and the SLN triangle at the 12 o'clock position make it easy to read.
