IWC's "Pilot's Watches" boast the precision and durability of air force standards, and their streamlined design makes them attractive fashion items as well. Let's take a look at some of the best pilot's watches that guarantee reliability even in today's electronic device-filled lives.
The history of IWC and its Pilot's Watches
IWC (International Watch Company) is renowned as a manufacturer of no-nonsense, sturdy luxury watches, and its diverse collections are also attractive for their smart designs that eliminate unnecessary decoration.
Before looking at the variations of the flagship collection, Pilot's Watch, let's first look at the history of IWC and Pilot's Watch.
Along with the Portugieser, this is one of IWC's most popular series.
IWC was founded in 1868 in Schaffhausen, northern Switzerland, by Florentine Ariosto Jones, a watchmaker from Boston, USA.
IWC, based near the German border, continues to produce rational and innovative timepieces as a manufacturer of luxury pocket watches, including pocket watches equipped with the Pallweber system, a digital display technology introduced in 1884.
In 1936, they released the Special Pilot's Watch (Mark IX), which can be considered the ancestor of military pilot's watches, and in 1948 they perfected the pilot's watch with the Mark XI.
Along with the Portugieser, which was launched in 1939, Pilot's Watches form one of IWC's most representative collections today.
Main Types of Pilot's Watches
The Pilot's Watch collection consists of five series closely related to the air force and aviators. Let's take a look at the Pilot's Watch series, which has a wide range of developments based on the design of the Mark 11.
The tough Spitfire
The Spitfire series, which debuted in 2003, pays homage to the fighter plane of the same name that served with the Royal Air Force during World War II.
While retaining design elements from the Mark 11, developed for the Royal Air Force, the strap and dial are colored in the brown and olive green seen inside a Spitfire cockpit.
Although it is a civilian model, it is durable, anti-magnetic, and accurate to Air Force specifications, and is tough enough to withstand sudden decompression and strong electromagnetic interference. Not only are the models equipped with in-house movements, but also with unique complex mechanisms, they are attractive to watch enthusiasts who value mechanics.
Top Gun, built for the U.S. Navy
The "Top Gun" series, which debuted in 2012, is named after the nickname for the U.S. Navy's fighter tactical training program. Manufactured for the Navy's elite pilots since 2007, the aircraft is designed to withstand flight in supersonic fighter jets.
To ensure the robustness and corrosion resistance needed for long-term missions on aircraft carriers, IWC developed a proprietary material called Ceratanium, which combines the advantages of ceramic and titanium.
Ceratanium itself takes on a matte black color during the firing process, reducing the negative effects of sunlight reflection on visibility.
Petit Prince, meaning the Little Prince
"Le Petit Prince" is a series based on the masterpiece "The Little Prince" by the writer and aviator Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.
The Petit Prince, which has been released since 2013 with the full cooperation of Saint-Exupéry's descendants, is a genuine pilot's watch that combines the worlds of aviation and literature, with its poetic midnight blue dial.
The soft iron inner case blocks strong magnetic fields, and the case back is engraved with an image of a prince wearing a cloak and holding a sword.
A classic that inherits the characteristics of the early model
The "Classic" series evokes the tradition of pilot watches, strongly reflecting the essence of the early models that appeared from the 1930s to the 1940s.
During World War II, IWC supplied the Royal Air Force and the German Air Force with different versions of their pilot's watches.
The Classic Series carries on the traditions of the Mark Series, which was introduced for the Royal Air Force in 1936, and the Big Pilot's Watch, which was introduced for the German Air Force in 1940.
This series inherits the classic cockpit design, including a triangle index at 12 o'clock and diamond-cut hour and minute hands.
Dedicated to Saint-Exupéry Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
The "Antoine de Saint-Exupéry" series is a special model dedicated to Saint-Exupéry, featuring an impressive tobacco brown dial.
Saint-Exupéry's descendants and IWC have been working closely together since 2005, and as a symbol of their strong partnership, they have been releasing special models commemorating Saint-Exupéry since 2006.
Since the establishment of the Antoine de Saint-Exupéry Youth Foundation in 2008, a charity that supports underprivileged children and young people, the company has also been donating a portion of its profits to the foundation and partner organizations.
