The question that needs answered before anything else is this….. how many airline or fighter pilots actually buy a ‘Pilots’ watch? It is necessary for any cargo, cloud seeding and even island hopper pilot to have a Pilot’s watch on their wrist? The pilots that we personally know all wear either simple Japanese digital watches with a multitude of functions or they wear an expensive Swiss made timepiece that has not really changed any of its design details for decades, yet still charges a premium price around the world.
Well, for watch makers like IWC and many others, a Pilot’s watch is a fast selling item that many like to have on their wrist and with just 1,500 released globally, this limited edition watch will be a collectors item for many. At an estimated Euro 10,100 a piece (RM49,139) this will still be sold out in this economic climate.
PRESS RELEASE: The new IWC model takes inspiration from the “Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor” watch, which was created in 2018 in honor of the US Naval Aviation Community and is available only for TOPGUN graduates. Thanks to the combination of a black ceramic case with a Ceratanium® case back and pushers, the sporty chronograph boasts a tactical, matte black design code.
In 2018, IWC created the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Edition “Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor” in collaboration with instructors based on Naval Air Station Leemore in California. Featuring a case made of black ceramic and the iconic TOPGUN patch on the dial, the rugged chronograph is available exclusively for graduates of the Navy Fighter Weapons School.
The Pilot’s Watch Chronograph TOP GUN Edition “SFTI”, limited to 1500 pieces, takes inspiration from the acclaimed “Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor”watch. It follows the tradition of IWC’s TOP GUN watches. It is made with extraordinarily robust materials to withstand the extreme strain that pilots experience in the cockpit of supersonic jets like the F/A-18 Super Hornet.
The large 44-millimeter case is made of black zirconium oxide ceramic. With a Vickers rating second only to that of a diamond, ceramic ranks among the hardest substances on earth. It is extremely scratch-resistant and its stealthy black color is totally anti-reflective. The case back and chronograph pushers are made of Ceratanium®, a recent innovation from IWC’s materials engineers.
This new material is as light and durable as titanium but at the same time as similarly hard and scratch-resistant as ceramic. Thanks to the combination of ceramic and Ceratanium®, the chronograph boasts an entirely matte black design. The tactical look is completed by a black dial and black hands coated with luminescence. The small second hand and the tail of the chronograph second hand, which takes the form of a jet, add a touch of red to the instrument-style dial.
Ticking away inside the sturdy case is the IWC manufactured 69380 calibre. The robust chronograph movement in classic column-wheel design ensures precise timekeeping and the measurement of stopwatch times of up to 12 hours. Another function is a date and weekday display. The sporty timepiece is fitted with a green textile strap.
