IWC announces four new watches for SIHH 2019, updating their pilot range. From the new Spitfire line is made using exclusively IWC-manufactured calibres, to the new TOP GUN line, using Ceratanium® for the first time in a Pilot’s Watch, giving rise to a completely jet black double chronograph, plus the special editions honouring the Antoine de Saint-Exupéry novella Le Petit Prince.
Detail on the tourbillon in the IW590303_Big Pilot’s Watch Constant-Force Tourbillon Edition Le Petit Prince. One of the four new releases.
The announcement
Pilot’s Watch Timezoner Spitfire Edition “The Longest Flight” (ref. IW395501).
For the first time ever at IWC, it combines the patented Timezoner mechanism with an entirely automatic IWC-manufactured movement and is limited to just 250 watches.
IW395501_Pilot’s Watch Timezoner Spitfire Edition The Longest Flight
This special edition is dedicated to the “Silver Spitfire – The Longest Flight” project. It has been specially developed for pilots Steve Boultbee Brooks and Matt Jones to coincide with their flight around the world in a Spitfire. The colour scheme of the watch design, with its stainless steel case, its black dial and its green textile strap, is reminiscent of the cockpit of a Spitfire.
IW395501_Pilot’s Watch Timezoner Spitfire Edition The Longest Flight back
The watch can be set to a different time zone by means of a simple rotational movement of the bezel. The hour hand, the 24-hour display and the date rotate automatically at the same time. The 24-hour display has been designed as a rotating disc beneath the dial. This means that the dial moves closer to the front glass, making it easier to read. The newly developed 82760 IWC-manufactured calibre has a Pellaton winding with components made from wear-resistant ceramic and boasts a power reserve of 60 hours.
Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Spitfire (ref. IW387902).
IWC is presenting its first Pilot’s Chronograph with a movement from the 69000 calibre family and a reduced case diameter of just 41 millimetres.
The 69000 calibre family, first introduced in 2016, constitutes an important developments in IWC-manufactured movements in IWC’s early history. Now, for the first time, IWC has incorporated a member of this calibre family into its Pilot’s Watches. The 69380 IWC-manufactured calibre is a robust, reliable and high-precision chronograph movement with a classic column wheel design. The stopped hours and minutes are displayed on the two subdials at “9 o’clock” and “12 o’clock”. It also features a date and day display. The pawl-winding system, which winds up on both sides, boasts a power reserve of 46 hours.
The bronze case, the olive green dial and the brown calf leather strap give this chronograph a unique character. Over time, the bronze develops a special patina, making each and every watch a unique piece.
Watch Double Chronograph TOP GUN Ceratanium (ref. IW371815)
IWC’s first ever pilot’s watch to be completely jet black.
IW371815_Pilot’s Watch Double Chronograph TOP GUN Ceratanium
Developed by IWC, Ceratanium® is a material that combines the advantages of titanium and ceramic in a groundbreaking new composition. The patented material is as lightweight and unbreakable as titanium and at the same time as hard and scratch-resistant as ceramic. It is also characterised by its excellent skin compatibility, its high degree of corrosion-resistance and its matte black colour. This has enabled us to create our first completely black design, without a coating, including all watch components such as push-buttons or pin buckles.
The double chronograph has an integrated split-seconds hand mechanism for simultaneously measuring short periods of time. It is powered by the 79230 calibre with self-winding mechanism and boasts a power reserve of 44 hours. The watch, with its black dial and black hands,
sits on a rubber strap and textile inlay.
Big Pilot’s Watch Constant-Force Tourbillon Edition “Le Petit Prince” (ref. IW590303).
It is the first pilot’s watch from IWC to feature a constant- force tourbillon. It is available with a hard gold case and is limited to 10 watches.
IW590303_PLT CF LPP Tourbillon Hard Gold
This is the first time IWC has produced a watch with hard gold, a special new version of red gold. The microstructure of the alloy is modified in a sophisticated manufacturing process. Hard gold is therefore significantly harder and around 5 to 10 times more wear-resistant than conventional red gold. As a result, the material is perfectly suited to the large case and the crown of a Big Pilot’s Watch.
The patented constant-force tourbillon is the IWC engineers’ answer to a centuries-old challenge in the field of watchmaking: As the tension in the spring of a mechanical wristwatch slackens over time, less force is transferred to the escapement via the dial train, which in turn decreases the amplitude of the balance. This has a negative impact on the precision of the watch. The patented constant-force mechanism separates the escapement from the direct flow of force from the dial train and with every second re-tensions a balance spring, which serves as a temporary store of energy and transfers absolutely even force pulses to the escape wheel. Integrated into a tourbillon, which also eliminates the influence of gravity on the oscillating system, the result is extraordinary precision.
IW590303_PLT CF LPP Tourbillon Hard Gold back
The IWC-manufactured calibre 94895 combines a constant-force tourbillon with a perpetual moon phase display, which takes 577.5 years to require adjustment by one day. The “Petit Prince” stands on the moon.
Two barrels store enough power for 96 hours. A display notifies the wearer of the remaining power reserve.
