Results for IWC

HANDS-ON: The IWC Pilot’s Watch Double Chronograph TOP GUN Ceratanium, a stone-cold classic … blacked-out, suited up and mission-ready

All the connotations and daydreams that come with the image of a fighter pilot are on show in the intriguing IWC Pilot’s Watch Double Chronograph TOP GUN Ceratanium, a functional tool watch that transcends the genre. The cool black finish could only be German, and following a strict code of functionality that, while formal in … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The IWC Pilot’s Watch Double Chronograph TOP GUN Ceratanium, a stone-cold classic … blacked-out, suited up and mission-ready appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

HANDS-ON: Aggressive, unrelenting and tactical, the IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Top Gun Edition “SFTI” is a tool watch lover’s dream

It should come as no surprise that IWC are the masters of the Swiss-made Flieger-style chronograph, given that they were one of the archetypal manufacturers of those watches back in the ’40s, but their ability to adapt to modern military specifications and expectations is undoubtedly an achievement. Based on an exclusive model made for the … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: Aggressive, unrelenting and tactical, the IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Top Gun Edition “SFTI” is a tool watch lover’s dream appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

New with hands-on review: IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph TOP GUN Edition “SFTI” REF. IW389104

IWC extends the Top Gun collection in the Pilot’s Watches range with the the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph TOP GUN Edition “SFTI”. The The new 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. ThisRead More

Introducing: The IWC Top Gun 'SFTI' Edition (Live Pics & Pricing)

This watch feels the need, the need for ... well, you get it.

Introducing the IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph TOPGUN Edition “SFTI”

IWC introduces a new Pilot’s watch inspired by a timepiece created specially for the elite US Navy TOPGUN Adversary squadron graduate pilots.

Hands-On: IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Top Gun “SFTI”

IWC is not the only maker of pilot’s watches, but it is perhaps the best known. The brand’s line up of aviator’s timepieces is all encompassing, from basic three-handers to chronographs, and paradoxically for an aviation instrument, even perpetual calendars. But the latest pilot’s offering is straightforward. The IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Top Gun “SFTI” is a chronograph with a ceramic case, but its pushers, crown, and case back are Ceratanium, which is essentially titanium coated with ceramic. And more notably, it’s a limited edition of 1,500 watches that will be sold publicly, but is based on a similar watch created in 2018 that is available only to graduates of the United States Navy Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor (SFTI) programme, better known as TOPGUN. Initial thoughts IWC is not short on pilot’s watches, even special or limited-edition pilot’s watches. The brand has rolled out many, many iterations, variations, and editions. But the Pilot’s Watch collection is a bestseller so that’s commercially inevitable. But that doesn’t take away from the intrinsic appeal of a pilot’s watch. And IWC has been especially successful at tweaking the no-nonsense design to make it interesting in a way that appeals to the boy in every man. Some of the appeal isn’t sophisticated, but it is there – like the red fighter jet silhouette as the seconds hand counterweight. The base-model IWC Pilot’s Chronograph in steel has that appeal, and in blac...

IWC Pilot Watch Automatic Top Gun Review

I have made a promise to myself for this review, absolutely no cheesy 80’s movie quotes for this review. The IWC Top Gun pilots watch is after all, not associated or affiliated with any Tom Cruise movie whatsoever. This watch is part of an ongoing collaboration with the Strike tactics instructor program of the US navy. A partnership that began back in 2007, in which IWC manufacture watches specially designed from robust materials.  The use of alternative case materials is a focal point of all the Top Gun watches from IWC, with models being constructed from titanium, ceramic and a hybrid paring of the two; Ceratanium. The use of tougher metals comes from the watches needing to meet the specific requirements of elite jet fighter pilots, those ‘Top Gun’s’ if you will. Recently I got the chance to go hands on with the latest three hander in the Top Gun series, the automatic pilots watch in Ceramic. My initial impressions of the watch were overwhelmingly positive. At 41mm x 11.4mm, the ceramic cased timepiece really appealed to me visually. I have never really been a huge fan of traditional Flieger style watches, the dials always felt so cluttered and heavy. Of course I understand the need for the traditional type A and type B style Flieger watches. Flieger style pieces were born of necessity and practicality during the second World War. Pilots needed large dials and indices for precisely timing flights and bombing runs, the watches therefore bore oversized hands, huge...

Sunday Rewind: Split-Seconds Intention With The IWC Caliber 79230

A Doppelchronograph by any other name.

IWC Stoked That COVID and BLM Have Eclipsed the Toxic Male Investigations Led by #MeToo.

“F**k me, bro,” he began. “They had us by the balls for sure. I didn’t know if we’d ever be able shake the bad press haunting us from those earlier ads.” Read The Balance Cock Bugle for balanced horological news (probably).

Introducing: The IWC Portugieser Chronograph With Stainless Steel Bracelet

After almost three decades, a bracelet at last.

IWC Portugieser Chronograph (Ref. 3716)

The Portugieser Chronograph (Ref. 3716), one of IWC’s most popular models, is newly equipped in the standard version with the IWC in-house 69355 calibre and a see-through sapphire-glass back. This year's new colors include a green sunburst and red sunburst dial.

My Watch Story: Celebrating A Newborn With A New Watch, An Eberhard Found In Florence, A Long-Awaited IWC Pilot, And More

Five video stories from HODINKEE readers.

Bring a Loupe: An Attractive Omega Chronostop, A Fascinating Heuer Runner, And An Extraordinary IWC Da Vinci

You're bound to get your fix in this week's round-up of vintage watches from around the web.

The Trademark Battle Over the IWC “Fish” Crown

One of the details in the recent IWC Big Pilot’s Watch Edition Black Carbon that appealed to IWC collectors was the revival of the “fish” crown – an emblem used by the brand from the 1950s to the mid-2000s to indicate a water-resistant watch. In fact, the fish logo is significant enough that it is found not only on the crown of the new Big Pilot, but also in relief on the case back (pictured above). Fondly remembered by enthusiasts, the discreet “fish” was eventually replaced by the more brand-centric “Probus Scafusia” emblem, one of the official IWC logos. Behind the comeback of the “fish” is a little-known and rather amusing trademark battle that took place in Swiss courts and was reported on last year by FPC Review, a blog specialising in Swiss patent issues. The IWC fish logo was first registered by Richemont on July 22, 2016, but the Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property (IGE, or sometimes by its French acronym IPI) rejected the registration due to the logo’s resemblance to the ichthys, a fish-like symbol with used in Christianity. The court reasoned that “the commercial use of the sign is likely to violate the religious sentiment of an average Christian”. Ichthys – derived from ιχθυς, which is Greek for “fish” – is an acrostic that spells out “Iesous Christos, Theou Yios, Soter”, or “Jesus Christ, Son of God, Saviour”. Early Christians in the second and third century AD used the ichthys, essentially a two-...

Review: Rare watches, The Collector’s View: The IWC Ingieneur Ref. 3508

We begin our series of amagnetic watches with the IWC Ingieneur Ref. 3508, aka 500,000 A/m model. Here is our Collector's view of this rare watch.

IWC 3751 Da Vinci Perpetual Calendar Chronograph Rattrapante

This week we review a watch from my personal collection, the IWC 3751 – Da Vinci Perpetual Calendar Chronograph Rattrapante in platinum. IWC 3751 Da Vinci Perpetual Calendar Chronograph Rattrapante The watch is the 10th year anniversary re-edition to the original 1985 Da Vinci Perpetual Calendar Chronograph 3750. IWC 3750 was produced during a majorRead More

Introducing: The IWC Portugieser Yacht Club Chronograph Edition 'Orlebar Brown'

Just in time for summer, a new sport watch and resort wear collection.

Up Close: IWC Portugieser Chronograph 3716

Launched three years after the Portugieser rattrapante chronograph of 1995, the first-generation Portugieser Chronograph ref. 3714 combined straightforward good looks, excellent dimensions and an affordable price. Unsurprisingly it was resoundingly popular, and a bestseller for over 20 years. Apart from an upmarket spin-off, the ref. 3903 with the in-house cal. 89361 – that was not quite a success due to a size and price – the ref. 3714 remained virtually unchanged since inception except for a new dial colour every so often. The movement within also remained the same over its two-decade production run – the cal. 79350, a gently upgraded Valjoux 7750. Then in 2018, IWC offered the first glimpse of the future when the brand celebrated its 150th anniversary. Amongst the commemorative editions was the Portugieser Chronograph Edition 150 Years ref. 3716, near identical to the ref. 3714 but powered by the in-house cal. 69355. Now the Portugieser Chronograph 3716 has officially joined the catalogue as a regular-production model, replacing the venerable ref. 3714. The ref. 3716 in the classic gold-on-silver guise The ref. 3716 in burgundy Initial thoughts The new Portugieser Chronograph ref. 3716 is essentially a ref. 3714 with a superior, in-house movement. If you liked the original, you will definitely like the ref. 3716. Importantly, the ref. 3716 6 is a good value proposition. It’s priced at less than 5% over the original, a modest and entirely reasonable increase....

Introducing: The IWC Big Pilot's Watch Big Date Spitfire Edition 'Mission Accomplished'

G-IRTY says goodbye with a spiffy Spitfire tribute watch.

IWC Donates Prototype Spitfire Timezoner to Covid-19 Solidarity Auction

IWC Portugieser Yacht Club Moon & Tide

The new IWC Portugieser Yacht Club Moon & Tide features a new complication by the brand. Taking inspiration from its exploration and navigation past, the Portugieser Yacht Club Moon & Tide captures the time of the tides and its severity in relation to the Moon.

BATTLE ROYALE: The T+T Team list their favourite ever IWC Big Pilot references

The IWC Big Pilot collection is a pillar of the brand for a reason. The design is iconic and has remained unchanged for the best part of a century, the wrist presence is almost unparalleled, and the double-barrelled power reserve means you can take it off for a week without needing to reset the time. … ContinuedThe post BATTLE ROYALE: The T+T Team list their favourite ever IWC Big Pilot references appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

IWC CEO Christoph Grainger-Herr On The 2020 Portugieser Collection, COVID-19, And His All-Time Favorite Portugieser

IWC CEO Christoph Grainger-Herr thinks that the COVID-19 pandemic will have a lasting effect. “The digital proximity we are experiencing right now may have a lasting effect on how we communicate with our customers, partners, and journalists. I think it is likely that we will put an even bigger emphasis on video content in the future.” Not only does Martin Green discuss this topic with the manager, he also discovers Grainger-Herr's all-time favorite Portugieser.

“Jason Statham owns and buys all his IWCs himself,” says IWC CEO in playful interview about the 2020 Portugieser Collection

“I haven’t read your article yet about which action stars are wearing which watches,” IWC CEO Chris Grainger-Herr begins the interview by saying. “I just very much hope you haven’t got Jason Statham in there with his one Rolex in that one film, even though he buys and owns all his IWCs himself and wears … ContinuedThe post “Jason Statham owns and buys all his IWCs himself,” says IWC CEO in playful interview about the 2020 Portugieser Collection appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Interview: IWC’s Head of R&D; on the New 2020 Complications

A watchmaker who also trained as an engineer, Stefan Ihnen has been leading IWC’s movement development since 2006, continuing the brand’s long-established tradition of concise and practical movements. This year Mr Ihnen and his team rolled out new movements in a trio of Portugieser models – the Yacht Club Moon and Tide, Tourbillon Retrograde Chronograph, and Monopusher Chronograph – all built according to a philosophy that mixes technical accompaniment with practicality. Since the 1980s, IWC’s movements have been characterised by a pragmatic approach, making a virtue of constructing the most complex mechanisms in a simple, robust manner. The philosophy gave birth to many of the brand’s hallmark complications such as the Da Vinci perpetual calendar and the Il Destriero Scafusia, both complicated but powered by the Valjoux 7750. The cal. 82835 in the new Portugieser Yacht Club Moon & Tide And in the year 2000, the brand debuted the cal. 5000, an extra-large automatic movement with a seven-day power reserve and Pellaton winding mechanism, marking the start IWC’s modern generation of in-house movements. Twenty years on, IWC boasts an extensive range of proprietary calibres of 10 movement families. Beyond the solid and impressive foundations, the movements sometimes incorporate esoteric complications, ranging from a constant force tourbillon, and the a newly-introduced tide complication. Mr Ihnen is the perfect person to shed light on these movements. Formal...

IWC Portugieser Chronograph (reference 371609) Review

Introduction Clipping shut the deployant buckle of the just-refreshed IWC Portugieser Chronograph; it’s easy to see why this is one of the brand’s most popular watches, in Australia at least. It’s dressy, but still offers a healthy dose of sports functionality. What makes this new reference, announced back in February, even better the movement beating away inside. For the first time, it’s an IWC-manufactured calibre, and while it can’t be seen on the wrist, or make much of a difference to daily wear, it still feels like a significant step up. The Dial and Hands  The face of the Portugieser Chronograph is refreshingly familiar, thanks to that iconic combination of applied Arabic numerals and leaf (or feuille) shaped hands. The chronograph layout puts a minutes register at the top and a running seconds display at six. I’m more familiar with the white-dialled version of the Portugieser so was happy to give the black a try. And boy, is this dial black. The colour is incredibly deep and dynamic; if you catch it on the right angle, it takes on a blue-ish sheen around the edges. I must say that, because of the dark dial and the slender, highly polished hands and hour markers, legibility was a bit of an issue at times. Still, the overall beauty made me forget about that fact almost immediately.  IWC Portugieser Chronograph Reference 371609 The Case and Strap  At 41mm, this watch is sized just right. The steel case sits well on the wrist, flush and, even though it is...

Alec Baldwin’s watch collection reveals a man of taste and versatility, inc. Bulgari, Breitling, Bremont and IWC

Alec Baldwin is an American actor and comedian, best known for his roles in television and film. Baldwin starred as Jack Donaghy in the sitcom 30 Rock, for which he won two Emmys and three Golden Globes. He has starred in notable films, including Glengarry Glen Ross, Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation, The Departed and The … ContinuedThe post Alec Baldwin’s watch collection reveals a man of taste and versatility, inc. Bulgari, Breitling, Bremont and IWC appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

The new IWC Portugieser Automatic 40

The Portugieser Automatic 40 (Ref. 3583) marks the return to the collection of the iconic design, with the small seconds at 6 o’clock, in a compact case with a 40-millimetre diameter. The new automatic model takes its power from the IWC-manufactured 82200 calibre with pellaton winding. It comes in four variants, three in steel andRead More

Up Close: IWC Da Vinci Tourbillon Four Seasons

The two decades or so after the end of the Quartz Crisis was a fruitful one for the mechanical watch industry as it revived itself. IWC was one of the stars of that revival, a highly technical yet niche brand that appealed to true watch nerds. Everything it did then became the foundations for its modern day success – literally, with the brand still relying on the complications invented then. One of the most interesting, yet little-known IWC watches from that era is the Da Vinci Tourbillon Four Seasons. A limited edition of 20 watches that debuted in 1999, the Four Seasons (or Quattro Stagioni as it was known at the launch) has a hand-engraved, solid-gold dial – the Da Vinci Tourbillon represents the only instance IWC has bestowed such elaborate dials on its watches. A year after the launch of the Four Seasons, IWC was acquired by Swiss luxury group Richemont, making it perhaps the major complication the brand unveiled before the change of ownership. Intriguingly, the combination of an engraved dial and complicated movement, as well as the style of engraving, brings to mind some of the Handwerkskunst watches by A. Lange & Söhne, then as now, a sister company of IWC. But perhaps more important is the movement, which is the only hand-wound calibre in this generation of Da Vinci. Not only is the manual-wind calibre better looking – by a massive margin – but the movement is descended from the Il Destriero Scafusia, the grand complication made for the brand’s 125th ...

IWC Opens the First Virtual Boutique

When IWC opened its boutique in Singapore’s ION Orchard mall in 2009, the store was the brand’s first in Southeast Asia. And now the store has just become the world’s first IWC Virtual Boutique. With malls in Singapore shut because of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, as they are almost everywhere else, the IWC boutique has gone online in full and fine form. Also conceived to reach out to a new audience beyond the typical mall goer, the Virtual Boutique replicates the real-life experience in product and layout – though the well-stocked bar remains out of reach – encompassing all six of IWC’s product families. Everything’s included except sitting down for a drink The line-up includes the bestselling Pilot’s Watches and Portugieser, with watches arranged in showcases, with a click bringing them “up close”. And just like in a real store, the boutique’s salespeople are available for live, realtime chats on weekdays from 10 am to 7 pm. Clients can also schedule an appointment with a salesperson in advance. The virtual store, however, is not an e-commerce platform, so purchases cannot be made on it. “At a time where virtual connections are more frequent and accessible than physical ones, visitors can now enjoy the… IWC experience, outside the traditional retail infrastructure,” says Stanislas Rambaud, the brand’s chief in Southeast Asia, adding, “This endeavour also affirms our determination in extending the world of IWC to new friends, while str...