The Lowdown

As we gear up for the slew of new watch releases in this year’s in-person edition (finally…) of Watches and Wonders, it seems like ages ago when we cast our minds back to last year’s show, where IWC launched a plethora of watches, coinciding with the 85th year since the introduction of the very first Pilot Watch (Ref. 436) in 1936. We were reminded of the rich legacy of the Pilot’s Watch: from being an indispensable tool during the early years of aviation to its now pre-eminent status as probably the brand icon amongst all of IWC’s deep product lines.

Since 1992, the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph is the platform IWC has chosen to uplift the Pilot’s Watch into the modern era, starting with the double or doppel chronograph and culminating in last year’s downsized and more-wearable-for-most 41mm blue and green dial offerings.

While the technical raison d’être of this series of chronographs has historically driven innovation for the model line, the result has often been a rather staid presentation. All that changed when IWC decided to be a little more adventurous, relying on its expertise in colored ceramics development, to create a sand-colored ceramic case for the 2019 “Mojave Desert” TOP GUN Limited Edition. This watch was the most talked about of IWC’s 2019 releases and the colorway, inspired by China Lake (not that China) in California, has since spawned other editions in the Big Pilot’s Watch family.

The military aesthetic continues to be a rich vein of inspiration for IWC to draw from, and to kick off this years’ show, we have two new colored TOP GUN editions joining the lineup, “IWC Lake Tahoe” white and “IWC Woodland” green.

Taking inspiration from the lake’s wintry landscape and the crisp white and black of naval uniforms and neckerchiefs, the “IWC Lake Tahoe” edition achieves a bold, all-matte look with a 44.5mm white ceramic case and white dial accents popping off a black dial. That moniker for the ceramic’s color is official as IWC worked with Pantone to define it. The only reflective surfaces to be had are the stainless steel chronograph pushers and titanium caseback, which sports the now-familiar TOP GUN logo. A white embossed rubber strap with lozenge-shaped nodules ensures that the watch grips your wrist.

It may seem like IWC is coming late to the party of white ceramic watches with the likes of Audemars Piguet and Richard Mille having already produced brilliant takes on the theme. But don’t forget that alongside the Master of Materials, Rado, IWC was already developing colored ceramic prototypes in the early 1980s as seen here. Their status as true pioneers of materials development cannot be overstated.

Both watches are powered by the in-house self-winding IWC caliber 69380, a column-wheel operated chronograph from the 69000 family of movements introduced in 2016. This series of movements has been around long enough for them to be considered robust and reliable, befitting their use in an everyday professional sports watch. To add further to the tool-watch sensibilities, there is a soft-iron inner case to guard against the effects of magnetism and the crystal withstands sudden drops in air pressure if one actually goes to work in an airplane cockpit.

IMHO

If you have ever wondered if the IWC/TOP GUN collaboration is just a bit too tenuous, here’s a peek into our archives where we documented the history of the US Navy’s Weapons Fighter School and IWC’s longstanding relationship with it. It is important to note that IWC is the only Swiss watchmaker licensed to develop pilot’s watches for the US Navy’s strike fighter squadrons. We think this settles the debate about whether the partnership is purely for IWC’s benefit.

One design element that differs from the 2019 limited edition is the new chronograph hand with black tails and long tips that match the color of the rest of the numerals and markers. Previously it was simply one color for the whole length of the hand. The hand presents as a floating line from the center of the dial, adding a visual continuity with the hour and minute hands. From there, notice the collar underneath the hour hand that obscures the dial hole. To our knowledge, only the TOP GUN limited editions and Squadron-liveried special editions have this design detail, which makes one feel IWC really did go through everything with a fine-toothed comb.

What to make of these new colored TOP GUN Editions then? It is undeniable that IWC’s partnership with TOP GUN has come a long way. From being a mere outlet for IWC to display its engineering capabilities, it has branched out to form its own distinctive line. The use of in-house movements, proprietary materials and tangible aviation links sets them apart from all other IWC watches.

The Big Pilots, Mark XVIIIs and Spitfires are there to suit nicely the tastes of those seeking nostalgia from a bygone era of aviation. On the other hand, the TOP GUNs are for the consumer who wants to really lean into a different, more contemporary and technical take on the romanticism of being an aviator.

In short, these two new editions are noteworthy additions to the ever-growing TOP GUN line of Pilot’s Watches. Color us impressed.

Tech Specs

IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph TOP GUN Edition “Lake Tahoe”

IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph TOP GUN Edition “Woodland”

Both Editions

Production: Not limited editions but limited to 1,000 pieces each annually
Availability: Through IWC boutiques, authorized retail partners or IWC.com
Price: TBC
Eligible for My IWC care program, a six-year extension of the standard two-year International Limited Warranty.