The chronograph IWC Pilot Chrono Top Gun Miramar is one of those watches that stand apart from the competition completely. It opens up a whole new segment and forces everyone to catch up. After the first experience of partnership with the Fighter Weapons School (raise a hand whoever, born in the 70's, has not seen at least three times and grew up with the film by Tony Scott, Top Gun) , IWC has raised the bar of its range Pilot in 2012 and has presented an entirely renewed range and largely linked to the renowned U.S. Air Force military school of excellence. A bit' of history, for those who now discover IWC (a very few indeed) and its Pilot range: the company has a very long, indeed historical experience in making pilot's watches. If we want to talk about Aviation, in the watches’ sector, the watch lovers would answer as if by magic: IWC! If you talk of "Big aviator's watch", as in a quiz , the answer is "Die Grosse Fliegeruhr" if you ask a German guy or the undersigned :-), "Big Pilot's Watch" elsewhere, which is not the simple translation from Italian, but the trade name of this wonder (source: Google and Antiquorum Auctioneers):
If you talk about split-seconds chronograph, the answer is even more decisive, even if we enter the field of complications and the more complicated mechanics lovers (IWC 's leadership in the field of split-seconds chrono is even stronger):
Going back to the IWC Pilot Chrono Top Gun Miramar, let’s start from the name, is it a banality? No, because names in the world of luxury goods are thoroughly investigated, and it is simply cool! It does make you feel part of an elite, a bit of a pilot, let's face it. The case has the shape of all watches from IWC Pilot: measured proportions, classic, it does not scream originality, it simply doesn’t look for it. The originality is left to other characteristics such as generous glossy ceramic case 46mm wide, with case back, crown and push pieces in titanium and movement calibre 89365 manufactured in-house with 68 hours of power reserve and Flyback function and the peculiarity of the date window designed as an altimeter:
The advantage of the ceramic case? Lightness, a unique feel of high-tech, a high scratch resistance: those who buy an IWC Pilot Chrono Top Gun Miramar use it every day, they are watch lovers who like big watches and won’t leave them in the drawer. The olive-colored dial is very clean and has two separate scales, the inner one for the hour and outermost one for the chronograph seconds and minutes. Two common features of the whole range of IWC Pilot : the addition of a soft-iron inner case to protect against magnetic fields and the glass guaranteed against sudden loss of cabin pressure. We sincerely believe you never need it but they state the calibre of the watch: it is a true pilot watch. To complete the package, a nice bracelet in military fabric, reinforced, made along the lines of the fabrics used for seat belts and a tang buckle engraved with the IWC logo. Now, who was born in the 70s, buy a IWC Pilot Chrono Top Gun Miramar then go into the garage to take his Kawa GPZ 900R and Avirex jacket!
(Product courtesy of Trucchi Orologeria)
(Photo credit: Google, Horbiter®'s proprietary photo-shooting)
Gaetano C. @Horbiter®
