Results for IWC

IWC Debuts the Pilot’s Watch Performance Chronograph

Just in time for the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix, IWC reveals another rendition of a racing chronograph, the Pilot’s Watch Performance Chronograph. Available in two guises either titanium or Ceratanium, the new model retains the familiar visage of the standard Pilot’s Chronograph but with racetrack-inspired tweaks. Initial thoughts IWC has never quite had a bona fide racing chronograph with the gravitas of the Rolex Daytona or Heuer Carrera. Its past racing timepieces included the little loved and now discontinued Ingenieur and the more successful Pilot’s Chronograph Mercedes-AMG.  With the success of the Pilot’s Chronograph Mercedes-AMG with its Tiffany blue-esque colour, it’s unsurprising that another iteration has come along. The new chronograph has a distinctive racing aesthetic despite being a Pilot’s Chronograph, thanks to the tachymeter scale and more pronounced dial markings. The Formula 1 feel is particularly evident in the Ceratanium model that’s distinguished by its predominantly black design embellished with white and mint green accents.  That said, the paradox of a Formula 1-inspired aviator’s watch is hard to understand – the two themes don’t go together at all, although it is an appealing sports watch. IWC is relying on the strength of its bestselling Pilot’s line to build a racing offering, in part due to the Ingenieur’s historical lack of success. The Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team model The model starts at US$9,800 in ...

New: IWC Pilot’s Watch Performance Chronograph 41 AMG and Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One™ Team

IWC Schaffhausen releases the latest iteration of their Pilot’s Watch, the Pilot’s Watch Performance Chronograph 41. The Pilot’s Watch now comes with tachymeter scales dedicated to it’s long time motorsports partners AMG and the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team. The AMG variant in Titanium and the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team in their proprietary Ceratanium®Read More

Introducing: IWC's Pilot Chronograph 41 Goes Full Sport Mode With Racing-Inspired ‘Performance AMG’ Releases

Is it a pilot's watch? Is it cool? We dig into the details.

Leica Shifts Focus with the ZM 11

Having introduced the ZM 1 and ZM 2 wristwatches in 2018, Leica now launches its first sports watch with ZM 11. Deviating entirely from the camera-inspired aesthetics of the earlier models, the ZM 11 is a straightforward three-hander in a minimalist style with an integrated bracelet (or strap). But like its predecessors, the ZM 11 is equipped with a movement made by a specialist, in this case Chronode. Initial thoughts On its face, the ZM 11 comes across as uninspiring at first, appearing similar to many current luxury sports watches with integrated bracelets. But on closer inspection it reveals interesting details, including a nicely finished case and bracelet with facetted, brushed surfaces. Also notable is the quick-release mechanism for the bracelet that’s activated by a red button, a reference to Leica cameras. The red button aside, however, the design doesn’t capture the essence of a Leica camera as the earlier ZM 1 and ZM 2 did. The earlier pair incorporated camera-inspired details into functional elements, like a patented “push-piece” crown that mimics the push of a shutter-release button. While the ZM 1 and ZM 2 are arguably Leica watches, the ZM 11 feels more like a Leica-branded watch. Priced around US$7,000 for the base model, the ZM 11 is competitively priced as far as integrated-bracelet sports watches go. The IWC Ingenieur, for instance, is about 40% pricier. However, such sports watches are generally priced at a premium relatively to everything else...

Introducing the IWC Pilot’s Watch Performance Chronograph 41 AMG

IWC Introduces New Racing Inspired Performance Chronographs in their Pilot Collection

When we think of IWC chronographs, their series of Pilot’s Watch Chronographs are probably what comes immediately to our minds. There is an absolutely dizzying selection of chronographs across the Pilot collection, and the references go back years. Today, IWC unveils what they are referring to as “Performance Chronographs” that are technically (and somewhat weirdly, I have to say) still part of the Pilot lineup, but have a more motorsport forward focus. The new chronos seen here follow watches released in the past as part of their partnership with the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team, but have some aesthetic and design tweaks that make them feel a bit more road ready. While the AMG Petronas Pilot’s Watch Chronograph was basically a new colorway in a titanium case, the Performance Chronographs see additional updates to the dial that distinguish it from other watches in IWC’s Pilot space, which begs the question: why call these “Pilot” watches at all?  What we have here are two new references, the Pilot’s Watch Performance Chronograph 41 AMG, and the Pilot’s Watch Performance Chronograph 41 Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team. Both are built on IWC’s popular 41mm Pilot’s Watch Chronograph case, with the former in titanium, and the latter the brand’s proprietary Ceratanium alloy. On the surface, the broad strokes here are familiar, but when you get into the granular details, some new features emerge. Most notably, these dials have a glossy fi...

IWC debuts the Pilot’s Watch Performance Chronograph 41 ahead of the Las Vegas Grand Prix

A more focused motorsports chronograph from IWC, this model features a proper tachymeter bezel.The post IWC debuts the Pilot’s Watch Performance Chronograph 41 ahead of the Las Vegas Grand Prix appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Stepping out: Six watches under S$10,000 to add variety into your watch collection

Picture this. You have been a watch collector for at least the last decade or so, but the watches in your personal collection are predominantly the likes of the usual suspect: Rolex, Omega, IWC, and maybe one or two pieces from the “holy trinity of Swiss watchmaking” – if you are a little luckier inRead More

IWC Portofino Perpetual Calendar Reference 3541: An Oft-Forgotten Eternal Gem – Reprise

IWC is a brand with a rich history, and it is in the fortunate position that each of its collections has an almost equal share in building this history. The Da Vinci Perpetual Calendar, developed by IWC's master watchmaker Kurt Klaus, was a horological revolution. And from it came this elegant Portofino variation of the 1990s.

Pre-Owned Picks: A White Dial Rolex Milgauss, The First Tudor With An In-House Movement, And A 'Jackie Chan' IWC Portuguese

Plus, a sports watch from Nomos and a a master class from JLC.

IWC Brings a Fan Favorite Ceramic Tone to their 41mm Chronograph Platform

If you’re a fan of IWC pilot watches, you’ve no doubt participated in one of this cohort’s favorite activities, which is armchair quarterbacking the specifics of each release. We’ve gotten to a point where there are so many case sizes, complications, and case materials in the collection that the moment a new watch is announced, there’s a cry on the internet for that exact thing but tweaked, somehow, to more closely resemble another watch the brand makes. This is especially true with IWC’s ceramic cased pilot watches, which tend to be rather large and drive more than their share of “If only it was __mm” comments on Instagram. Earlier this year, in the midst of Ingy-fever, IWC quietly released a very nice 41mm chronograph in blue ceramic. It got some of us thinking: will more ceramic color options come to this Goldilocks sized case that everyone (myself very much included) seems to love?  The answer, of course, is yes. This week, IWC revealed a watch that many collectors have been hoping for for quite some time, the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 Top Gun Mojave Desert. The brown “Mojave” case is meant to look like desert sand, and has been a favorite when executed as a perpetual calendar and Big Pilot. It was also, first, a chronograph, which made its debut back in 2019 in the same 44.5mm case later occupied by the Tahoe and Woodland versions of the chrono. It’s certainly the brand’s most unique ceramic colorway, and I have a feeling the news of this...

IWC Scales Down the Pilot’s Chronograph Top Gun Mojave Desert

After recently introducing a pilot’s watch with a fully-luminous dial and the Big Pilot perpetual in white ceramic, IWC continues to grow its aviation-inspired offerings with the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 Top Gun Mojave Desert. First introduced as a limited edition in 2019, the sand-coloured ceramic chronograph is now regular production and in a more wearable size of 41 mm. Initial thoughts One of the standouts in the Top Gun collection has been the Mojave Desert with its beige tones – definitely an unusual colour for a oversized sports watch. However, the colour was only applied to larger models to date. The reintroduction of the Mojave Desert in a more compact size, and standard production to boot, is a good thing – though probably not such a good thing for owners of the limited edition version. The smaller case helps with wearability, making this desirable colour combination available to a wider audience. Size aside, there is no major point of difference. The same can be said for price: the new Mojave Desert chronograph retails for US$11,700, mirroring the price tag of the other ceramic chronographs in the collection. A new size, but same style The Mojave Desert chronograph is the latest addition to the “Colours of Top Gun” collection that draws inspiration from the US Navy’s flight school. The colour choice for this model is influenced by the Mojave Desert that surrounds the US Navy’s TOPGUN fighter pilot academy, and its pilots’ distinctive flight...

Introducing: IWC Surprise Launches A New 'Mojave Desert' Pilot's Watch Chronograph 41 Top Gun Edition

And we've got the need for Mohav... never mind.

IWC Spitfire Chronograph | Exploring The Iconic Pilot’s Watch

With a slimmer case, new movement, and pilot watch design, is the IWC Spitfire Chronograph worth your time? Here's our hands-on discussion.

IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 Top Gun Oceana

Sporting a blue ceramic as part of IWC's Colours of Top Gun collection, the Pilot's Watch Chronograph 41 Top Gun Oceana is the perfect casual watch.The post IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 Top Gun Oceana appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Pre-Owned Picks: A Smiling Tudor Heritage Black Bay, A Breitling SuperOcean With Retro Appeal, And An IWC Mark XX In Blue

Plus the perfect dress watch from A. Lange & Söhne and a green Cartier Santos.

A Roundup of High End IWC Releases from the Last Month

If you think IWC has been catching their breath after reimagining the Ingenieur earlier this year, think again. The Schaffhausen-based brand has been busy dishing out high end watches over the last month – headlined by the Big Pilot’s Watch 43 Tourbillon Markus Bühler – as well as heavy hitters through partnerships with automotive powerhouses. From complications to composite materials, there’s a lot to dig into here. Travel back to winter 2008 for a moment. The global economy is still roiled in recession, the federal funds rate is zero, and IWC marches out one of the rarest and most distinctive references ever: the Big Pilot’s Watch Edition Markus Bühler (Ref. 5003). Named after famed IWC apprentice Markus Bühler, the watch featured airplane turbines on the dial and also on its movement. A few years earlier, Bühler’s concept had won the top prize at the Prix IFHH de l’Horlogerie (now known as the Concours IHC), and IWC only made a limited run of twelve pieces. A decade and a half later we meet its successor, the Big Pilot’s Watch 43 Tourbillon Markus Bühler. It’s platinum, it’s 43mm, and it’s a real unit. True to form, the turbine is back but has now been integrated into a flying (haha) tourbillon. IWC has crafted the turbine blades from a titanium alloy for weight saving and even repurposed its upper cage as the regulator. The hairspring is attached to one of the blades, allowing a watchmaker to adjust the zero crossing of the balance simply by ...

New: IWC Big Pilot’s Watch Tourbillon “Markus Bühler”

Interesting followup to a watch created in 2008 by Markus Bühler, now adapted with a tourbillon: the IWC Big Pilot's Watch Tourbillon "Markus Bühler"

IWC Presents a Re-Edition of the “Markus Bühler” Big Pilot

IWC Revives the Big Pilot’s Watch Markus Bühler with a Tourbillon

One of the least known but perhaps most interesting iterations of IWC’s trademark oversized pilot’s watch is making a comeback, but with an upgraded movement and precious metal case. The Big Pilot’s Watch 43 Tourbillon Markus Bühler retains the key elements of its namesake 2008 original, but with a self-winding tourbillon movement inside a platinum case. The tourbillon is flying, while its cage takes the form of a turbine blade. A simple concept that played to the Big Pilot’s historical roots, the original model was conceived by a young Markus Bühler as part of a contest for IWC apprentices, but appealing enough that IWC made a dozen as a limited edition. Mr Bühler naturally won the contest and now oversees the entire assembly process at Manufakturzentrum, the IWC facility where both production of parts and assembly of in-house movements is done. Powered by the in-house cal. 82905, the Tourbillon Markus Bühler will naturally be put together at the Manufakturzentrum. Markus Bühler, now the Associate Director of Watch & Movement Assembly at Manufakturzentrum Initial thoughts The original Markus Bühler was interesting and appealing because it captured the spirit of a pilot’s watch in a novel manner while still retaining the functional aesthetics expected of such a watch. The turbine seconds was a simple modification that worked perfectly, both visually and conceptually. Now the idea has been brought back, but in a fancier package. The new Markus Bühler sti...

IWC Portugieser Tourbillon Rétrograde Chronograph Lewis Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton and IWC collaborate on a third limited-edition piece, introducing the Portugieser Tourbillon Rétrograde Chronograph Lewis HamiltonThe post IWC Portugieser Tourbillon Rétrograde Chronograph Lewis Hamilton appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

5 of the World’s Most Expensive Pilot’s Watches from Patek Philippe, Breguet, MB&F;, IWC, and Richard Mille – Reprise

Whether you are a desk pilot who enjoys aviation-themed watches or a jetsetter who flies the friendly skies in private Gulfstreams, these 5 watches will deliver the perfect flair of sophistication with an abundance of horological clout. And a price tag to match!

IWC Explores New Materials with the Big Pilot’s Watch AMG G 63

IWC’s latest is an inspired by the legendary off-roader made by its longtime partner Mercedes-Benz, the G-Wagen. More specifically, the Big Pilot’s Watch AMG G 63 is named after the luxury, high-performance G 63 made by the carmaker’s performance tuning subsidiary AMG. Available in two variants, the G 63 edition retains the traditional outline of the model, but brings along novel new materials, namely a hardened gold alloy known as Armor Gold and ceramic matrix composite (CMC), a carbon fibre composite containing silicon carbide ceramic for added hardness. The Big Pilot’s Watch AMG G 63 in 18k Armor Gold Initial thoughts IWC rolls out a lot of Big Pilot limited editions, probably too many, but this is one of the more appealing recent editions. The basic features of the Big Pilot G 63 are appealing – novel materials, a functional design, and IWC’s seven-day movement. The textured dials and sub-seconds are both novel features for a Big Pilot. They set the new pair part from other models in the line, but don’t stray too far from the traditional Big Pilot look. More interesting are the case materials – hardened gold or silicon-infused carbon composite – which are both a first for IWC. Though brands like Hublot and Richard Mille have long made such materials a specialty, they are unusual for IWC. Notably, both versions have Super-Luminova matched with the case material, beige for the gold model and grey for CMC, which feels a bit forced. I would have preferred...

The IWC Ingenieur Automatic 40 is the the latest Genta watch to become a celeb favourite

Trivial to some, cool to see for many, people around the world are constantly tuning in to see what celebrities are wearing. For watch fans, the magnifying glass is being held up to the wrists of celebrities. I think we all have experienced friends and family giving us the side-eye as we constantly pause a … ContinuedThe post The IWC Ingenieur Automatic 40 is the the latest Genta watch to become a celeb favourite appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Introducing: The First IWC Pilot's Watch With A Fully Luminous Dial

A part of its collaborations with U.S. Navy squadrons, the 41mm Black Aces watch is a new bright dial in the brand's lineup.

IWC Adds a Fully Lumed Dial to their Pilot Collection with the Pilot’s Watch Automatic 41 Black Aces

Sometimes I get tagged with the label of curmudgeon for my somewhat finicky and at times nonsensical taste in watches (and movies, and other things – I like what I like). But at the end of the day, I really just want watches to be fun, and for everyone to chill just a little bit when it comes to the hottest of takes on Instagram, YouTube, and elsewhere. If there’s one feature on a watch that captures a more nonchalant attitude toward watches in general, I think it has to be the fully lumed dial, right? Is there anything else that appeals so strongly to that proverbial inner child, the one who is still fascinated with things that glow in the dark? Lumed dials have been having a bit of a moment as of late, and now IWC is getting in on the action, with their first pilot’s watch with a fully lumed dial treatment, the Pilot’s Watch Automatic 41 Black Aces. The Black Aces is the latest in an ongoing series of watches that IWC has made in partnership with US Navy squadrons as part of their Professional Pilot’s Watches Program. This new watch takes inspiration from a previous watch that IWC created for members of Strike Fighter Squadron 41, also known as the Black Aces. This squadron has roots that date back to 1950, and is based at Naval Air Station Lemoore in California, and their Black Aces patch can be seen on the dial at the 6:00 position of the new pilot’s watch. IWC refers to this as a “Lumicast” dial, and it comes together after a complex process that invol...

The IWC Pilot’s Watch Automatic 41 Black Aces is the brand’s first full lume dial

When asked about pilot’s watches, the first brand I think of is IWC. The brand largely deals in sensible, legible designs, especially when it comes to their pilot’s watches, where such a quality is paramount. Now, we have seen IWC, well-versed in ceramics, create stealthy, black ceramic pilot’s pieces. The dark cases certainly camouflage themselves … ContinuedThe post The IWC Pilot’s Watch Automatic 41 Black Aces is the brand’s first full lume dial appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

The IWC Pilot’s Watch Gets a Full-Lume Dial

Soon after unveiling the Big Pilot perpetual calendar in white ceramic, IWC is introducing the Pilot’s Watch Automatic 41 “Black Aces”. While retaining the customary dial layout of the model, the “Black Aces” sports a fully-luminous dial – a first for the brand. The watch gets it name from the U.S. Navy’s Strike Fighter Squadron 41 “Black Aces”, which collaborated with IWC on the watch’s key design elements. Initial thoughts  The recent Top Gun watches with coloured ceramic cases have been bestsellers for IWC, though most have been complicated and pricier models. Hence, it is rather pleasing to see IWC do something with the entry-level Pilot’s Watch by giving it a simple yet appealing twist.  Instead a run-of-the-mill dial colour, the “Black Aces” gets a lume dial that’s novel for IWC. The full-lume dial, however, is not new to watchmaking, with several brands having such dials for several years now, including Bell & Ross with its pilot’s watches. Beyond the colour, the military provenance and “Black Aces” emblem gives the watch a tangible military link that many of IWC’s fans will like.  Notably, this watch contains the cal. 32100. I would have preferred the cal. 32111 that was used in the new Ingenieur instead. Both are essentially the same calibre, but the latter is a higher-spec version of the movement with a longer power reserve of 120 hours, as opposed the 72 hours of the cal. 32100.  This movement was presumably used because o...

All lit up, the IWC Pilot’s Watch Automatic 41 Black Aces

Issue 7 of the NOW Magazine is now available, and so is a little digital treat

Though the magazine just about takes the cake for the piece of content that is most difficult to plan and execute, it is also just about one of our favourites. From the features to the Buying Guide, the brand new NOW Magazine Issue 7 is here, this time in resplendent aqua with the new IWC … ContinuedThe post Issue 7 of the NOW Magazine is now available, and so is a little digital treat appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.