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HODINKEE Radio: Watches & Wonders 2021 First Look - IWC, Montblanc, & Panerai
Air, land, or sea – these watchmakers have you covered.
947 articles · 13 videos found · page 20 of 32
IWC's 1939 pocket-watch-movement wristwatch for Portuguese maritime officers. Oversized 42mm for its era.
IWC's 1955 anti-magnetic engineer watch, redesigned by Gérald Genta in 1976 and revived in 2023.
Geneva luxury holding group founded 1988 by Johann Rupert. Owns Cartier, IWC, JLC, A. Lange & Söhne, Vacheron, Panerai, Piaget. Largest haute-horlogerie portfolio in the industry.
Wristshot gallery from the Horlogeforum IWC thread.
Hodinkee
Air, land, or sea – these watchmakers have you covered.
Hodinkee
It's one of the most interesting of paradoxes in modern watchmaking that such a relatively simple pilot's watch is capable of provoking such widespread and passionate reactions.
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India Whiskey Charlie ready at runway 21!
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Thirty-nine millimeters of pure steel pilot's watch.
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The Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Edition “AMG” is firing on all cylinders.
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An aviation classic is now (finally!) available with a smaller case and cleaner dial.
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Both pack a ton of value. Does one pack more?
Hodinkee
Just because it can fly, doesn't mean it has to.
Deployant
IWC Schaffhausen has launched three new chronographs in its Pilot’s Watches collection. The new ceramic models are collaborative timepieces that the brand created in the context of its military programme with squadrons of the U.S. Navy.
SJX Watches
Fully booked before it even opened, the IWC Big Pilot Exhibition in Singapore recently closed its doors and the 31 Big Pilot’s Watches that were on show have returned home to the IWC Museum in Schaffhausen. But for those who missed the show, we round up some of the historically significant examples that were on displayed. The lineup naturally includes the very first Big Pilot’s Watch ref. 5002, and also the ultra-rare Markus Bühler “Turbine” ref. 5003. (And the Big Pilot Roadshow will happen in various cities in the United States starting September; details at the end of this article.) 2002 – Big Pilot’s Watch ref. 5002 The modern-day Big Pilot can be traced back to the gigantic beobachtungsuhr (or”B-uhr” for short) that IWC supplied to the German air force in 1940. The one that started it all was the Big Pilot’s Watch ref. 500201 (widely known as the ref. 5002) that debuted at Baselworld in 2002. Codenamed “Big Pilot’s Watch – Mark XXI” while in development, the Big Pilot was due in part to the commercial success of the compact Mark 12 pilot’s watch. At the same time, it was also devised as a platform for the recently-launched, seven-day automatic cal. 5000, a movement large enough that the resulting pilot’s watch had to be, well, big. And big it was, though the ref. 5002 was smaller than the second world war original that was 55 mm. Still it retained many of the elements that defined the vintage B-uhr – onion crown, Arabic numerals, ...
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Watches we love, the second time around.
Time+Tide
EDITOR’S NOTE: Title contenders Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen crashed out of the Italian Grand Prix at Monza at the weekend after a terrifying collision. Did the seven-time World Champ fail to give way? Or was Hamilton the victim of Verstappen’s reckless desire to win at all costs? Time+Time’s two resident F1 nuts, Fergus Nash … ContinuedThe post It was TAG Heuer vs IWC in the Italian Grand Prix crash – but was either driver really at fault? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
My grandfather Fritz Meister loved watches. He was born in 1918 in Schaffhausen, Switzerland and had a close affinity with IWC because of the connection it had with his birthplace. He enjoyed a sense of pride that a company from the town where he was born made such great watches. As a result, his constant … ContinuedThe post How IWC watches became entwined into generations of my family history appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
One of IWC’s signature wristwatch lines – the other being the Portugieser – is the Pilot’s Watch, a collection descended from the timepieces dating to the earliest days of aviation. Popular for its functional styling and general affordability, the Pilot’s Watch collection is regularly updated – IWC revamped the range in 2016, 2019, and again this year – and diverse. There are two threads running through IWC’s modern-day Pilot’s Watch collection that connect to the brand’s historical aviator’s watches: the smaller “Mark” watches typically associated with the British Royal Air Force (RAF) and the oversized “B-Uhr” made for the German air force of the Second World War. Big pilot and small pilot – Mark IX and B-uhr The origins IWC’s history in aviator’s watches started the Special Pilot’s Watch ref. 436, now widely known as the “Mark IX”. Conceived by the two sons of Ernst Jakob Homberger, the then-owner of IWC, the Mark IX was unveiled in 1936. Homberger’s sons were both licensed pilots and understood the features required for good pilot’s watch, resulting in style that is now synonymous with the pilot’s watch genre. IWC was not the only maker of pilot’s watches during the period, though it was arguably the most successful since it continued to be a leading supplier of aviator’s timepieces for the next two decades. The Mark IX had a 38 mm case – extraordinarily oversized in an era when the standard man’s watch was a...
Time+Tide
In a world where the daily struggles of life may seem too much to bear, sports can routinely provide a much needed escape. This escape carries with it even more importance for youth, as it provides a safe space that can protect them from an environment where violence, discrimination and poverty pervades. With this in … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: IWC’s true blue special edition supports the Laureus Foundation appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Long an annual tradition for IWC – now in its 15th consecutive year in fact – the “Laureus Sport for Good” edition is back once again in its usual blue livery that echoes the emblem of the eponymous charity with the IWC Pilot’s Watch Automatic Edition ‘Laureus Sport for Good’. Each annual Laureus edition sees IWC facelift one of its watches, from the classical Portofino to the sporty Pilot’s Watch, typically in a simple fashion with the addition of a blue dial – good enough but not quite great. This year the brand is doing something a bit more special with its entry-level aviator’s watch, which gets a blue ceramic case in a first for the brand. Initial thoughts As is typical of the IWC Pilot’s Watch, the new Laureus edition is simple, coherent and appealing. But it offers a bit more with the tone-on-tone case and dial, making it slightly more special than the standard Pilot’s Watches, or even past Laureus editions. Though IWC used a similar formula for the Laureus edition of two years ago – that had a polished, black ceramic case instead – the latest edition is tangibly better. For one, a blue ceramic case is rare, having been utilised by only a handful of watchmakers, and it also looks pretty cool. At the same time, the watch has been upgraded in technical terms. It houses the new, five-day cal. 32111, which is derived from the cal. 32115 first seen in the ultra-shock resistance Big Pilot XPL. Both are in turn modified versions of the cal. 32...
Revolution
Introducing IWC’s Pilot’s Watch Automatic Edition “Laureus Sport for Good”
SJX Watches
Modelled on a navigation instrument of the second world war, the IWC Big Pilot’s Watch has since become the archetypal modern-day aviator’s watch for the Schaffhausen watchmaker – and reputedly a favourite of Formula 1 champ Lewis Hamilton. As the Big Pilot approaches its 20th anniversary – the original ref. 5002 was introduced in 2002 – IWC is staging an exhibition dedicated to its oversized pilot’s watch in Singapore. The exhibition will showcase 31 Big Pilots from the IWC Museum, including the legendary and quirky Big Pilot’s Watch Markus Bühler “Turbine” ref. 5003 (stay tuned for a few highlights from the exhibition, including the Bühler). The exhibition is open to the public daily from September 9-12, but registration is required for entry. Update September 7, 2021: Registration is closed as the exhibition has reached the maximum capacity allowed by government guidelines, as a result walk-in visitors cannot be admitted. The watch that started it all, a 1940s Beobachtungsuhr, or “navigator’s watch”, made for the German Air Force Exhibition details The Big Pilot Exhibition Design Orchard 250 Orchard Road Singapore 238905 September 9-12, 2021 12 pm – 9 pm on weekdays, and 11 am – 9 pm weekends Entry is free, but registration is required on IWC.com. Update September 7, 2021: All pre-registration tickets have been taken up. Walk-ins will be accepted on a first-come- first-served basis, but subject to venue capacity. This was brought to y...
SJX Watches
Slated to be the first space flight with an entirely civilian crew, Inspiration4 take off in September 2021 for a three-day orbit of Earth. Operated by SpaceX, the space travel company founded by Elon Musk, the mission will keep time with the help of IWC, which has created the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Edition “Inspiration4” for the four-person crew. Featuring white ceramic cases and blue-lacquered dials, the four watches will be sold at auction after the space flight, with proceeds going to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, a paediatric hospital funded by donations that treats severely ill children and teenagers for free. Initial thoughts Being four watches that will be sold to benefit a good cause, the Inspiration4 chronographs are certainly a good thing. It helps that the design is appealing. Though the overarching elements of the watch are familiar – white ceramic and blue – they are combined in a novel manner for IWC. Both the star-speckled dial and white ceramic case are unique in the IWC line up. But the fact that these four are the first-ever Pilot’s watches in white ceramic (aside from prototypes from two decades ago) probably hints at something similar in the pipeline. If, and when, such a watch does emerge, I hope the production version will be smaller than the 44.5 mm that the Inspiration4 is, though that’s unlikely since the ceramic chronographs are all that size. Four travellers The four watches have been made for the crew of Inspiratio...
Deployant
Your invitation to the IWC Big Pilot Exhibition from 9 to 12 September 2021, which will feature 30 historical Big Pilot pieces from the IWC Museum.
Time+Tide
Christoph Grainger-Herr is not only the IWC CEO, but also one of the most passionate folks in the watch industry. In a Clubhouse room recently he spoke to me about one of his areas of collecting that isn’t horological focused: Hot Wheels cars. Yep, Chris loves his 1:64 scale model cars, enough to extend the … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: IWC CEO left gobsmacked by visit to the Mercedes F1 team garage appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
IWC is renowned for larger timepieces with their modern flagship model being the IWC Big Pilot to many. But as we saw this past year, the Schaffhausen manufacture has taken notice of the increased demand for more scaled back timepieces – introducing the Big Pilot 43, for example, as a more compact alternative. Previously the … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: IWC goes more classic and compact with new Portofino line of 39mm chronographs appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
I love pilot’s watches and their cool monochrome aesthetics, but I don’t have the beefy arms to pull off a 44-46mm IWC. I’m also one of the fans who applauded in surprise (I might even have shouted) this year, when the Explorer went back to its vintage roots at 36mm. It’s perfectly sized at 36mm … ContinuedThe post Downsizing to 36mm opens up a world of value – the IWC Pilot’s Watch Automatic 36 proves it. appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Last year, as I was relegated to the confines of a New York City apartment for weeks on end, binge watching shows became the best way to pass time. In all those months, I found no show did a better job of this than the original Gossip Girl. Rich teenagers, crazy plots and ridiculous cliffhangers … ContinuedThe post WATCHSPOTTING: The IWC watch that had a starring role in Gossip Girl appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Can you fly a plane? Nope, me neither. So why the hell are pilot’s watches so enduringly popular? More specifically how has the IWC Big Pilot retained such a relentless grip on the watch-buying psyche? The origin story of the IWC Big Pilot began in 1940 when the brand produced 1000 military navigators’ watches. These … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: The history of the IWC Big Pilot and how it became a stone-cold classic appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
The evolution of an iconic design is interesting. How do designers keep something fresh, without losing the identity that made it an icon in the first place? Be it the iPhone, the Porsche 911 or the Nik Air Jordan sneaker, it’s a challenge that organisations around the world struggle with and this year IWC took … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The IWC Big Pilot 43 shrinks in size but not impact appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
The IWC Big Pilot is not quite so big anymore. That’s right, the new IWC Big Pilot 43 is now a full 3mm smaller in diameter compared to the previous 46mm generation, but doesn’t lose any of the impact that it has on the wrist. The iconic pilot’s watch has been updated to become more … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: The IWC Big Pilot 43 gives an iconic watch a modern upgrade appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Last year, IWC focused on revamping their impressive Portugieser line. In 2021, it’s the turn of the IWC Pilot’s collection that’s expanded to offer greater choice than ever before with a veritable squadron of new pieces. Highlights include a new Big Pilot that’s downsized from the slightly intimidating 46mm to a more wearable 43mm option. … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: The IWC Pilot’s collection offers fresh sizes and a wider array of choice appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Before Lewis Hamilton was sponsored by IWC through his Mercedes AMG team, he had only won one Formula One Championship. How many has he won since becoming the brand’s ambassador in 2013? An incredible six, only once finishing outside the top three drivers. Was it pure chance that IWC began their relationship with him just … ContinuedThe post From Tom Brady to Lewis Hamilton, how do IWC get the GOATs as their ambassadors? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
One debate that continues to rage within the watch community is whether or not sports models are considered kosher with formalwear. On the one hand, the suave spy James Bond popularised the dynamic, wearing watches like the Rolex Submariner or Omega Seamaster with a tuxedo. But the question remains whether or not the combination truly … ContinuedThe post Adrien Brody proves sporty and elegant are not mutually exclusive with an IWC Portugieser appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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