Hodinkee
Introducing: An IWC Big Pilot For Purists
An aviation classic is now (finally!) available with a smaller case and cleaner dial.
Results for IWC Pilot
2,352 articles · 17 videos found · page 29 of 79
Hodinkee
Hodinkee
Steal Vs. Splurge: Heritage Pilot's Watches from Hamilton and IWC
Both pack a ton of value. Does one pack more?
Hodinkee
Introducing: The IWC Big Pilot's Watch With Perpetual Calendar, Now A Regular Production Model
Set it and forget it – you won't have to change the time, day, date, month, year, or moon phase until the year 2100.
Hodinkee
Introducing: The IWC Big Pilot's Watch Big Date Spitfire Edition 'Mission Accomplished'
G-IRTY says goodbye with a spiffy Spitfire tribute watch.
Time+Tide
Have IWC pulled off a masterstroke with teenage ski sensation Eileen Gu?
Sudden injuries, nosedives in form, squalid punch-ups in pub car-parks that are snapped by the tabloid press… Suffice to say when a watch brand picks a sporting ambassador it’s a decision fraught with risk. When Hublot signed Novak Djokovic last August, for example, they were justified in their belief they were partnering with a “living … ContinuedThe post Have IWC pulled off a masterstroke with teenage ski sensation Eileen Gu? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Revolution
Pre-SIHH 2016 - The New Pilots’ Watches Of IWC
As is the trend now for so many brands with model-rich histories - think Cartier, Rolex, Jaeger-LeCoultre - “re-booting” a different range has become an annual activity. IWC is part of that tradition, having in recent years relaunched, for example, the Portofino and Portuguieser families. To the delight of a swathe of IWC devotees, this […]
Hodinkee
Introducing: IWC Celebrates The Spirit of Exploration With Seven New Blue-Dialed Models Dedicated To 'Le Petit Prince'
From pilot watches and chronographs to a ceramic model and the first-ever Portofino "Le Petit Prince" model, IWC is septupling down on its "Le Petit Prince" models over 80 years after the beloved novella's publication.
Teddy Baldassarre
IWC Portugieser Chronograph Ceratanium Review
In 2017, IWC introduced a proprietary alloy called Ceratanium, or ceramized titanium, a hard, lightweight material that combined the best of ceramic and titanium. Oh, and it happened to look pretty cool as well. The material has been used sparingly in the intervening years, largely appearing across the brand’s sport-watch portfolio, from the Pilot to the Aquatimer collections. This week, Ceratanium is making its first appearance in the Portugieser collection with a new, limited-edition 41mm chronograph featuring a Ceratanium case affixed to a black rubber strap. In an effort to drive the point home, the rest of the watch is fully murdered out making the IWC Portugieser Chronograph Ceratanium a decidedly sporty take on this otherwise dressier collection. [toc-section heading="What's New"] The new watch is the Portugieser Chronograph Ceratanium, and it turns the classic chronograph layout on its head by rendering every detail in shades of black (insert Henry Ford quote here). The Portugieser is a historic watch with roots that date back to the late 1930s, and its modern aesthetic is largely referential to that history. That underlying design remains intact here, with a large, open dial hosting Arabic numerals at each hour, and a set of leaf hands tracking the time against them. The two subdials are arranged vertically, retaining a symmetric layout that recalls the original time-only references that had subsidiary seconds located at 6 o’clock. Using Ceratanium (which ha...
Fratello
The Olympian IWC Watch Designer Who Fought Nazis In The Skies Of Switzerland
This feature was researched with the help of Nic Barnes, who is a pilot, watch enthusiast, and occasional contributor for Watches of Espionage. Our thanks to the Schaffhausen City Archive and Schaffhauser Magazine for providing materials that greatly contributed to our research for this story. It is one about a remarkable man with connections to […] Visit The Olympian IWC Watch Designer Who Fought Nazis In The Skies Of Switzerland to read the full article.
SJX Watches
IWC Unveils Experimental Luminous Ceramic Case
IWC just revealed an experimental Pilot’s chronograph with a luminous ceramic case – on the wrist of Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton at the Monaco Grand Prix. Christened Ceralume, the material was developed XPL, the watchmaker’s experimental engineering department. According to IWC, the Ceralume concept watch was glowing a bright blue for more than 24 hours in dark chamber tests (although it didn’t state how the material was “charged” prior to the test). According to IWC, the patent-pending material is created by blending ceramic powder with Super-Luminova, the luminous material produced by RC Tritec that absorbs light energy and then emits it. Being non-radioactive, Super-Luminova is widely used to illuminate watch dials, and also suited to a case material. Though IWC has not revealed specifics about future plans for the material, it did say Ceralume will “form the foundation of future developments and releases.” Lewis Hamilton at the 2024 Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix Initial thoughts Ever since the discovery of radium in 1898, luminous materials have become commonplace in watches, primarily to aid legibility. With legibility being less crucial today, luminous paint is increasingly used for purely aesthetic purposes. Moreover, luminous ceramic is not actually new. Tudor, for instance, used luminous ceramic hour markers in the Black Bay Pro of 2022. IWC is the first to make an entire case from the material, albeit not one that is available commercially (ye...
SJX Watches
Hands On: IWC Portofino Complete Calendar
Last year, IWC reinvigorated the underrated Portofino line that’s long been overshadowed by the bestselling Pilot’s Watch and Portugieser. Historically one of the brand’s most classical offerings, the Portofino is best summarised as clean, almost minimalist, with the occasional Roman numerals. While recent Portofino complications have been somewhat plain, the Portofino perpetual calendar made things a little more interesting. Now IWC is continuing with the theme in a more affordable manner with the Portofino Complete Calendar. Taking its design cues from the more complex perpetual, the Complete Calendar is slightly larger but mechanically simpler. And as a result of the entry-level pricing, it is is powered by the no-frills ValFleurier movement widely used by watch brands owned by Swiss luxury group Richemont, which naturally includes IWC. The symmetrical dial The ValFleurier movement has been dressed up for the display back Initial thoughts For the longest time, IWC has emphasised two lines, Pilot’s Watches and Portugieser, simply because they sell the best. At the same time, it has tried to rejuvenate its other collections like the Ingenieuir and Aquatimer with little success. Last year it made tentative steps in reviving the Portofino collection with an all-new perpetual calendar. Simple in design, the Portofino perpetual doesn’t try to do too much – and for that reason it found some success as the brand’s entry-level perpetual calendar. Now IWC is ...
Time+Tide
HANDS-ON: The new IWC Portofino collection delivers classical sophistication in spades
IWC usually brings to mind the stern, sporty range of military-inspired pilot’s watches, and occasionally the suave dressiness of one of their Portugeisers. Often under-appreciated is the Portofino collection - a group of watches which pay homage to one of the most classic eras in watchmaking history. With elegance and detail-oriented excellence in spades, the … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The new IWC Portofino collection delivers classical sophistication in spades appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Insight: The Last Pilot’s Watch – Tutima’s Military Chronograph
Pilot’s watches, and specifically military-inspired pilot’s watches, are a pillar of the modern, luxury watch industry. Dozens of brands, notably IWC, Breitling, Bell & Ross, Bremont, and Yema, have made military aviation a core theme of their image. So it’s somewhat ironic that today’s elite military pilots don’t wear mechanical watches in the cockpit. A recent survey of pilots at MCAS Miramar, the airbase once home to the prestigious “Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor” programme – better known as TOPGUN – revealed that not a single pilot was wearing a mechanical watch. Instead, military pilots increasingly wear smartwatches designed specifically for aviators like the Garmin D2 that can monitor oxygen levels and act as a backup navigation system. Modern pilot’s watches made by luxury brands are more like “fan fiction”; a designer’s dream of what might have been. But this wasn’t always the case. Mechanical watches were once state-of-the-art technology and vital instruments for navigators and pilots before being rendered obsolete by quartz technology. This is the story of how the urgency of the Cold War gave the humble balance wheel one last chance to patrol the skies. The jet-shaped counterweight on the IWC Top Gun SFTI calls to mind the airplane-tipped chronograph minutes hand of Cold War-era pilot’s watches like the Tutima 798 A brief history of the pilot’s watch Pilot’s watches have been around for almost as long as there have been p...
Hodinkee
Introducing: Look Up! IWC's New Mark XX – The One We've Been Waiting For (Now With An In-House Movement)
Fans of the brand's 40mm Pilot's Watch spoke, and it seems IWC listened.
Time+Tide
The watches of Michael Jordan, part 2, including IWC, Richard Mille, Urwerk and more
The second of a two part story detailing Michael Jordan's watch collection, including Rolex, Richard Mille, Urwerk and IWC Big Pilot models.The post The watches of Michael Jordan, part 2, including IWC, Richard Mille, Urwerk and more appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Hodinkee
Hands-On: IWC Pilots Watch 41 Automatic Top Gun 'Lake Tahoe' – The 2025 Release You Probably Didn’t Know About
It might not be the most surprising or revolutionary, but it sure is really damn cool.
Fratello
Value In Vintage: IWC “Calatravas” From The 1950s And ’60s
IWC truly does have something for everyone. There is a curious blind spot in the vintage-watch market. Collectors will happily spend five figures on a mid-century dress watch from Patek Philippe or Vacheron Constantin, yet many overlook the quietly brilliant dress watches produced by IWC Schaffhausen during the ’50s and ’60s. That oversight is precisely what […] Visit Value In Vintage: IWC “Calatravas” From The 1950s And ’60s to read the full article.
Fratello
The Hanhart 417 TI Desert Pilot Chronographs Offer A Fresh Take On The Brand’s Icon
If you were to ask me for a list of cool chronographs, the Hanhart 417 ES would definitely be on it. Of course, the fact that Steve McQueen famously wore one adds tremendously to the cool factor. But a single glance at the 417 ES will tell you it fits the bill, regardless of whether […] Visit The Hanhart 417 TI Desert Pilot Chronographs Offer A Fresh Take On The Brand’s Icon to read the full article.
Time+Tide
Bulova introduces a limited-edition, light-bending Lunar Pilot, darker than a black hole itself
Bulova gives its Lunar Pilot a 41mm refresh, and introduces a Musou black dial that absorbs more light than a black hole
Worn & Wound
Marathon Celebrates America’s 250th with a Limited Edition Pilot’s Navigator
As many are likely well aware, 2026 marks the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, and as we approach the 4th of July, there are going to be a lot of reminders of America’s big birthday. The watch industry, as we know, loves an anniversary, and Marathon has gotten in on the act with the new edition of their Navigator pilot’s watch with a handful of patriotic nods to America’s founding. Marathon has been supplying the Department of Defense and various branches of the United States military with MIL-SPEC watches for many years, and the Pilot’s Navigator in particular has special resonance within their collection as it was originally developed in partnership with Kelly Air Force Base in San Antonia, TX in 1986. It’s a signature watch for Marathon and directly tied to the Canadian brand’s longstanding relationship to the American military, so it serves as a natural canvas for a limited edition. Various aesthetic features of the new Anthracite Stainless Steel Pilot’s Navigator have been inspired directly by the U.S. flag and the Star Spangled Banner. According to Marathon, the anthracite stainless steel case (coated in black ion-plating) is inspired by the line “the twilight’s last gleaming” in the national anthem. Similarly, the single red tritium tube at 12:00 is a reference to “the rockets’ red glare”. Lastly, a “1776” stamp can be found on the dial just under 12:00. It’s circled by stars, and a visual refer...
Teddy Baldassarre Videos
Everything To Know Before Buying A Pilot Watch - The Ultimate Guide
Today our very own Director of Editorial Content, Mark Bernardo, presents the ultimate guide to pilot's watches. Beginning with the early days of aviation and spanning through space exploration, pilot's watches have a long and storied history as being crucial tools of the profession.
Fratello
Sunday Morning Showdown: Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control Chronometre Perpetual Calendar Vs. IWC Ingenieur Perpetual Calendar 41
Another week, another Sunday Morning Showdown. We hope you are enjoying some well-deserved time off and a good weekend breakfast. Lean back in your chair, folks, because we have a proper heavyweight bout scheduled for you! This week, we pit two stainless steel perpetual calendars with integrated bracelets and blue dials against each other. Thomas […] Visit Sunday Morning Showdown: Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control Chronometre Perpetual Calendar Vs. IWC Ingenieur Perpetual Calendar 41 to read the full article.
Time+Tide
Farer just released its second generation Pilot Collection, and they might be the best-looking pilot’s watches you’ve ever seen
Farer just unveiled its new Pilot Collection Series II, combining classic aesthetics with modern pilot's watch details
Worn & Wound
Farer Introduces New Watches in the Pilot Series
This month, I’ll be on 12 flights across four cities, two continents and nearly three weeks away from home, so – yeah – I’ve been thinking a lot about planes lately. Perhaps, quite coincidentally, Farer has been, too, with the launch of their new Pilot Collection Series II, with three new models debuting. The collection has been redesigned around a 40mm Grade 2 titanium case, with a bead-blasted finish and a brushed bezel with a coin-edge profile. Across the line, Farer keeps the focus on legibility and performance, using large markers, broad minute tracks and lozenge-shaped hands applied with Grade X2 Super-LumiNova. Powering each watch is the Sellita SW300-1 Elaboré automatic movement, offering a 56-hour power reserve. Since cockpits can be highly magnetic environments, Farer has protected the movement with an internal soft iron Faraday cage, giving the watches anti-magnetic resistance up to 500 Gauss – these are the little details of Farer that go beyond just theming a watch and making it functional and operational to those that inspired the collection. The Curtis, named for English aviator and flight test engineer Eleanor Lettice Curtis, uses a blue-grey guilloché dial divided into twelve slightly concave sections, catching the light in a way reminiscent, as Farer notes, to the motion of a propeller. It has applied Lumicast markers, pale yellow lume and orange accents, with an additional Curtis Eastern Arabic edition limited to 100 pieces. The Barnwell is...
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Bulova Reimagines an Iconic Chronograph With the Lunar Pilot Black Hole
Years after asking for a smaller Lunar Pilot, Bulova answered with the Black Hole. Here's why this 41mm edition might be the best one yet.
Teddy Baldassarre
Hands-On With Every New IWC Watch 2026 With Global CEO
Today we sit down with IWC Global CEO Christoph Grainger-Herr to discuss all the new watches announced at Watches & Wonders 2026.
Time+Tide
Alpina updates its Startimer Pilot collection, celabrating 15 years of the modern collection
Alpina updates its Startimer Pilot Automatic collection with a redesigned case and dials featuring applied solid lumed indices.The post Alpina updates its Startimer Pilot collection, celabrating 15 years of the modern collection appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Fratello
How HTD’s New Phantom Finally Keeps The Pilot Watch Formula In Check
Pilot’s watches have a habit of getting carried away with themselves. Some lean so hard into the heritage side that they end up feeling more like costume pieces than modern watches. I don’t know about you, but I’m not interested in cosplaying as a WWII fighter pilot. Others go big for the sake of it, […] Visit How HTD’s New Phantom Finally Keeps The Pilot Watch Formula In Check to read the full article.
SJX Watches
Hands On: IWC Portugieser Chronograph Ceratanium
IWC started the year with a dramatic new look for a classic, the Portugieser Chronograph Ceratanium. Almost 30 years old but ageless, the Portugieser Chronograph gains an all-black look and Ceratanium case with this appealing, but pricey, limited edition that encapsulates the brand’s strengths and weaknesses. Initial thoughts In the mid to late 2000s, the all-black look was one the major fads in watchmaking, having been pioneered by Hublot, then at the beginning of its renaissance led by Jean-Claude Biver. All-black watches were everywhere yet desirable, and some even sold for multiples of retail. The Portugieser Chronograph Ceratanium is two decades late for that fad, and too early for the next one. But it is still an appealing watch in itself, though expensive compared to the standard version. It’s essentially a Portugieser chronograph dressed entirely in black with a case in ceramic-coated titanium. As a result, it has of the elements that make the model appealing: a symmetrical design, good proportions, slimness, and a distinctive style despite the simplicity. The all-black livery adds to the design, since it goes well with the clean styling. Though complementary aesthetically, the all-black finish and Portugieser design don’t quite pair conceptually, since the Portugieser is a historically inspired dress watch. Despite the incongruity, the Ceratanium chronograph looks and feels good on the wrist. More broadly, the watch illustrates IWC’s strengths and weakness...
Teddy Baldassarre
An Introduction to IWC with CEO Christoph Grainger-Herr
Teddy Baldassarre is an authorized luxury watch retailer of brands like TUDOR, OMEGA, IWC, Grand Seiko, Breitling, Blancpain, Glashütte Original, Zenith, Longines, ORIS, MIDO, Tissot, Hamilton, NOMOS Glashütte, Baume & Mercier, and more.