The Spitfire, designed by Reginald J. Mitchell, is one of the most sophisticated developments in the history of aviation. The iconic shape of the legendary British fighter aircraft is the result of a perfectly functional design; its elliptical wings not only make the propeller plane extraordinarily agile and easy to manoeuvre, they also give it its unique silhouette. The characteristic instrument design of IWC’s Pilot’s Watches likewise was the result of engineering to the specific requirements of military aviation.

‍

‍

Just like the Spitfire, the IWC watch collection of the same name also perfectly combines form and function. The design is inspired by the iconic Mark 11 navigation watch. To celebrate the unique engineering expertise of the Spitfire designers, all watches are fitted with IWC-manufactured calibres.

‍

‍

A particular highlight of the collection is the Pilot’s Watch Timezoner Spitfire Edition "The Longest Flight" (ref. IW395501). For the first time ever at IWC, it combines the patented Timezoner mechanism with an entirely automatic IWC-manufactured movement and is limited to just 250 watches.

‍

‍

This special edition is dedicated to the "Silver Spitfire – The Longest Flight" project. It has been specially developed for pilots Steve Boultbee Brooks and Matt Jones to coincide with their flight around the world in a Spitfire. The colour scheme of the watch design, with its stainless steel case, its black dial and its green textile strap, is reminiscent of the cockpit of a Spitfire.

‍

‍

The watch can be set to a different time zone by means of a simple rotational movement of the bezel. The hour hand, the 24-hour display and the date rotate automatically at the same time. The 24-hour display has been designed as a rotating disc beneath the dial. This means that the dial moves closer to the front glass, making it easier to read. The newly developed 82760 IWC-manufactured calibre has a Pellaton winding with components made from wear-resistant ceramic and boasts a power reserve of 60 hours.

‍

‍

The backbone of the new Spitfire line is the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Spitfire (ref. IW387902). IWC is presenting its first Pilot’s Chronograph with a movement from the 69000 calibre family and a reduced case diameter of just 41 millimetres.

The 69000 calibre family, first introduced in 2016, constitutes one of the most important developments in IWC-manufactured movements in IWC's early history. Now, for the first time, IWC has incorporated a member of this calibre family into its Pilot’s Watches. The 69380 IWC-manufactured calibre is a robust, reliable and high-precision chronograph movement with a classic column wheel design. The stopped hours and minutes are displayed on the two subdials at "9 o'clock" and "12 o'clock". It also features a date and day display. The pawl-winding system, which winds up on both sides, boasts a power reserve of 46 hours.

‍

‍

The bronze case, the olive green dial and the brown calf leather strap give this chronograph a unique character. Over time, the bronze develops a special patina, making each and every watch a unique piece.

‍

‍

IWC Pilot’s Watch Timezoner Spitfire Edition "The Longest Flight"

Technical specifications:

Ref. IW395501

Features: Mechanical movement – Pellaton automatic winding – Date display – Central hacking seconds – Timezoner function for setting another time zone using the rotating bezel – 24-hour display for Worldtimer function – Screw-in crown – Glass secured against displacement by drops in air pressure – Special back engraving – Limited to 250 watches

Movement:

·       IWC manufacture calibre: 82760

·       Frequency: 28,800 vph / 4 Hz

·       Jewels: 25

·       Power reserve: 60 Hours

·       Winding: Automatic

Watch:

·       Materials: Stainless steel case, black dial, rhodium-plated hands, green textile strap

·       Crystal: Sapphire, arched edge, anti-reflective coating on both sides

·       Water-resistance: 6 bar

·       Diameter: 46 mm

·       Height: 15.2 mm

The price for the IWC Pilot’s Watch Timezoner Spitfire Edition "The Longest Flight" will be around $13,500, but for a more exact price we have to wait till January at SIHH 2019.

‍

‍

IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Spitfire

Technical specifications:

Ref. IW387902

Features: Mechanical movement – Chronograph function for hours, minutes and seconds – Date and day display – Small hacking seconds – Soft-iron inner case for protection against magnetic fields – Screw-in crown – Glass secured against displacement by drops in air pressure – Special back engraving

Movement:

·       IWC manufacture calibre: 69380

·       Frequency: 28,800 vph / 4 Hz

·       Jewels: 33

·       Power reserve: 46 Hours

·       Winding: Automatic

Watch:

·       Materials: Bronze case, titanium case back, olive green dial, gold-plated hands, brown calf leather strap

·       Crystal: Sapphire, arched edge, anti-reflective coating on both sides

·       Water-resistance: 6 bar

·       Diameter: 41 mm

·       Height: 15.3 mm

The price for the IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Spitfire will be CHF 6,800.

For more information visit IWC Online.