{"lien_WSTV":"","tax_name":"deprecated","tax_rate":20,"id_manufacturer":"0","id_supplier":"0","id_category_default":"497","id_shop_default":"1","manufacturer_name":false,"supplier_name":false,"name":"Grande Montre d'Aviateur TOP GUN","description":"<strong>2012: the year of the high-flyers <\/strong><br \/><br \/><strong>The new Pilot\u2019s Watches from IWC Schaffhausen<\/strong><br \/><br \/>IWC  Schaffhausen gets off to a powerful start in 2012: the year of the  Pilot\u2019s Watch. With five new models, the TOP GUN collection establishes  itself as an independent formation within the IWC Pilot\u2019s Watch family.  The year\u2019s high-flyer is the TOP GUN Miramar: a tribute to the place in  California where the myth of the elite pilots was born. And two Pilot\u2019s  Watches featuring many of fine watchmaking\u2019s greatest achievements  prepare for take off: the Big Pilot\u2019s Watch Perpetual Calendar TOP GUN  and the Spitfire Perpetual Calendar Digital Date-Month. <br \/><br \/>\u201cFor the  new TOP GUN Pilot\u2019s Watches we drew on our long tradition of  manufacturing unusual deck watches. In the1940s, Pilot\u2019s Watches made in  Schaffhausen were widely used as so-called B watches for flight  navigation,\u201d explains Georges Kern, CEO of IWC Schaffhausen. \u201cBack then,  only wristwatches with the highest possible precision were good enough  for navigators: the pilot and his crew would synchronize their watches  to the navigator\u2019s.\u201d Since the main priority for navigation is optimum  legibility of the seconds and minutes, these two were often the only  indicators shown on the outer ring; the hours would be relatively small  and appeared on a central ring. This particular detail inspired IWC\u2019s  designers to display the hour circle and the chapter ring separately on  the dials of the Big Pilot\u2019s Watch TOP GUN Miramar and the Pilot\u2019s Watch  Chronograph TOP GUN Miramar.\u201cThe process of retracing the historic  roots of our Pilot\u2019s Watches gave us the idea of using the Miramar  tocreateour first linewith a military-style design,\u201d adds Christian  Knoop, Creative Director at IWC. \u201cThis allows us to combine various  styles in an imaginative way \u2013 even with luxury elements, if we wish.  That\u2019s one of the reasons the new Miramar line is such a perfect fit for  IWC: premium-class watches with out- standing mechanics and a rugged,  almost hardedged feel.\u201d The dark, metallic sheen of the grey ceramic  case and the matte anthracite of the dial all waken associations with  precision instruments used in aviation. The use of specific camouflage  colours such as beige for the hands and chapter ring, together with  green for the strap, underscore the desired look. The textile strap  leans visibly on the tough webbing belts. It is complemented by two  high-tech materials, typical for TOP GUN, that were introduced to  watchmaking by IWC as early as the 1980s: zirconium oxide for the case,  along with titanium for the controls and the watch back. Both the  Miramar models \u2013 like the entire TOP GUN collection, incidentally \u2013 are  equipped with IWC-manufactured calibres. Like the other Big Pilot\u2019s  Watch,theBig Pilot\u2019s Watch TOP GUN Miramar is equipped with the largest  automatic movement made by IWC, with a power reserve of 168 hours. This  also explains the 48-millimetre case diameter. The calibre 89365 found  in the Pilot\u2019s Watch Chronograph TOP GUN Miramaris one of the most  advanced and robust chronograph movements ever produced. It has a  flyback function as well as an analogue display for stopped minutes and  seconds. Commenting on the family\u2019s positioning in the international  watch market, Karoline Huber, Director Marketing &amp; Communications at  IWC, explains: \u201cFlying enthusiasts all over the world think of Miramar  in California as the birth place of the Top Gun legend. With our new TOP  GUN Miramar design line, we are addressing watch lovers who consciously  embrace IWC\u2019s long-standing tradition of manufacturing Pilot\u2019s Watches  but who also wish to benefit from the technological advances of the 21st  century and the inimitable quality typical of IWC.\u201d <br \/><br \/><strong>Classic TOP GUN collection: black and white with red highlights <\/strong><br \/><br \/>The  TOP GUN edition has held a permanent place in IWC Pilot\u2019s Watches  collection since 2007. The elaborately equipped Big Pilot\u2019s Watch  Perpetual Calendar TOP GUNcomes with a host of advanced features,  including a perpetual calendar with its four-digit year display, moon  phase display and seven-day power reserve. The Big Pilot\u2019s Watch TOP  GUNunites the clear-cut instrument look of the 1940s with ultra-modern  watch technology. The tiny aircraft silhouette on the seconds hand  creates an eye-catching signal-red highlight on the black-and-white  dial. The Pilot\u2019s Watch Chronograph TOP GUN, which comes with a flyback  function and protection against magnetic fields, is also equipped with  an IWC-manufactured movement. <br \/><br \/><strong>Rising fast: the Spitfire combines fabulous contours with first-class mechanics <\/strong><br \/><br \/>In  2003, IWC Schaffhausen launched a Pilot\u2019s Watch line that took not only  its name from the Spitfire but also reflected the elegance and out-  standing technology of the legendary single-propeller aircraft. Now, the  designers and technicians have subjected the Spitfire watches to a  thorough general overhaul. With a streamlined design and new features,  they remain firmly on course for success. All the latest models are  fitted with IWC-manufactured calibres. The gold and stainless-steel  cases are meticulously machined by hand; the result is a vibrant  interplay of shiny, silky matte and structured surfaces. The sun-pattern  finish gives the slate-coloured dial a metallic sheen that optically  references its namesake. The Spitfire Perpetual Calendar Digital  Date-Month in its red gold case combines tasteful design with the art of  watchmaking at its finest. It is the first IWC Pilot\u2019s Watch to show  the date and month digitally in the form of four large numerals; in  visual terms, it goes perfectly with the instrument appearance and  revives the tradition of the Pallweber system, now dating back well over  100 years. The Spitfire Chronographwith its IWC-manufactured 89365  calibre is available in red gold and stainless steel. With its  vertically arranged numerals, the date window is an unmistakable sign  that the engineers had the shape of an altimeter in mind when they  designed it.The metal bracelet supplied with Reference 387804, is fitted  with a newly developed fine-adjustment mechanism. Simply pressing the  IWC button in the folding clasp lengthens the bracelet; to shorten it,  the bracelet is pushed together until it is the correct length. Both the  pin buckle and folding clasp are slightly bolder, in order to match the  larger case diameter.<br \/><br \/><strong>2012: the year of the high-flyers <\/strong><br \/><br \/><strong>The new Pilot\u2019s Watches from IWC Schaffhausen<\/strong><br \/><br \/>IWC  Schaffhausen gets off to a powerful start in 2012: the year of the  Pilot\u2019s Watch. With five new models, the TOP GUN collection establishes  itself as an independent formation within the IWC Pilot\u2019s Watch family.  The year\u2019s high-flyer is the TOP GUN Miramar: a tribute to the place in  California where the myth of the elite pilots was born. And two Pilot\u2019s  Watches featuring many of fine watchmaking\u2019s greatest achievements  prepare for take off: the Big Pilot\u2019s Watch Perpetual Calendar TOP GUN  and the Spitfire Perpetual Calendar Digital Date-Month. <br \/><br \/>\u201cFor the  new TOP GUN Pilot\u2019s Watches we drew on our long tradition of  manufacturing unusual deck watches. In the1940s, Pilot\u2019s Watches made in  Schaffhausen were widely used as so-called B watches for flight  navigation,\u201d explains Georges Kern, CEO of IWC Schaffhausen. \u201cBack then,  only wristwatches with the highest possible precision were good enough  for navigators: the pilot and his crew would synchronize their watches  to the navigator\u2019s.\u201d Since the main priority for navigation is optimum  legibility of the seconds and minutes, these two were often the only  indicators shown on the outer ring; the hours would be relatively small  and appeared on a central ring. This particular detail inspired IWC\u2019s  designers to display the hour circle and the chapter ring separately on  the dials of the Big Pilot\u2019s Watch TOP GUN Miramar and the Pilot\u2019s Watch  Chronograph TOP GUN Miramar.\u201cThe process of retracing the historic  roots of our Pilot\u2019s Watches gave us the idea of using the Miramar  tocreateour first linewith a military-style design,\u201d adds Christian  Knoop, Creative Director at IWC. \u201cThis allows us to combine various  styles in an imaginative way \u2013 even with luxury elements, if we wish.  That\u2019s one of the reasons the new Miramar line is such a perfect fit for  IWC: premium-class watches with out- standing mechanics and a rugged,  almost hardedged feel.\u201d The dark, metallic sheen of the grey ceramic  case and the matte anthracite of the dial all waken associations with  precision instruments used in aviation. The use of specific camouflage  colours such as beige for the hands and chapter ring, together with  green for the strap, underscore the desired look. The textile strap  leans visibly on the tough webbing belts. It is complemented by two  high-tech materials, typical for TOP GUN, that were introduced to  watchmaking by IWC as early as the 1980s: zirconium oxide for the case,  along with titanium for the controls and the watch back. Both the  Miramar models \u2013 like the entire TOP GUN collection, incidentally \u2013 are  equipped with IWC-manufactured calibres. Like the other Big Pilot\u2019s  Watch,theBig Pilot\u2019s Watch TOP GUN Miramar is equipped with the largest  automatic movement made by IWC, with a power reserve of 168 hours. This  also explains the 48-millimetre case diameter. The calibre 89365 found  in the Pilot\u2019s Watch Chronograph TOP GUN Miramaris one of the most  advanced and robust chronograph movements ever produced. It has a  flyback function as well as an analogue display for stopped minutes and  seconds. Commenting on the family\u2019s positioning in the international  watch market, Karoline Huber, Director Marketing &amp; Communications at  IWC, explains: \u201cFlying enthusiasts all over the world think of Miramar  in California as the birth place of the Top Gun legend. With our new TOP  GUN Miramar design line, we are addressing watch lovers who consciously  embrace IWC\u2019s long-standing tradition of manufacturing Pilot\u2019s Watches  but who also wish to benefit from the technological advances of the 21st  century and the inimitable quality typical of IWC.\u201d <br \/><br \/><strong>Classic TOP GUN collection: black and white with red highlights <\/strong><br \/><br \/>The  TOP GUN edition has held a permanent place in IWC Pilot\u2019s Watches  collection since 2007. The elaborately equipped Big Pilot\u2019s Watch  Perpetual Calendar TOP GUNcomes with a host of advanced features,  including a perpetual calendar with its four-digit year display, moon  phase display and seven-day power reserve. The Big Pilot\u2019s Watch TOP  GUNunites the clear-cut instrument look of the 1940s with ultra-modern  watch technology. The tiny aircraft silhouette on the seconds hand  creates an eye-catching signal-red highlight on the black-and-white  dial. The Pilot\u2019s Watch Chronograph TOP GUN, which comes with a flyback  function and protection against magnetic fields, is also equipped with  an IWC-manufactured movement. <br \/><br \/><strong>Rising fast: the Spitfire combines fabulous contours with first-class mechanics <\/strong><br \/><br \/>In  2003, IWC Schaffhausen launched a Pilot\u2019s Watch line that took not only  its name from the Spitfire but also reflected the elegance and out-  standing technology of the legendary single-propeller aircraft. Now, the  designers and technicians have subjected the Spitfire watches to a  thorough general overhaul. With a streamlined design and new features,  they remain firmly on course for success. All the latest models are  fitted with IWC-manufactured calibres. The gold and stainless-steel  cases are meticulously machined by hand; the result is a vibrant  interplay of shiny, silky matte and structured surfaces. The sun-pattern  finish gives the slate-coloured dial a metallic sheen that optically  references its namesake. The Spitfire Perpetual Calendar Digital  Date-Month in its red gold case combines tasteful design with the art of  watchmaking at its finest. It is the first IWC Pilot\u2019s Watch to show  the date and month digitally in the form of four large numerals; in  visual terms, it goes perfectly with the instrument appearance and  revives the tradition of the Pallweber system, now dating back well over  100 years. The Spitfire Chronographwith its IWC-manufactured 89365  calibre is available in red gold and stainless steel. With its  vertically arranged numerals, the date window is an unmistakable sign  that the engineers had the shape of an altimeter in mind when they  designed it.The metal bracelet supplied with Reference 387804, is fitted  with a newly developed fine-adjustment mechanism. Simply pressing the  IWC button in the folding clasp lengthens the bracelet; to shorten it,  the bracelet is pushed together until it is the correct length. Both the  pin buckle and folding clasp are slightly bolder, in order to match the  larger case diameter. <br \/><br \/><strong>Classic Pilot\u2019s Watches \u2013 slightly modified <\/strong><br \/><br \/>The  Pilot\u2019s Watches made by IWC in the 1930s and 1940s established a legend  that lives on in the classic Pilot\u2019s Watches family. The most  conspicuous change compared to their predecessors \u2013 with the exception  of the Big Pilot\u2019s Watch\u2013 is the vertical triple date display at \u201c3  o\u2019clock\u201d, whose form underscores the cockpit-style design more  emphatically. In 2012, the Big Pilot\u2019s Watchwill appear with its  familiar looks as well as the highly efficient IWC-manufactured 51111-  calibre movement. Compared with its predeces- sor, the Mark XVI, the  Pilot\u2019s Watch Mark XVII is 2 millimetres larger at 41 millimetres. With  its new red design features, the dial of the Pilot\u2019s Watch Double  Chronographis even more attractive, and thanks to a larger case diameter  \u2013 now 46 millimetres \u2013 it is also significantly more legible. The  stainless-steel case of the Pilot\u2019s Watch Chronographhas increased by a  mod- erate 1 millimetre to 43 millimetres. The new Pilot\u2019s Watch  Worldtimerhas a 24-hour ring that enables the wearer to look at all 24  time zones, including the Universal Time Coordinated (UTC). The city  ring shows the names of 23 places around the globe, each of which  represents a time zone. The dial shows local time, which can be adjusted  forwards or backwards in one-hour steps \u2013 also when crossing the  International Date Line. \u201cIt is with pride and confidence that IWC looks  forward to 2012, our year of the Pilot\u2019s Watch. We have six exciting  new models, including two Perpetual Calendar models, with some of the  most complex watchmaking features imaginable, the new Miramar design  line and the new-look Spitfire collection,\u201d sums up Georges Kern. <br \/><br \/><strong>Pilot\u2019s Watches for 76 years <\/strong><br \/><br \/>The  Schaffhausen-based watch manufacturer IWC has been making rugged and  reliable timepieces for pilots and their passengers since the mid-1930s.  Right from the start, IWC Pilot\u2019s Watches were designed to offer  optimum legibility by day and night and established the look of an  instrument: a look that has since determined the appearance of this  special breed of watches, to this day. The IWC Special Pilot\u2019s Watch,  launched in 1936, stood out with a distinctive black dial that was set  off by striking luminescent hands and large luminescent numerals.  Outstanding technical features of the IWC Special Pilot\u2019s Watch included  a shock-protected balance wheel bearing and a non-magnetic escapement.  With its 55-millimetre diameter, the Big Pilot\u2019s Watch 52 T. S. C. of  1940 is the biggest wristwatch IWC Schaffhausen has ever manufactured.  As a deck watch it featured, among other things, a central hacking  seconds to enable pilots and navigators to synchronize their watches  with down-to-the-second precision. An extra-long leather strap also  meant that it could be fastened around a flight suit. The clearly  arranged dial was a perfect example of reductionism: a style cue and a  paragon for all classic Pilot\u2019s Watches. The Mark 11, with its  hand-wound 89 calibre, manufactured from 1948 onwards for the Royal Air  Force, established itself as the best-known IWC Pilot\u2019s Watch of them  all. Its movement was enclosed in a soft-iron inner case to shield the  mechanism from magnetic fields. The Mark 11 was used success-fully by  the Royal Air Force for over 30 years. <br \/><br \/><strong>2012: the year of the high-flyers <\/strong><br \/><br \/><strong>The new Pilot\u2019s Watches from IWC Schaffhausen<\/strong><br \/><br \/>IWC  Schaffhausen gets off to a powerful start in 2012: the year of the  Pilot\u2019s Watch. With five new models, the TOP GUN collection establishes  itself as an independent formation within the IWC Pilot\u2019s Watch family.  The year\u2019s high-flyer is the TOP GUN Miramar: a tribute to the place in  California where the myth of the elite pilots was born. And two Pilot\u2019s  Watches featuring many of fine watchmaking\u2019s greatest achievements  prepare for take off: the Big Pilot\u2019s Watch Perpetual Calendar TOP GUN  and the Spitfire Perpetual Calendar Digital Date-Month. <br \/><br \/>\u201cFor the  new TOP GUN Pilot\u2019s Watches we drew on our long tradition of  manufacturing unusual deck watches. In the1940s, Pilot\u2019s Watches made in  Schaffhausen were widely used as so-called B watches for flight  navigation,\u201d explains Georges Kern, CEO of IWC Schaffhausen. \u201cBack then,  only wristwatches with the highest possible precision were good enough  for navigators: the pilot and his crew would synchronize their watches  to the navigator\u2019s.\u201d Since the main priority for navigation is optimum  legibility of the seconds and minutes, these two were often the only  indicators shown on the outer ring; the hours would be relatively small  and appeared on a central ring. This particular detail inspired IWC\u2019s  designers to display the hour circle and the chapter ring separately on  the dials of the Big Pilot\u2019s Watch TOP GUN Miramar and the Pilot\u2019s Watch  Chronograph TOP GUN Miramar.\u201cThe process of retracing the historic  roots of our Pilot\u2019s Watches gave us the idea of using the Miramar  tocreateour first linewith a military-style design,\u201d adds Christian  Knoop, Creative Director at IWC. \u201cThis allows us to combine various  styles in an imaginative way \u2013 even with luxury elements, if we wish.  That\u2019s one of the reasons the new Miramar line is such a perfect fit for  IWC: premium-class watches with out- standing mechanics and a rugged,  almost hardedged feel.\u201d The dark, metallic sheen of the grey ceramic  case and the matte anthracite of the dial all waken associations with  precision instruments used in aviation. The use of specific camouflage  colours such as beige for the hands and chapter ring, together with  green for the strap, underscore the desired look. The textile strap  leans visibly on the tough webbing belts. It is complemented by two  high-tech materials, typical for TOP GUN, that were introduced to  watchmaking by IWC as early as the 1980s: zirconium oxide for the case,  along with titanium for the controls and the watch back. Both the  Miramar models \u2013 like the entire TOP GUN collection, incidentally \u2013 are  equipped with IWC-manufactured calibres. Like the other Big Pilot\u2019s  Watch,theBig Pilot\u2019s Watch TOP GUN Miramar is equipped with the largest  automatic movement made by IWC, with a power reserve of 168 hours. This  also explains the 48-millimetre case diameter. The calibre 89365 found  in the Pilot\u2019s Watch Chronograph TOP GUN Miramaris one of the most  advanced and robust chronograph movements ever produced. It has a  flyback function as well as an analogue display for stopped minutes and  seconds. Commenting on the family\u2019s positioning in the international  watch market, Karoline Huber, Director Marketing &amp; Communications at  IWC, explains: \u201cFlying enthusiasts all over the world think of Miramar  in California as the birth place of the Top Gun legend. With our new TOP  GUN Miramar design line, we are addressing watch lovers who consciously  embrace IWC\u2019s long-standing tradition of manufacturing Pilot\u2019s Watches  but who also wish to benefit from the technological advances of the 21st  century and the inimitable quality typical of IWC.\u201d <br \/><br \/><strong>Classic TOP GUN collection: black and white with red highlights <\/strong><br \/><br \/>The  TOP GUN edition has held a permanent place in IWC Pilot\u2019s Watches  collection since 2007. The elaborately equipped Big Pilot\u2019s Watch  Perpetual Calendar TOP GUNcomes with a host of advanced features,  including a perpetual calendar with its four-digit year display, moon  phase display and seven-day power reserve. The Big Pilot\u2019s Watch TOP  GUNunites the clear-cut instrument look of the 1940s with ultra-modern  watch technology. The tiny aircraft silhouette on the seconds hand  creates an eye-catching signal-red highlight on the black-and-white  dial. The Pilot\u2019s Watch Chronograph TOP GUN, which comes with a flyback  function and protection against magnetic fields, is also equipped with  an IWC-manufactured movement. <br \/><br \/><strong>Rising fast: the Spitfire combines fabulous contours with first-class mechanics <\/strong><br \/><br \/>In  2003, IWC Schaffhausen launched a Pilot\u2019s Watch line that took not only  its name from the Spitfire but also reflected the elegance and out-  standing technology of the legendary single-propeller aircraft. Now, the  designers and technicians have subjected the Spitfire watches to a  thorough general overhaul. With a streamlined design and new features,  they remain firmly on course for success. All the latest models are  fitted with IWC-manufactured calibres. The gold and stainless-steel  cases are meticulously machined by hand; the result is a vibrant  interplay of shiny, silky matte and structured surfaces. The sun-pattern  finish gives the slate-coloured dial a metallic sheen that optically  references its namesake. The Spitfire Perpetual Calendar Digital  Date-Month in its red gold case combines tasteful design with the art of  watchmaking at its finest. It is the first IWC Pilot\u2019s Watch to show  the date and month digitally in the form of four large numerals; in  visual terms, it goes perfectly with the instrument appearance and  revives the tradition of the Pallweber system, now dating back well over  100 years. The Spitfire Chronographwith its IWC-manufactured 89365  calibre is available in red gold and stainless steel. With its  vertically arranged numerals, the date window is an unmistakable sign  that the engineers had the shape of an altimeter in mind when they  designed it.The metal bracelet supplied with Reference 387804, is fitted  with a newly developed fine-adjustment mechanism. Simply pressing the  IWC button in the folding clasp lengthens the bracelet; to shorten it,  the bracelet is pushed together until it is the correct length. Both the  pin buckle and folding clasp are slightly bolder, in order to match the  larger case diameter. <br \/><br \/><strong>Classic Pilot\u2019s Watches \u2013 slightly modified <\/strong><br \/><br \/>The  Pilot\u2019s Watches made by IWC in the 1930s and 1940s established a legend  that lives on in the classic Pilot\u2019s Watches family. The most  conspicuous change compared to their predecessors \u2013 with the exception  of the Big Pilot\u2019s Watch\u2013 is the vertical triple date display at \u201c3  o\u2019clock\u201d, whose form underscores the cockpit-style design more  emphatically. In 2012, the Big Pilot\u2019s Watchwill appear with its  familiar looks as well as the highly efficient IWC-manufactured 51111-  calibre movement. Compared with its predeces- sor, the Mark XVI, the  Pilot\u2019s Watch Mark XVII is 2 millimetres larger at 41 millimetres. With  its new red design features, the dial of the Pilot\u2019s Watch Double  Chronographis even more attractive, and thanks to a larger case diameter  \u2013 now 46 millimetres \u2013 it is also significantly more legible. The  stainless-steel case of the Pilot\u2019s Watch Chronographhas increased by a  mod- erate 1 millimetre to 43 millimetres. The new Pilot\u2019s Watch  Worldtimerhas a 24-hour ring that enables the wearer to look at all 24  time zones, including the Universal Time Coordinated (UTC). The city  ring shows the names of 23 places around the globe, each of which  represents a time zone. The dial shows local time, which can be adjusted  forwards or backwards in one-hour steps \u2013 also when crossing the  International Date Line. \u201cIt is with pride and confidence that IWC looks  forward to 2012, our year of the Pilot\u2019s Watch. We have six exciting  new models, including two Perpetual Calendar models, with some of the  most complex watchmaking features imaginable, the new Miramar design  line and the new-look Spitfire collection,\u201d sums up Georges Kern. <br \/><br \/><strong>Pilot\u2019s Watches for 76 years <\/strong><br \/><br \/>The  Schaffhausen-based watch manufacturer IWC has been making rugged and  reliable timepieces for pilots and their passengers since the mid-1930s.  Right from the start, IWC Pilot\u2019s Watches were designed to offer  optimum legibility by day and night and established the look of an  instrument: a look that has since determined the appearance of this  special breed of watches, to this day. The IWC Special Pilot\u2019s Watch,  launched in 1936, stood out with a distinctive black dial that was set  off by striking luminescent hands and large luminescent numerals.  Outstanding technical features of the IWC Special Pilot\u2019s Watch included  a shock-protected balance wheel bearing and a non-magnetic escapement.  With its 55-millimetre diameter, the Big Pilot\u2019s Watch 52 T. S. C. of  1940 is the biggest wristwatch IWC Schaffhausen has ever manufactured.  As a deck watch it featured, among other things, a central hacking  seconds to enable pilots and navigators to synchronize their watches  with down-to-the-second precision. An extra-long leather strap also  meant that it could be fastened around a flight suit. The clearly  arranged dial was a perfect example of reductionism: a style cue and a  paragon for all classic Pilot\u2019s Watches. The Mark 11, with its  hand-wound 89 calibre, manufactured from 1948 onwards for the Royal Air  Force, established itself as the best-known IWC Pilot\u2019s Watch of them  all. Its movement was enclosed in a soft-iron inner case to shield the  mechanism from magnetic fields. The Mark 11 was used success-fully by  the Royal Air Force for over 30 years. <br \/><br \/><strong>A tribute to the supermen of the skies <br \/>Two new Pilot\u2019s Watches: TOP GUN Miramar and TOP GUN<\/strong><br \/><br \/>Heading  up the professional Pilot\u2019s Watches from IWC Schaffhausen is the new  2012 TOP GUN collection. And in the vanguard is the new Miramar line: a  tribute to the birthplace of the Top Gun legend in California. <br \/><br \/>The  pilots who pass out from the United States Navy Fighter Weapons School  in Fallon, Nevada, are part of the world\u2019s flying elite. Their insignia:  Top Gun. Top Gun is also the name of an IWC watch collection offering  the very best in mechanical watchmaking today. And in 2012, five new  models will be taking off. Three of them feature the classical TOP GUN  design,recognizable from the instrument look of the dial and the  attractive mix of materials consisting of ceramic for the case, titanium  for the push-buttons and crown, as well as the soft strap material.  They are joined by two timepieces in the new TOP GUN Miramar line. The  design of the case and dial was inspired by old observer\u2019s watches. The  most conspicuous visual features are the shimmering metallic grey of the  ceramic case and the rugged green textile strap. <br \/><br \/>The Big  Pilot\u2019s Watch TOP GUN (Ref.501901) combines the clear-cut instrument  look of the 1940s with ultra-modern watch technology from the 21st  century. Fully wound, the IWC-manufactured 51111-calibre movement  consisting of 311 components will keep the movement running for 7 days.  And if it is not already clear, the Top Gun insignia on the case back  says it all: the Big Pilot\u2019s Watch has entered the age of supersonic  flight. The Big Pilot\u2019s Watch TOP GUN Miramar (Ref. 501902) incorporates  precisely the same technical features but comes in three colours: matte  grey, beige and green: in design terms a first for IWC. <br \/><br \/>The  ideal choice for complex airborne manoeuvres is the Pilot\u2019s Watch  Chronograph TOP GUN (Ref.388001) with protection against magnetic fields  and a glass secured against drops in pressure. And with the  IWC-manufactured 89365-calibre movement, it is equally impressive on the  inside. With the same specifications, the Pilot\u2019s Watch Chronograph TOP  GUN Miramar (Ref.388002) features the new design and is equally  \u201cairworthy\u201d. <br \/><br \/>No less impressive is the Big Pilot\u2019s Watch  Perpetual Calendar TOP GUN (Ref.502902), with a wealth of complex  technological features that include a perpetual calendar with four-digit  year display, moon phase display and 7-day power reserve. Working away  inside the black ceramic case is one of IWC\u2019s largest and most efficient  automatic winding systems. <br \/><br \/><strong>Asking the ultimate of man and machine <\/strong><br \/><br \/>The  Edition TOP GUN has held a permanent place in IWC\u2019s Pilot\u2019s Watch  family since 2007. It takes its name from a special training course  offered by the United States Navy Fighter Weapons School, the \u201cStrike  Fighter Tactics Instructor\u201d, better known by the legendary accolade \u201cTop  Gun\u201d. Pilots who successfully complete this course are part of a tiny  elite comprising the best trained, fastest reacting and most courageous  of their breed. The technology used is state of the art. Within the  space of a A tribute to the supermen of the skies Two new Pilot\u2019s  Watches: TOP GUN Miramar and TOP GUN few seconds, the jets reach their  take-off speed of just under 300 km\/h. During training flights above the  endless deserts of Nevada, they hurtle through the air at up to twice  the speed of sound. <br \/><br \/>As exacting as the demands placed on the  young pilots, they are no less stringent than those placed on the  equipment. The quality standards required of a watch designed for flying  are formidable, and IWC Schaffhausen swears by two materials that it  was the first to use in watchmaking worldwide: high-tech ceramic for the  case and titanium for the crown and controls. The zirconium oxide case  is sintered at 2,000 degrees Celsius and machined with diamond tools. It  is also nonmagnetic, acid-resistant, light and, like titanium, very  skin-friendly. IWC introduced titanium to watch case-making while  working with Porsche Design. Both companies were forerunners in the  machining of this high-tech material, which is corrosion-resistant and  tougher than steel but weighs only about half as much. <br \/><br \/>During  dogfights \u2013 air-to-air combat calling for spectacular manoeuvres that  any pilot must master \u2013 both man and material are subject to enormous  g-forces. The cockpit occupant briefly undergoes the equivalent of up to  nine times the acceleration of gravity. He is pushed back forcefully  into his seat: his body contorts and even his watch presses deeply into  his wrist. <br \/><br \/>During regular centrifuge sessions, the pilots have  to tolerate 9 g for 15 seconds, which seems like an eternity, without  losing consciousness, as their own weight increases to around 600  kilograms. In a similar test with a centrifugal accelerator, IWC Pilot\u2019s  Watches have withstood forces of up to 30 g for minutes at a time. So  what possible use could that be' Generally speaking, none at all. But  when the ejector seat is used, it generates forces of up to 20 g and the  Pilot\u2019s Watch designers in Schaffhausen think like the Top Gun  instructors in Fallon:it\u2019s better to be safe than sorry.","description_short":"","quantity":0,"minimal_quantity":"1","available_now":"","available_later":"","price":13416.666667,"specificPrice":false,"additional_shipping_cost":"0.00","wholesale_price":"0.000000","on_sale":"0","online_only":"0","unity":"","unit_price":0,"unit_price_ratio":"0.000000","ecotax":"0.000000","reference":"IW501901","supplier_reference":"","location":"","width":"0.000000","height":"0.000000","depth":"0.000000","weight":"0.000000","ean13":"","upc":"","link_rewrite":"grande-montre-daviateur-top-gun","meta_description":"2012: the year of the high-flyers The new Pilot\u2019s Watches from IWC SchaffhausenIWC Schaffhausen gets off to a powerful start in 2012: the year of the Pilot\u2019s...","meta_keywords":"","meta_title":"Watch IWC Grande Montre d'Aviateur TOP GUN | Montres d'Aviateur IW501901  Ceramic - Black Fabric Strap","quantity_discount":"0","customizable":"0","new":false,"uploadable_files":"0","text_fields":"0","active":"1","redirect_type":"","id_product_redirected":"0","available_for_order":"0","available_date":"0000-00-00","condition":"new","show_price":"1","indexed":"1","visibility":"both","date_add":"2015-08-03 22:47:21","date_upd":"2015-09-30 12:53:48","tags":false,"base_price":"13416.666667","id_tax_rules_group":"1","id_color_default":0,"advanced_stock_management":"0","out_of_stock":0,"depends_on_stock":false,"isFullyLoaded":true,"cache_is_pack":"0","cache_has_attachments":"1","is_virtual":"0","id_pack_product_attribute":null,"cache_default_attribute":"0","category":"pilot-s-watches","pack_stock_type":"3","id":3139,"id_shop_list":null,"force_id":false,"customization_required":false}

{"Compl\u00e9ment":"Ceramic - Black Fabric Strap","Statut de vente":"N est plus commercialis\u00e9","Date":"2012","Pi\u00e8ce unique":"No","S\u00e9rie limit\u00e9e":"No","Sexe":"Homme","Gaucher":"No","Diam\u00e8tre":"48","Epaisseur":"15","Types":"Self-winding","Styles":"Classical, Sporty","Calibre_autre":"51111","Affichage":"Luminescent hands","Complication":"Power Reserve Indicator","Mati\u00e8re du bo\u00eetier":"Ceramic","Particularit\u00e9 du boitier":"Screwed-down crown","Particularit\u00e9 du boitier_autre":"Titanium crown","Etanch\u00e9it\u00e9":"60 meters","Forme":"Round","Couleur du cadran":"Black","Index":"Baton-type, Luminescent, Triangles, Arabic numerals","Verre":"Antireflective coating, Domed, Sapphire","Mati\u00e8re du bracelet":"Toile","Fermeture du bracelet":"Pin buckle","Couleur du bracelet":"Black","Plus de caract\u00e9ristiques":"Movement<br \/>42 jewels<br \/>Pellaton automatic winding<br \/>Glucydur\u00ae beryllium alloy balance<br \/>Breguet spring<br \/>Frequency : <br \/>21 600 vibrations\/hour<br \/>Power reserve of 168 hours<br \/><br \/>Blasted stainless steel clasp"}

Grande Montre d'Aviateur TOP GUN

Reference: IW501901

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Brand  :	IWC
Collection  :	Pilot's Watches
Model  :	Grande Montre d'Aviateur TOP GUN
Reference  :	IW501901
Complement :	Ceramic - Black Fabric Strap
Year :	2012
Is not commercialised any more

16 100 €Recorded list price in FranceI WANT ITADD TO CART

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• Brand  :	IWC
  Collection  :	Pilot's Watches
  Model  :	Grande Montre d'Aviateur TOP GUN
  Reference  :	IW501901
  Complement :	Ceramic - Black Fabric Strap
  Year :	2012
  Is not commercialised any more
  List Price :	16 100 €
  Diameter :	48 mm
  Thickness :	15 mm
  Styles :	Classical Sporty
  Types :	Self-winding
  Calibre :	51111
  Complication :	Power Reserve Indicator
  Case material :	Ceramic
  Case peculiarity :	Screwed-down crown Titanium crown
  Shape :	Round
  Water-resistance :	60 meters
  Dial color :	Black
  Display :	Luminescent hands
  Indexes :	Baton-type Luminescent Triangles Arabic numerals
  Glass :	Antireflective coating Domed Sapphire
  Strap material :	Toile
  Strap color :	Black
  Strap clasp :	Pin buckle
  + More characteristics :	Movement 42 jewels Pellaton automatic winding Glucydur® beryllium alloy balance Breguet spring Frequency : 21 600 vibrations/hour Power reserve of 168 hours Blasted stainless steel clasp

DESCRIPTION

• 2012: the year of the high-flyers
  
  The new Pilot’s Watches from IWC Schaffhausen
  
  IWC Schaffhausen gets off to a powerful start in 2012: the year of the Pilot’s Watch. With five new models, the TOP GUN collection establishes itself as an independent formation within the IWC Pilot’s Watch family. The year’s high-flyer is the TOP GUN Miramar: a tribute to the place in California where the myth of the elite pilots was born. And two Pilot’s Watches featuring many of fine watchmaking’s greatest achievements prepare for take off: the Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar TOP GUN and the Spitfire Perpetual Calendar Digital Date-Month.
  
  “For the new TOP GUN Pilot’s Watches we drew on our long tradition of manufacturing unusual deck watches. In the1940s, Pilot’s Watches made in Schaffhausen were widely used as so-called B watches for flight navigation,” explains Georges Kern, CEO of IWC Schaffhausen. “Back then, only wristwatches with the highest possible precision were good enough for navigators: the pilot and his crew would synchronize their watches to the navigator’s.” Since the main priority for navigation is optimum legibility of the seconds and minutes, these two were often the only indicators shown on the outer ring; the hours would be relatively small and appeared on a central ring. This particular detail inspired IWC’s designers to display the hour circle and the chapter ring separately on the dials of the Big Pilot’s Watch TOP GUN Miramar and the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph TOP GUN Miramar.“The process of retracing the historic roots of our Pilot’s Watches gave us the idea of using the Miramar tocreateour first linewith a military-style design,” adds Christian Knoop, Creative Director at IWC. “This allows us to combine various styles in an imaginative way – even with luxury elements, if we wish. That’s one of the reasons the new Miramar line is such a perfect fit for IWC: premium-class watches with out- standing mechanics and a rugged, almost hardedged feel.” The dark, metallic sheen of the grey ceramic case and the matte anthracite of the dial all waken associations with precision instruments used in aviation. The use of specific camouflage colours such as beige for the hands and chapter ring, together with green for the strap, underscore the desired look. The textile strap leans visibly on the tough webbing belts. It is complemented by two high-tech materials, typical for TOP GUN, that were introduced to watchmaking by IWC as early as the 1980s: zirconium oxide for the case, along with titanium for the controls and the watch back. Both the Miramar models – like the entire TOP GUN collection, incidentally – are equipped with IWC-manufactured calibres. Like the other Big Pilot’s Watch,theBig Pilot’s Watch TOP GUN Miramar is equipped with the largest automatic movement made by IWC, with a power reserve of 168 hours. This also explains the 48-millimetre case diameter. The calibre 89365 found in the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph TOP GUN Miramaris one of the most advanced and robust chronograph movements ever produced. It has a flyback function as well as an analogue display for stopped minutes and seconds. Commenting on the family’s positioning in the international watch market, Karoline Huber, Director Marketing & Communications at IWC, explains: “Flying enthusiasts all over the world think of Miramar in California as the birth place of the Top Gun legend. With our new TOP GUN Miramar design line, we are addressing watch lovers who consciously embrace IWC’s long-standing tradition of manufacturing Pilot’s Watches but who also wish to benefit from the technological advances of the 21st century and the inimitable quality typical of IWC.”
  
  Classic TOP GUN collection: black and white with red highlights
  
  The TOP GUN edition has held a permanent place in IWC Pilot’s Watches collection since 2007. The elaborately equipped Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar TOP GUNcomes with a host of advanced features, including a perpetual calendar with its four-digit year display, moon phase display and seven-day power reserve. The Big Pilot’s Watch TOP GUNunites the clear-cut instrument look of the 1940s with ultra-modern watch technology. The tiny aircraft silhouette on the seconds hand creates an eye-catching signal-red highlight on the black-and-white dial. The Pilot’s Watch Chronograph TOP GUN, which comes with a flyback function and protection against magnetic fields, is also equipped with an IWC-manufactured movement.
  
  Rising fast: the Spitfire combines fabulous contours with first-class mechanics
  
  In 2003, IWC Schaffhausen launched a Pilot’s Watch line that took not only its name from the Spitfire but also reflected the elegance and out- standing technology of the legendary single-propeller aircraft. Now, the designers and technicians have subjected the Spitfire watches to a thorough general overhaul. With a streamlined design and new features, they remain firmly on course for success. All the latest models are fitted with IWC-manufactured calibres. The gold and stainless-steel cases are meticulously machined by hand; the result is a vibrant interplay of shiny, silky matte and structured surfaces. The sun-pattern finish gives the slate-coloured dial a metallic sheen that optically references its namesake. The Spitfire Perpetual Calendar Digital Date-Month in its red gold case combines tasteful design with the art of watchmaking at its finest. It is the first IWC Pilot’s Watch to show the date and month digitally in the form of four large numerals; in visual terms, it goes perfectly with the instrument appearance and revives the tradition of the Pallweber system, now dating back well over 100 years. The Spitfire Chronographwith its IWC-manufactured 89365 calibre is available in red gold and stainless steel. With its vertically arranged numerals, the date window is an unmistakable sign that the engineers had the shape of an altimeter in mind when they designed it.The metal bracelet supplied with Reference 387804, is fitted with a newly developed fine-adjustment mechanism. Simply pressing the IWC button in the folding clasp lengthens the bracelet; to shorten it, the bracelet is pushed together until it is the correct length. Both the pin buckle and folding clasp are slightly bolder, in order to match the larger case diameter.
  
  2012: the year of the high-flyers
  
  The new Pilot’s Watches from IWC Schaffhausen
  
  IWC Schaffhausen gets off to a powerful start in 2012: the year of the Pilot’s Watch. With five new models, the TOP GUN collection establishes itself as an independent formation within the IWC Pilot’s Watch family. The year’s high-flyer is the TOP GUN Miramar: a tribute to the place in California where the myth of the elite pilots was born. And two Pilot’s Watches featuring many of fine watchmaking’s greatest achievements prepare for take off: the Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar TOP GUN and the Spitfire Perpetual Calendar Digital Date-Month.
  
  “For the new TOP GUN Pilot’s Watches we drew on our long tradition of manufacturing unusual deck watches. In the1940s, Pilot’s Watches made in Schaffhausen were widely used as so-called B watches for flight navigation,” explains Georges Kern, CEO of IWC Schaffhausen. “Back then, only wristwatches with the highest possible precision were good enough for navigators: the pilot and his crew would synchronize their watches to the navigator’s.” Since the main priority for navigation is optimum legibility of the seconds and minutes, these two were often the only indicators shown on the outer ring; the hours would be relatively small and appeared on a central ring. This particular detail inspired IWC’s designers to display the hour circle and the chapter ring separately on the dials of the Big Pilot’s Watch TOP GUN Miramar and the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph TOP GUN Miramar.“The process of retracing the historic roots of our Pilot’s Watches gave us the idea of using the Miramar tocreateour first linewith a military-style design,” adds Christian Knoop, Creative Director at IWC. “This allows us to combine various styles in an imaginative way – even with luxury elements, if we wish. That’s one of the reasons the new Miramar line is such a perfect fit for IWC: premium-class watches with out- standing mechanics and a rugged, almost hardedged feel.” The dark, metallic sheen of the grey ceramic case and the matte anthracite of the dial all waken associations with precision instruments used in aviation. The use of specific camouflage colours such as beige for the hands and chapter ring, together with green for the strap, underscore the desired look. The textile strap leans visibly on the tough webbing belts. It is complemented by two high-tech materials, typical for TOP GUN, that were introduced to watchmaking by IWC as early as the 1980s: zirconium oxide for the case, along with titanium for the controls and the watch back. Both the Miramar models – like the entire TOP GUN collection, incidentally – are equipped with IWC-manufactured calibres. Like the other Big Pilot’s Watch,theBig Pilot’s Watch TOP GUN Miramar is equipped with the largest automatic movement made by IWC, with a power reserve of 168 hours. This also explains the 48-millimetre case diameter. The calibre 89365 found in the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph TOP GUN Miramaris one of the most advanced and robust chronograph movements ever produced. It has a flyback function as well as an analogue display for stopped minutes and seconds. Commenting on the family’s positioning in the international watch market, Karoline Huber, Director Marketing & Communications at IWC, explains: “Flying enthusiasts all over the world think of Miramar in California as the birth place of the Top Gun legend. With our new TOP GUN Miramar design line, we are addressing watch lovers who consciously embrace IWC’s long-standing tradition of manufacturing Pilot’s Watches but who also wish to benefit from the technological advances of the 21st century and the inimitable quality typical of IWC.”
  
  Classic TOP GUN collection: black and white with red highlights
  
  The TOP GUN edition has held a permanent place in IWC Pilot’s Watches collection since 2007. The elaborately equipped Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar TOP GUNcomes with a host of advanced features, including a perpetual calendar with its four-digit year display, moon phase display and seven-day power reserve. The Big Pilot’s Watch TOP GUNunites the clear-cut instrument look of the 1940s with ultra-modern watch technology. The tiny aircraft silhouette on the seconds hand creates an eye-catching signal-red highlight on the black-and-white dial. The Pilot’s Watch Chronograph TOP GUN, which comes with a flyback function and protection against magnetic fields, is also equipped with an IWC-manufactured movement.
  
  Rising fast: the Spitfire combines fabulous contours with first-class mechanics
  
  In 2003, IWC Schaffhausen launched a Pilot’s Watch line that took not only its name from the Spitfire but also reflected the elegance and out- standing technology of the legendary single-propeller aircraft. Now, the designers and technicians have subjected the Spitfire watches to a thorough general overhaul. With a streamlined design and new features, they remain firmly on course for success. All the latest models are fitted with IWC-manufactured calibres. The gold and stainless-steel cases are meticulously machined by hand; the result is a vibrant interplay of shiny, silky matte and structured surfaces. The sun-pattern finish gives the slate-coloured dial a metallic sheen that optically references its namesake. The Spitfire Perpetual Calendar Digital Date-Month in its red gold case combines tasteful design with the art of watchmaking at its finest. It is the first IWC Pilot’s Watch to show the date and month digitally in the form of four large numerals; in visual terms, it goes perfectly with the instrument appearance and revives the tradition of the Pallweber system, now dating back well over 100 years. The Spitfire Chronographwith its IWC-manufactured 89365 calibre is available in red gold and stainless steel. With its vertically arranged numerals, the date window is an unmistakable sign that the engineers had the shape of an altimeter in mind when they designed it.The metal bracelet supplied with Reference 387804, is fitted with a newly developed fine-adjustment mechanism. Simply pressing the IWC button in the folding clasp lengthens the bracelet; to shorten it, the bracelet is pushed together until it is the correct length. Both the pin buckle and folding clasp are slightly bolder, in order to match the larger case diameter.
  
  Classic Pilot’s Watches – slightly modified
  
  The Pilot’s Watches made by IWC in the 1930s and 1940s established a legend that lives on in the classic Pilot’s Watches family. The most conspicuous change compared to their predecessors – with the exception of the Big Pilot’s Watch– is the vertical triple date display at “3 o’clock”, whose form underscores the cockpit-style design more emphatically. In 2012, the Big Pilot’s Watchwill appear with its familiar looks as well as the highly efficient IWC-manufactured 51111- calibre movement. Compared with its predeces- sor, the Mark XVI, the Pilot’s Watch Mark XVII is 2 millimetres larger at 41 millimetres. With its new red design features, the dial of the Pilot’s Watch Double Chronographis even more attractive, and thanks to a larger case diameter – now 46 millimetres – it is also significantly more legible. The stainless-steel case of the Pilot’s Watch Chronographhas increased by a mod- erate 1 millimetre to 43 millimetres. The new Pilot’s Watch Worldtimerhas a 24-hour ring that enables the wearer to look at all 24 time zones, including the Universal Time Coordinated (UTC). The city ring shows the names of 23 places around the globe, each of which represents a time zone. The dial shows local time, which can be adjusted forwards or backwards in one-hour steps – also when crossing the International Date Line. “It is with pride and confidence that IWC looks forward to 2012, our year of the Pilot’s Watch. We have six exciting new models, including two Perpetual Calendar models, with some of the most complex watchmaking features imaginable, the new Miramar design line and the new-look Spitfire collection,” sums up Georges Kern.
  
  Pilot’s Watches for 76 years
  
  The Schaffhausen-based watch manufacturer IWC has been making rugged and reliable timepieces for pilots and their passengers since the mid-1930s. Right from the start, IWC Pilot’s Watches were designed to offer optimum legibility by day and night and established the look of an instrument: a look that has since determined the appearance of this special breed of watches, to this day. The IWC Special Pilot’s Watch, launched in 1936, stood out with a distinctive black dial that was set off by striking luminescent hands and large luminescent numerals. Outstanding technical features of the IWC Special Pilot’s Watch included a shock-protected balance wheel bearing and a non-magnetic escapement. With its 55-millimetre diameter, the Big Pilot’s Watch 52 T. S. C. of 1940 is the biggest wristwatch IWC Schaffhausen has ever manufactured. As a deck watch it featured, among other things, a central hacking seconds to enable pilots and navigators to synchronize their watches with down-to-the-second precision. An extra-long leather strap also meant that it could be fastened around a flight suit. The clearly arranged dial was a perfect example of reductionism: a style cue and a paragon for all classic Pilot’s Watches. The Mark 11, with its hand-wound 89 calibre, manufactured from 1948 onwards for the Royal Air Force, established itself as the best-known IWC Pilot’s Watch of them all. Its movement was enclosed in a soft-iron inner case to shield the mechanism from magnetic fields. The Mark 11 was used success-fully by the Royal Air Force for over 30 years.
  
  2012: the year of the high-flyers
  
  The new Pilot’s Watches from IWC Schaffhausen
  
  IWC Schaffhausen gets off to a powerful start in 2012: the year of the Pilot’s Watch. With five new models, the TOP GUN collection establishes itself as an independent formation within the IWC Pilot’s Watch family. The year’s high-flyer is the TOP GUN Miramar: a tribute to the place in California where the myth of the elite pilots was born. And two Pilot’s Watches featuring many of fine watchmaking’s greatest achievements prepare for take off: the Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar TOP GUN and the Spitfire Perpetual Calendar Digital Date-Month.
  
  “For the new TOP GUN Pilot’s Watches we drew on our long tradition of manufacturing unusual deck watches. In the1940s, Pilot’s Watches made in Schaffhausen were widely used as so-called B watches for flight navigation,” explains Georges Kern, CEO of IWC Schaffhausen. “Back then, only wristwatches with the highest possible precision were good enough for navigators: the pilot and his crew would synchronize their watches to the navigator’s.” Since the main priority for navigation is optimum legibility of the seconds and minutes, these two were often the only indicators shown on the outer ring; the hours would be relatively small and appeared on a central ring. This particular detail inspired IWC’s designers to display the hour circle and the chapter ring separately on the dials of the Big Pilot’s Watch TOP GUN Miramar and the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph TOP GUN Miramar.“The process of retracing the historic roots of our Pilot’s Watches gave us the idea of using the Miramar tocreateour first linewith a military-style design,” adds Christian Knoop, Creative Director at IWC. “This allows us to combine various styles in an imaginative way – even with luxury elements, if we wish. That’s one of the reasons the new Miramar line is such a perfect fit for IWC: premium-class watches with out- standing mechanics and a rugged, almost hardedged feel.” The dark, metallic sheen of the grey ceramic case and the matte anthracite of the dial all waken associations with precision instruments used in aviation. The use of specific camouflage colours such as beige for the hands and chapter ring, together with green for the strap, underscore the desired look. The textile strap leans visibly on the tough webbing belts. It is complemented by two high-tech materials, typical for TOP GUN, that were introduced to watchmaking by IWC as early as the 1980s: zirconium oxide for the case, along with titanium for the controls and the watch back. Both the Miramar models – like the entire TOP GUN collection, incidentally – are equipped with IWC-manufactured calibres. Like the other Big Pilot’s Watch,theBig Pilot’s Watch TOP GUN Miramar is equipped with the largest automatic movement made by IWC, with a power reserve of 168 hours. This also explains the 48-millimetre case diameter. The calibre 89365 found in the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph TOP GUN Miramaris one of the most advanced and robust chronograph movements ever produced. It has a flyback function as well as an analogue display for stopped minutes and seconds. Commenting on the family’s positioning in the international watch market, Karoline Huber, Director Marketing & Communications at IWC, explains: “Flying enthusiasts all over the world think of Miramar in California as the birth place of the Top Gun legend. With our new TOP GUN Miramar design line, we are addressing watch lovers who consciously embrace IWC’s long-standing tradition of manufacturing Pilot’s Watches but who also wish to benefit from the technological advances of the 21st century and the inimitable quality typical of IWC.”
  
  Classic TOP GUN collection: black and white with red highlights
  
  The TOP GUN edition has held a permanent place in IWC Pilot’s Watches collection since 2007. The elaborately equipped Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar TOP GUNcomes with a host of advanced features, including a perpetual calendar with its four-digit year display, moon phase display and seven-day power reserve. The Big Pilot’s Watch TOP GUNunites the clear-cut instrument look of the 1940s with ultra-modern watch technology. The tiny aircraft silhouette on the seconds hand creates an eye-catching signal-red highlight on the black-and-white dial. The Pilot’s Watch Chronograph TOP GUN, which comes with a flyback function and protection against magnetic fields, is also equipped with an IWC-manufactured movement.
  
  Rising fast: the Spitfire combines fabulous contours with first-class mechanics
  
  In 2003, IWC Schaffhausen launched a Pilot’s Watch line that took not only its name from the Spitfire but also reflected the elegance and out- standing technology of the legendary single-propeller aircraft. Now, the designers and technicians have subjected the Spitfire watches to a thorough general overhaul. With a streamlined design and new features, they remain firmly on course for success. All the latest models are fitted with IWC-manufactured calibres. The gold and stainless-steel cases are meticulously machined by hand; the result is a vibrant interplay of shiny, silky matte and structured surfaces. The sun-pattern finish gives the slate-coloured dial a metallic sheen that optically references its namesake. The Spitfire Perpetual Calendar Digital Date-Month in its red gold case combines tasteful design with the art of watchmaking at its finest. It is the first IWC Pilot’s Watch to show the date and month digitally in the form of four large numerals; in visual terms, it goes perfectly with the instrument appearance and revives the tradition of the Pallweber system, now dating back well over 100 years. The Spitfire Chronographwith its IWC-manufactured 89365 calibre is available in red gold and stainless steel. With its vertically arranged numerals, the date window is an unmistakable sign that the engineers had the shape of an altimeter in mind when they designed it.The metal bracelet supplied with Reference 387804, is fitted with a newly developed fine-adjustment mechanism. Simply pressing the IWC button in the folding clasp lengthens the bracelet; to shorten it, the bracelet is pushed together until it is the correct length. Both the pin buckle and folding clasp are slightly bolder, in order to match the larger case diameter.
  
  Classic Pilot’s Watches – slightly modified
  
  The Pilot’s Watches made by IWC in the 1930s and 1940s established a legend that lives on in the classic Pilot’s Watches family. The most conspicuous change compared to their predecessors – with the exception of the Big Pilot’s Watch– is the vertical triple date display at “3 o’clock”, whose form underscores the cockpit-style design more emphatically. In 2012, the Big Pilot’s Watchwill appear with its familiar looks as well as the highly efficient IWC-manufactured 51111- calibre movement. Compared with its predeces- sor, the Mark XVI, the Pilot’s Watch Mark XVII is 2 millimetres larger at 41 millimetres. With its new red design features, the dial of the Pilot’s Watch Double Chronographis even more attractive, and thanks to a larger case diameter – now 46 millimetres – it is also significantly more legible. The stainless-steel case of the Pilot’s Watch Chronographhas increased by a mod- erate 1 millimetre to 43 millimetres. The new Pilot’s Watch Worldtimerhas a 24-hour ring that enables the wearer to look at all 24 time zones, including the Universal Time Coordinated (UTC). The city ring shows the names of 23 places around the globe, each of which represents a time zone. The dial shows local time, which can be adjusted forwards or backwards in one-hour steps – also when crossing the International Date Line. “It is with pride and confidence that IWC looks forward to 2012, our year of the Pilot’s Watch. We have six exciting new models, including two Perpetual Calendar models, with some of the most complex watchmaking features imaginable, the new Miramar design line and the new-look Spitfire collection,” sums up Georges Kern.
  
  Pilot’s Watches for 76 years
  
  The Schaffhausen-based watch manufacturer IWC has been making rugged and reliable timepieces for pilots and their passengers since the mid-1930s. Right from the start, IWC Pilot’s Watches were designed to offer optimum legibility by day and night and established the look of an instrument: a look that has since determined the appearance of this special breed of watches, to this day. The IWC Special Pilot’s Watch, launched in 1936, stood out with a distinctive black dial that was set off by striking luminescent hands and large luminescent numerals. Outstanding technical features of the IWC Special Pilot’s Watch included a shock-protected balance wheel bearing and a non-magnetic escapement. With its 55-millimetre diameter, the Big Pilot’s Watch 52 T. S. C. of 1940 is the biggest wristwatch IWC Schaffhausen has ever manufactured. As a deck watch it featured, among other things, a central hacking seconds to enable pilots and navigators to synchronize their watches with down-to-the-second precision. An extra-long leather strap also meant that it could be fastened around a flight suit. The clearly arranged dial was a perfect example of reductionism: a style cue and a paragon for all classic Pilot’s Watches. The Mark 11, with its hand-wound 89 calibre, manufactured from 1948 onwards for the Royal Air Force, established itself as the best-known IWC Pilot’s Watch of them all. Its movement was enclosed in a soft-iron inner case to shield the mechanism from magnetic fields. The Mark 11 was used success-fully by the Royal Air Force for over 30 years.
  
  A tribute to the supermen of the skies
  Two new Pilot’s Watches: TOP GUN Miramar and TOP GUN
  
  Heading up the professional Pilot’s Watches from IWC Schaffhausen is the new 2012 TOP GUN collection. And in the vanguard is the new Miramar line: a tribute to the birthplace of the Top Gun legend in California.
  
  The pilots who pass out from the United States Navy Fighter Weapons School in Fallon, Nevada, are part of the world’s flying elite. Their insignia: Top Gun. Top Gun is also the name of an IWC watch collection offering the very best in mechanical watchmaking today. And in 2012, five new models will be taking off. Three of them feature the classical TOP GUN design,recognizable from the instrument look of the dial and the attractive mix of materials consisting of ceramic for the case, titanium for the push-buttons and crown, as well as the soft strap material. They are joined by two timepieces in the new TOP GUN Miramar line. The design of the case and dial was inspired by old observer’s watches. The most conspicuous visual features are the shimmering metallic grey of the ceramic case and the rugged green textile strap.
  
  The Big Pilot’s Watch TOP GUN (Ref.501901) combines the clear-cut instrument look of the 1940s with ultra-modern watch technology from the 21st century. Fully wound, the IWC-manufactured 51111-calibre movement consisting of 311 components will keep the movement running for 7 days. And if it is not already clear, the Top Gun insignia on the case back says it all: the Big Pilot’s Watch has entered the age of supersonic flight. The Big Pilot’s Watch TOP GUN Miramar (Ref. 501902) incorporates precisely the same technical features but comes in three colours: matte grey, beige and green: in design terms a first for IWC.
  
  The ideal choice for complex airborne manoeuvres is the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph TOP GUN (Ref.388001) with protection against magnetic fields and a glass secured against drops in pressure. And with the IWC-manufactured 89365-calibre movement, it is equally impressive on the inside. With the same specifications, the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph TOP GUN Miramar (Ref.388002) features the new design and is equally “airworthy”.
  
  No less impressive is the Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar TOP GUN (Ref.502902), with a wealth of complex technological features that include a perpetual calendar with four-digit year display, moon phase display and 7-day power reserve. Working away inside the black ceramic case is one of IWC’s largest and most efficient automatic winding systems.
  
  Asking the ultimate of man and machine
  
  The Edition TOP GUN has held a permanent place in IWC’s Pilot’s Watch family since 2007. It takes its name from a special training course offered by the United States Navy Fighter Weapons School, the “Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor”, better known by the legendary accolade “Top Gun”. Pilots who successfully complete this course are part of a tiny elite comprising the best trained, fastest reacting and most courageous of their breed. The technology used is state of the art. Within the space of a A tribute to the supermen of the skies Two new Pilot’s Watches: TOP GUN Miramar and TOP GUN few seconds, the jets reach their take-off speed of just under 300 km/h. During training flights above the endless deserts of Nevada, they hurtle through the air at up to twice the speed of sound.
  
  As exacting as the demands placed on the young pilots, they are no less stringent than those placed on the equipment. The quality standards required of a watch designed for flying are formidable, and IWC Schaffhausen swears by two materials that it was the first to use in watchmaking worldwide: high-tech ceramic for the case and titanium for the crown and controls. The zirconium oxide case is sintered at 2,000 degrees Celsius and machined with diamond tools. It is also nonmagnetic, acid-resistant, light and, like titanium, very skin-friendly. IWC introduced titanium to watch case-making while working with Porsche Design. Both companies were forerunners in the machining of this high-tech material, which is corrosion-resistant and tougher than steel but weighs only about half as much.
  
  During dogfights – air-to-air combat calling for spectacular manoeuvres that any pilot must master – both man and material are subject to enormous g-forces. The cockpit occupant briefly undergoes the equivalent of up to nine times the acceleration of gravity. He is pushed back forcefully into his seat: his body contorts and even his watch presses deeply into his wrist.
  
  During regular centrifuge sessions, the pilots have to tolerate 9 g for 15 seconds, which seems like an eternity, without losing consciousness, as their own weight increases to around 600 kilograms. In a similar test with a centrifugal accelerator, IWC Pilot’s Watches have withstood forces of up to 30 g for minutes at a time. So what possible use could that be' Generally speaking, none at all. But when the ejector seat is used, it generates forces of up to 20 g and the Pilot’s Watch designers in Schaffhausen think like the Top Gun instructors in Fallon:it’s better to be safe than sorry.