IWC Pilot’s Watch Double Chronograph Edition TOP GUN

Ever wanted to join the US Navy? IWC Schaffhausen now lets you fulfill at least a part of your dream. With its IWC Pilot’s Watch Double Chronograph Edition TOP GUN (Ref. IW379901) just about anyone (with a wallet heavy enough to afford buying this kind of watch) can come closer to the exciting world of air to air dog-fight missions.

Just like most military-style watches, the IWC TOP GUN also comes with black case, although this time it’s not a PVD but rather scratch-resistant ceramic combined with the push-pieces and the crown made in lightweight titanium.

On the screw-down titanium caseback we see the United States Navy Fighter Weapons School’s TOP GUN logo.

The same metal is used to make the operating elements of the watch.

The wrist strip is also made of some kind of black canvas, probably nylon, and is secured to the wrist with a tongue-buckle.

Its matte-black is virtually overloaded with information, which is still easy enough to read if you are used to chronographs in generals and rattrapante chronos in particular.

As usual for IWC watches, there are two recessed chronograph sub-dials aligned along the vertical axis of the watch. The totalizer at 12 o’clock counts minutes and the one at 6 o’clock is here to count hours.

The third sub-dial, at 9 o’clock, is for the sub-subsidiary seconds and the pair of centrally located seconds hands perform the split-seconds function.

Since the usual “logo spot” at 3 o’clock is occupied with very cockpit-style “day of week” and date apertures, the logo has been transferred to 9 o’clock.

Together with white colored Arabic numerals and luminous diamonds-shaped hands, the trim provides a higher degree of legibility.

The watch is animated by the Caliber 79230 automatic movement that, being a modified version of the well-known ETA Valjoux 7750 work horse, not only offers a high degree of reliability, but is also easy to service.

As to the accuracy, the normally working movement is known to lose or gain some 30 seconds per week, so using this watch in day-to-day life may also be quite comfortable.

Be warned, though! Measuring impressive 46 millimeters in diameters and almost 18 millimeters in height, the watch will look really huge on just about any hand, especially, if your name is Tom Cruise.

UPDATE: If you are really serious about getting this watch, keep in mind that there are numerous reports from actual owners (even on IWC’s own site) about an extreme fragility of the case. In some, err, cases, the case may crack if the watch slips from your hands and hits a ceramic tile or some other hard surface. Be warned!

Photos: IWC

IWC Pilot’s Watch Double Chronograph Edition TOP GUN (Ref. IW379901) automatic watch specification:

Price range: $5,000 (online) $10,000 (official shops)
Movement: Self-winding, automatic
Case material: Ceramic
Complications: Chronograph, Date, Day, Sub Seconds
Dial color: Black
Strap: Steel Bracelet
Water resistance: 60m
Crystal: Sapphire
Case diameter: 46 mm
Case height: 17.8 mm