IWC Debuts Special 75th Anniversary Editions Of Pilot’s Watch Mark XX
A stylish update of a British Royal Air Force-approved timepiece.
Some things are worth a look into the rearview mirror, or turning back the clock, like a legendary watch that changed timekeeping for pilots.
The watch in question is the British Royal Air Force-approved IWC Mark 11, which proved the ideal source of inspiration for two new editions of the Pilot’s Watch Mark XX.
IWC pilot’s watches are plenty impressive in their own right, with designs that broke new ground and set technical benchmarks — the duo celebrates 75 years of innovation in fitting fashion.
The Pilot’s Watch Mark XX debuted last year in colors like a bold blue, but it already boasts the sort of design pedigree that perfectly plays off IWC’s high-flying heritage (the Mark 11 was a groundbreaking innovation in the world of modern pilot’s watches, after all).
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The Mark 11 broke new ground thanks to both its legibility via a luminescent, high-contrast dial, not to mention the 89 calibre movement designed to withstand magnetic fields (typically found through interaction with radar screens.
The lineup’s two newest models (one with a five-link stainless steel bracelet, the other featuring a black calfskin leather strap) each boast a silver-plated dial and a nicely sized 40mm stainless steel case.
The automatic IWC-manufactured 32111 calibre movement housed within features a five-day power reserve.
More impressive still is the fact that the front glass on the IWC Pilot’s Watch Mark XX is designed to withstand extreme drops in cockpit pressure (IWC’s Top Gun watches also come to mind in that regard).
The Pilot’s Watch Mark XX is billed as a “quintessential sports watch,” complete with 330 feet of water resistance.
The caseback of each watch is adorned with an old-school RAF engraving, plus its reference number and “Pilot’s Watch” notation.
As if those bells and whistles weren’t enough, there are plentiful opportunities to amp up the Pilot’s Watch Mark XX with an added dash of style, courtesy of its integrated, no-tools-needed EasX-CHANGE strap system (compatible with numerous colorful IWC options, of course).
Either IWC Pilot’s Watch Mark XX can be yours for $6,150 via IWC, but the utility and multitude of strap options surely deliver a watch that flies high in any collection.