Introducing IWC Spitfire watches
Thursday - 20 August 2020
IWC Schaffhausen is a premium Swiss watchmaker that has always been selective in its releases. Each innovation is a meticulous and carefully thought-out process from its initial pencil sketches through to its final finishing touches. The manufacturer’s superior collection of pilot watches is certainly no exception to the rule. The painstaking process of luxury watchmaking is an art form that the Maison has mastered with ease since its birth back in 1868. Some instruments from the manufacturer’s Pilot’s Watch collection pay homage to predecessors that have played an integral role within the aviation industry. Each timepiece is a result of time-honoured manufacturing techniques fused with state-of-the-art Haute Horology.
The IWC Pilot’s Watch collection is renowned for its powerful range of in-house made calibres, its broad variety of luminous dials (for promising optimal readability), and several coveted special editions. There’s also a varied choice in dial colours and supreme, robust materials to choose from. No timepiece from the collection, however, is more elegant than the esteemed Spitfire.
IWC Spitfire watches tip their hat to a British fighter plane made by Supermarine. They boast specially engraved casebacks depicting the legendary aircraft’s silhouette and borrow from a sophisticated selection of materials that include stainless steel, gold and bronze. Sunburst dials come in a choice of deep olive green, rich midnight blue and shimmering metallic grey. The Maison has been developing timepieces in honour of this fighter plane since 2003 and shows no signs of stopping yet. These designs are reminiscent of the original Mark 11 navigation watch – an iconic wristwatch developed in the year 1948 for the British Royal Air Force. Further enhanced by the engineering excellence of some of the most highly skilled craftsmen in Switzerland, IWC Spitfire watches continue to grace the wrists of professional pilots and lovers of classic pilot watches alike.
Some of the most popular IWC Spitfire watches are those with minimal, reduced dial designs. That’s not to say that the watchmaker’s complications are not as widely loved. The Maison’s technical approach to creating pilot watches that can easily double up as a companion for elegant evening attire is yet another key feature worthy of consideration when shopping for the best pilot’s watches on the market today. IWC also manufactures movements at a very attractive entry-level price and equips them with innovative anti-magnetic housing for ultimate endurance.
Pilot watches from this elite collection undeniably revive the manufacturer’s military background with their colour coding and authentic leather straps. These navigation watches are distinguishable for the familiar two dots and a triangle index at 12 o’clock – an adopted characteristic of the original watches from the 1940s. Other key features of the Spitfire watch include a sapphire glass lens which not only serves to protect the surface of the dial but also works to prevent the display from misting up in pressure caused by high altitude.
Traditionally, the Spitfire models were made with silver dials, but the collection we now feature at Jura Watches goes some way to demonstrating IWC’s desire to become a little more playful when it comes to the display of this navigational tool. And the movements equipped to the heart of a Spitfire watch are only half the story. Its dressier look is, in many ways, as important as the engine responsible for keeping accurate time. These models perfectly balance form and function. Let’s take a look at three models from the range in a little more depth…
Pilot’s Watch Automatic Spitfire IW326801
This black dial configuration on green textile strap beats to the rhythm of the calibre 32110 – one of the youngest entry-level movements made in-house. It’s an economical movement that carries out its job seamlessly inside a 60-meter water-resistant stainless steel case (39mm), providing an impressive 72-hour power reserve. The wristband of this functional instrument is inspired by the colours of the Spitfire’s cockpit and the dial promotes an easy-to-read layout with Arabic numerals placed in equal distance to one another around the hour track. The large easy-grip crown rounds up the svelte shape of the watch’s case, complete with integrated lugs designed to mould to the natural curve of the wearer’s wrist.
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Pilot’s Watch Automatic Spitfire IW326803
This Spitfire watch with black dial and brown leather strap communicates that all-important 1940s-inspired aesthetic. The movement is enveloped in a shield made from a soft-iron inner case to enable the engine to perform without the undesirable effects of magnetic damage. Again, this calibre from the 32000 series comes with that bidirectional pawl-winding system responsible for an impressive power reserve and sits inside the same-sized case, this time executed on a traditional brown calfskin strap. The display illuminates in dark conditions, thank to the watch’s beige treated central hands and quarterly markers around the periphery of the hour track.
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Pilot’s Watch Automatic Spitfire IW326802
The bronze bodywork seen in this Spitfire model adds character to the watch, creating an aged look as it develops a unique patina over time. It’s a little darker in shade than other bronze models on the market, yet this characteristic only adds to its appeal. Olive green tones from the display make the white markers and beige-coloured lume-coated hands on the dial ‘pop’. With a design that piggy-backs on the iconic look of that original navigational Mark 11 watch, pilot watch aficionados are still lining up to add this vintage-esque companion to their collection.
Whether it’s the old-school military-inspired look of these pilot watches from IWC Schaffhausen that enchants you or the manufacturer’s storied past within the aviation industry, Spitfire watches have never deserved a place in an enthusiast’s watch collection more than now. You can check out our range of IWC Spitfire watches here, or call us to discuss a particular model with a member of our knowledgeable team today.
