Home » The Salon International De La Haute Horlogerie » IWC Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar TOP GUN
In 2012, the year of the Pilot’s Watches, IWC will enrich this collection with five cockpit-styled timepieces. Among these novelties that are unveiled this week at SIHH, there is one of the most complex pilot’s watches ever built – Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar TOP GUN. This newcomer boasts the complex of technological features that include a perpetual calendar with four-digit year display, as well as a moon phase indicator and a power reserve display.
The Efficient Movement Drives Multiple Watchmaking Complications
The new timepiece with the referent number IW502902 is powered by the in-house manufactured caliber 51614 mechanical movement with a high-performance Pellaton winding system. It is IWC’s largest and most efficient automatic winding system that builds up amazing 168 hours of power reserve.
The 62 jewels movement that oscillates at the frequency of 21,600 beats per hour drives a whole range of watchmaking complications. It has a perpetual calendar with four-digit year display that takes into account all the leap years in the Gregorian calendar until the year 2100. It also has displays for the date, day and month and they all can be easily set via the crown made of titanium.
The timekeeper inspired by U.S. Navy is housed in a round, enormous case crafted from polished high-tech ceramic (zirconium oxide). Its black masculine case measures 48 mm in diameter and 16 mm in thickness and fits perfectly for those with larger wrists. This material is nonmagnetic, acid-resistant and like titanium, extremely pleasant to wear and skin-friendly. The case back of the watch is decorated with the United States Navy Fighter Weapons School’s TOP GUN logo. The case is secured to the wearer’s wrist with a soft strap, terminating in a folding clasp in stainless steel. The black strap is as rugged as it is comfortable to wear.
The case of Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar TOP GUN is shielded on both sides by convex sapphire crystals with antireflective coatings. Additionally, the glass is especially secured against the eventual air pressure drops that can occur during a flight. The case is constructed to resist water pressure up to 60 meters (200 feet) below water surface.
Perfect Combination of the Classic Instrument Look and Sporty Style of the TOP GUN Line
A matte-black dial with contrasting white details, such as indexes, Arabic numerals and a luminescent arrowhead index situated at the 12 o’clock position comprises four sub-dials. Even two of them preserve double functionality. The first counter, located at the 12 o’clock position, is a moon phase display which represents the position of the moon in the northern and southern hemispheres. On its both sides there are the silhouettes of two little airplanes. A 7-day power reserve display and a date indicator share the same totalizer which is located at the 3 o’clock position. The counter situated at the 6 o’clock position displays a month, while the right day of the week and small hacking seconds share the same counter at the 9 o’clock position. The year in four digits is available in a small aperture located between 7 and 8 o’clock positions.
For the best legibility under all kinds of lighting conditions, the leaf-styled hour and minute hands are filled with luminous materials.
The TOP GUN line has held a permanent place in IWC’s Pilot’s Watch family since 2007 and with this new exciting model which boasts some of the most complex watchmaking features imaginable, this line has become one of the most respectable.
For me, a perpetual calendar is the most beautiful and useful addition to any watch. It`s very nice when you can always see what day, month or date it is. Despite that, there is a low number of people who share my opinion. If we talk about this watch for example, any man or woman will first notice the name of the watch, Top Gun, not that the watch has a perpetual calendar.
You have the point, Larry. I must admit that I first saw the name of the watch like many others. Perpetual calendar is really a nice addition. Although I like chronograph and Moon phase indicator, I would like to see this watch with perpetual calendar on my wrist. But the price of this model is too high for my budget. Still, it is the privilege just to see it. Wearing this watch would be a true honor.
I like absolutely everything on this watch except one thing – the strap. It would be much better if the strap was from some other material, for example leather, rubber or polyurethane, but still, it is one of the best IWC watches I have ever seen. It has remarcable functions, very quality mechanism and fine design, and that is everyhing what you need from a watch.