By Jovan Krstevski
IWC has just released the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Online Boutique Edition in a very surprising move. If I remember correctly, the brand has been selling watches directly on their online store since 2017 and no doubt, this move is an attempt to draw more interest to their online store. The watch itself is based on IWC’s classic and superb aviation watches. If you have seen one, you probably know what I am talking about.
The steel case of the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph has a diameter of 43mm and a height of 15.3mm, standard across most pilot chronographs. Inside it is the IWC Caliber 79230, an automatic chronograph movement based off the ETA 7750. It has 25 jewels and beats at 28,800 bph. The movement cranks 44 hours of power reserve which is definitely impressive for this caliber. On the watch face are 3 sub-dials showing the running seconds, elapsed minutes tracked by the chronograph, and elapsed hours tracked by the chronograph.
Additionally, the movement also provides day and date reading. Now some of you might not like this function in a rather well designed high-end chronograph but I like it here. Functionality aside, the day date window completes the sub-registers’ cool design.
At this price point, we also get a sapphire crystal and since the watch is built in the classic fashion of the IWC pilot watch, the movement is encased in an iron cage to protect the movement from magnetization so we get a solid caseback. Thanks to this though, water resistance is good up to 60 meters.
I like the dial of the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph because of its clean design which is the real character of a pure tool watch. Superior legibility is attained by using white markers against a black dial and lumed hands with beige faux-patina style. No doubt, this is a great tool watch.
The watch comes with a nice green textile/NATO strap but I do wish there was a leather strap. Nevertheless, looking for an excellent leather strap that matches this specific watch is not that difficult. It is just that at this price point, I should not need to resort to the strap department.
The Pilot’s Watch Chronograph will exclusively remain in the IWC online store but only up to October of 2018. I do not know about this marketing gimmick but pressuring potential buyers, well I hope it works for them. Anyways looking at it strategically, it is still a clever way to increase IWC’s online presence particularly when the watch in question is not just a simple limited edition watch.
Honestly, I like IWC’s pilot watches. They are great tool watches with clean aesthetics and vintage persona. I’m not very sure that IWC will attract a larger audience with this new marketing gimmick but certainly, the watch will eventually hit the brand’s physical shops. Finally, the IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph retails for $4,950 exclusively at IWC’s online store. For more info, visit IWC online.
