BY JOVAN KRSTEVSKI
Given their history with the military, it’s not surprising that IWC Schaffhausen has a sub-collection dedicated to the legendary Spitfire warplane. Last year in April, IWC released a 43mm edition of their Big Pilot’s watch and its reception was more of a polarizing affair for the watch enthusiasts due to its reduced size. Now IWC presents us with two new models in the Spitfire collection; the IWC Big Pilot’s Watch 43 Spitfire Ref. IW329701 and Ref. IW329702.
The first model Ref. IW329701 features a case, case back and crown made from lightweight and robust Grade 5 titanium. It’s a matte grey titanium case with a black dial. The dark grey matte color is a result of a manufacturing process that involves components to be initially polished and then also undergo sandblasting. Inspired by the observation watches of the past, the dial layout is designed to enhance readability. It is achieved by printing the minute and second hands in white, extending to the outer ring, while the smaller hour hand is printed in grey.
The second model Ref. IW329702 is more in line with the retro-military aesthetic and vibe that IWC were going for. Featuring a case made with bronze rather than titanium as in the first model, the bronze case along with the classic military green dial serves to capture that retro-military vibe perfectly. The bronze used in the case is made from an alloy that’s 50% harder than the standard bronze and looking at this model, one can easily mistake it for a pure field watch.
Both the models come in a 43mm x 14.4mm titanium caseback, with a beautiful engraving of the Spitfire in the center. With a large conical crown, these two models are made in such a way that the movement is protected against strong magnetism. Powering the watches is the IWC-manufactured 82100 calibre, which is a self-winding movement, operating at 28,800 vibrations per hour and with a power reserve of 60 hours. The titanium model has a brown calfskin leather strap with contrast stitching while the bronze one has a green buffalo leather strap.
IWC Big Pilot’s Watch 43 Spitfire Ref. IW329701 is available for CHF 9,500 and Ref. IW329702 retails for CHF 9,900.
Visit IWC here.
