IWC's focus this year is the Spitfire - except it's not really the classic Spitfire of years long gone with their silvery dials but with bronze (and steel) and different colour dials treatments. The other big difference with the normal Pilot range is a full set of in-house movements for all the watches.
And I have to say, I really like them. For starters the 3 hander - the dates are all aligned correctly and it all looks rather good. The chrono as well is nicely balanced and at 41mm looks far better balanced.
I'm excited to see them in the metal actually.
All on the 'dinkee - https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/iw...on-introducing
Looks really good the chrono.. getting a bit fed up of pilot three handers.. much of a muchness to me these days.. too many making them..
Dont get me wrong as I like the simplicity and function.. but theres just so many of them
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Great to see the UTC back, I like them all but not a fan of the red ‘spitfire’ think they would look better without it but I’m sure they will sell well.
I kind of agree - I think the key thing with this 3 hander is that the date is aligned properly due to the in-house movement, not the useless effort we have seen on the latest 'Mark'.Originally Posted by Frantastic
Agree on the chrono. Also I am a fan of the UTC -
Red spitfire doesn’twork for me, as for date window mine is is fine.
Doesnt work for me either red and green shouldn't be seen
The basic ones look a bit dull, the chronograph looks good .I also like the new top gun black ceramic chronograph though it's a big beast .
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I still can't forgive IWC for what they did to the Ingenieur line. But these new Pilots do look good. Hopefully they'll fix the Ingenieur soon.
I'm not convinced. There are a lot of different colours on that dial - green, white, aged lume cream, red. Bit of a muddle, IMO. Again, nice to the UTC, but bronze, with a green dial? The bronze takes the colour count to five (six, if you include the brown of the strap.)
Also, the UTC is a 50% premium over the bronze chronograph? How did they come up with these prices? Is it just a cynical application of what they think the market will support?
No thank you. I prefer to think that IWC produced no new watches past about 2005 or so.
Definitely a fan of the black dial chrono version, looks very vintage.
I think they look great, and may be tempted in the future. But I sort of wish the “spitfire” brand was just placed on the caseback rather than the dial.
Hmmm, not for me.
I will leave aside the obvious silliness of naming a watch collection Spitfire when it is fitted with B-Uhr hands. This would have been a great opportunity to re-introduce proper Mark hands.
But the dial is a very simple printed one without applied indices, and it really looks like there aren't any concentric rings inside the sub-dials. I know this is in keeping with the past, but it really reduces the appearance of value on the watch. The green? Well. it is nice and dark, but a bit meh, as it does very little. And the red spitfire is an odd choice on a range of watches that have traditionally been of only one colour.
The new movements are progress, but that is only a catch-up, IWC have been the largest big brand player left using largely ETA Ebauches for far too long.
D
Love the simple 39mm bronze version!
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These are the ones I'm interested in. Standard black dial, so the red works well, reduced by 1mm and 2mm respectively (hopefully lug length down proportionally also).
That three hander on a NATO is all the watch you'd ever need. Though the faux lume on hands and quadrant is a bug bear, but now that they're in house movements rather than the old Sellita bases, I'm not put off by the value so much any more.
I agree it was a tragedy what they did with the Inge - thankfully I have an older more true version. Maybe in a few years they see the error in their ways.
The UTC is apparently a limited edition, that may explain why.
As for the Spitfire red - I have read somewhere this is only for the prototype and it will be removed on the final watches.
I think the Mark hands will be re-introduced next year or year after - with an updated pilot range with this new movement.
IWC are playing catchup - clearly some management missteps. Maybe this is the beginning of the turn?
As mentioned above, the red Spitfire is likely to be removed for the final watches. Let's see.
Anyway, I kinda like them - the bronze cases especially seem better than most - maybe because they are already darkened a bit(?) But I want to see how they look in the flesh
I think they got it right with mine I wouldn’t swap it.
Which exact watch is this one? And do you have a face-on view.....I know you mentioned that the date alignment seems fine to you, but I do fine the mark xviii date placement a bit jarring and slightly too in on the dial.
Thanks.
Looks like the tribute to Mk11, the one I just posted a WTB for!
The watches are on the IWC store at IWC.com with the red text, and all PDF versions of 2019 catalogues have been released with red text on dials. I think it's final. On the black I love it, on the green less so, but I don't think it ruins it.
Ah I've figured it out - ignore my post above. The red text is final on all watches EXCEPT the chronograph. If you look at the catalogues, that has been removed. But the UTC in green still has it.
Oh thanks for that - strange choice. Probably ran out of space with the chronograph!
You never know if there is enough feedback they may change it!
Jup it's the Tribute to Mark xi - I have a had a look closer at the date placement and it is ever so subtly different (for the better) compared to the Mark xviii. I'd prefer if it was 38-39mm instead of 40mm, but do agree this version is most excellent (and I haven't noticed it before).
Last edited by crazyp; 14th January 2019 at 21:52. Reason: Correcting the model name
I see what they've done there. It's a 'clipped wing' Spitfire, based on the wing modification to some Spits to make them roll quicker than a Fw-190.I think they got it right with mine I wouldn’t swap it.
Well it looks to me that IWC have got their act together and maybe back on track giving people what they want not what they think they want, love the three hander!
It’s the very watch,sorry but I am not looking to sell.
upload picture
IWC actually realising they've overshot on the sizes and knocking off a mm? I'm pinching myself to check I'm not dreaming.
I agree with all of the above.
F.T.F.A.
WTF is going on with the minute hand, the lume in particular? Is there a hole in it?
I kinda like this one
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Certainly have with this one, I reckon...
Looks "different" in bronze, but I quite like it!
Tribute to Mark xi, not the actual Mark xi
Yes - a mistake in my text, I did mean the tribute.
As much as I like IWC, the main issue I have are the hands, they just don't look right and I would prefer the previous style re-introduced again.
I think IWC is getting back on track since George Kern’s departure……He’s now destroying Breitling…..
Watched the video on Hodinkee and tbh the quality of the dials and especially the printing and alignment looks pretty off to me.
I hope these are all pre-production prototypes or ill be staying away from IWC longer than I already have...
This one is certainly different
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Very good point actually. Lets hope so.
Incidentally Revolution magazine have released an edition in 36mm bronze with proper hands. Why this isn't part of the regular line up I have no idea.
In several of the videos I've watched Chris Grainger-Herr is at pains to state that most of them are prototypes so I've let most of the obvious quality issues slide. I do find it frustrating though because you don't really know what is going to end up being sold. The "mojave" ceramic chrono for example, i've seen a version with black hands, one with sand hands, then the other chrono has been seen with and without spitfire text, some of the straps have been said to be work in progress.
I know the show is for the trade and so it's to be expected, but when you're plugging everything directly to the public as well, and then putting the images on your web store it's bloody annoying. Don't distribute it if it's not ready.
Very good point actually. Lets hope so.
Incidentally Revolution magazine have released an edition in 36mm bronze with proper hands. Why this isn't part of the regular line up I have no idea.
That watch is shown in this video. Bronze not for me, and a lot of guff about old leather, but the hands are nice. My main take away from it is that Wei Koh is utterly insufferable and Grainger-Herr has the patience of a saint.
Which is why I bought mine above.
I think your tribute is a good compromise and agree on all the marketing huff from them. Conclusion really is to get one of Eddie's Speedbirds...
Looks good and to my eye if the new models had the same hands they would look a lot better and in keeping with the IWC style that I enjoy.
Really not a fan of that green at all and would be good to have bracelet options. Not for me.
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