![]() Another first for this watch family is the rotor in the shape of an elegant Spitfire silhouette, which can be observed through the sapphire-glass back. One of IWC’s most outstanding innovations regarding the timepiece is undoubtedly the analogue display of stopped times between 1 minute and 12 hours: they are shown together on a single subdial, where they can be read off just like the normal time of day. It is neater, easier to read and, in the Spitfire Perpetual Calendar Digital Date-Month, also has a certain understatement: who would imagine that a mechanical perpetual calendar lies concealed behind the extra-large numerals on the dial? But numerals have established themselves as the standard solution for the date. In the aftermath of the quartz age, many people today prefer an analogue time display. Back in 1885, the Schaffhausen-based manufacturer was integrating the Pallweber system into the first watches with digital hour and minute displays. Among others, these include the Pallweber system, magnetic field protection, Pellaton winding, the 7-day power reserve or the use of titanium and ceramic in watchmaking. The perpetual calendar with its large digital date and month display takes its rightful place among IWC Schaffhausen’s great technological inventions. If the watch is tilted, changing the angle at which incident light strikes it, the light rays reflected by the polished surface move in a circular direction. The slate-coloured dial with its sun-pattern finish helps to give the watch its dynamic face. The result is a vibrant interplay of shiny, silky matte and structured surfaces reminiscent of the metallic sheen of the legendary aircraft. The cases are satin-finished, sandblasted and polished by hand. The materials chosen for the two new models – stainless steel and 18-carat red gold – lend support to this assertion. The Spitfire Pilot’s Watches have always been extremely stylish. And the result is impressive: with its modernized design, new features and IWC-manufactured movements, these timepieces are preparing for a vertical take-off. Now, the designers and technicians have subjected the Spitfire watches to a thorough overhaul. In 2003, IWC Schaffhausen launched a Pilot’s Watch line that took not only its name from the Spitfire but also reflected the same elegant lines and outstanding technology of the legendary single-propeller aircraft. ![]() The black dial, with its high-contrast, luminescent displays, has left a lasting impression on the cockpit-style design, still popular today for classical pilot’s watches. The movement was adjusted for temperature extremes and, in view of the strong magnetic fields in the cockpit, the escapement was nonmagnetic. With its first Pilot’s Watch in the mid-1930s, IWC Schaffhausen was reacting to the demands placed on timekeeping in the air. Over 20,000 units and 24 different versions of the Spitfire were produced in its illustrious career – a figure that has remained un-equalled in Great Britain to this day. The Spitfire, a technological and aerodynamic masterpiece, was to become a true legend. The aircraft and timepiece not only have their years of creation in common but the two original models also brought revolutionary new mechanics and functional design to their respective fields. That same year, the first IWC Pilot’s Watch was unveiled to the public. At the same time, about 800 kilometres away as the crow flies, in the Swiss town of Schaffhausen, a group of designers and watchmakers were finishing a completely different type of prototype: the IWC Special Pilot’s Watch. The Air Ministry was in raptures: the new plane was “a true aeronautical thoroughbred”. The first Spitfire prototype took off on its maiden flight on 5 th March 1936. The diameter of the chronograph cases (water-resistant to 6 bar) has in-creased by a modest 1 millimetre to 43, which has further improved legibility. The dark colour of the dial and the date display in the form of an altimeter give the Spitfire an appearance closer to the classical Pilot’s Watch instrument look. The intricate engraving on the back depicts a Spitfire and derives some of its appeal from the interplay of the differently machined surfaces. Thanks to the sunpattern finish, the way in which light is reflected from the slate-coloured dial is especially vibrant. The surfaces of the case are hand-polished until they gleam with a high-gloss or silky matte sheen, which gives them a particularly valuable-looking finish. References 387804 are available in stainless steel. For the first time ever, IWC is releasing a regular Spitfire Chronograph in an 18-carat red gold case. Classical elegance and technological development are also the hallmarks of the new Spitfire Chronograph Pilot’s Watch models.
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