IWC Reimagines Aviation Excellence

Pilots’ watches were born out of necessity, as aviators needed reliable instruments to navigate, measure distances, and track time accurately during challenging flights. Features like oversized dials, luminous markers, chronograph functions, and multi-timezone tracking serve both professional pilots and enthusiasts who appreciate purposeful design.

Since debuting the groundbreaking Special Pilot’s Watch (Ref. IW436) in 1936, which met the needs of pilots requiring highly reliable cockpit instruments, IWC has continually set the standard. During World War II, IWC crafted the iconic Big Pilot’s Watch for the German Luftwaffe, featuring a robust 55mm case, an oversized crown designed for operation while wearing gloves, and exceptional dial legibility — traits still present in all IWC pilot watches today.

Throughout and after the war, IWC continued producing military timepieces, including the “Dirty Dozen” watches for British forces and the legendary Mark 11, which set new standards with its protective antimagnetic cage and durable movement.

Today, IWC maintains the core DNA of these historic models in its Big Pilot and Mark series, which continue to embody clarity, dependability, and aviation-inspired design. For nearly nine decades, IWC’s pilot watches have symbolised precise engineering trusted by military and civilian pilots worldwide.

This year, IWC Schaffhausen’s engineering division, XPL, achieved a major milestone with the launch of the Big Pilot’s Watch Shock Absorber Tourbillon Skeleton (Ref. IW357701). It marks the first successful integration of IWC’s patented SPRIN-g PROTECT® shock absorption system with a tourbillon complication.

Specialising in enhancing mechanical watch durability in extreme environments, IWC’s XPL division conducted extensive testing demonstrating impacts can generate acceleration forces between 300 and 1000g, with internal movement forces reaching 1000g.

The SPRIN-g PROTECT® system employs a cantilever spring that suspends the movement within the case, compressing during impacts to significantly reduce transmitted forces. A dedicated crown coupling allows the movement to float freely when disengaged, maximising shock absorption.

Adapting this system to the Calibre 82915 meant a complete overhaul. The eight spring arms were recalculated using advanced simulation tools to accommodate the tourbillon’s unique size and weight. Rigorous testing confirmed the system’s effectiveness, with protected tourbillon movements surviving shocks exceeding 10,000g — setting a new standard in shock resistance.

To optimise performance, the 82915 calibre features extensively skeletonized plates, bridges, and rotor, reducing mass and enhancing shock absorption. The dial is a minimalist black ring with the signature triangle at 12 o’clock and a simple minute scale. Even the luminous triangular hands are skeletonized. The flying minute tourbillon, weighing just 0.663 grams and made of 56 precisely engineered parts, is prominently displayed at 6 o’clock.

The movement incorporates a ceramic-reinforced Pellaton winding system, developed by IWC, which converts rotor movement into energy to wind the mainspring, ensuring an impressive 80-hour power reserve.

The case and crown are crafted from Ceratanium®, IWC’s innovative titanium alloy introduced in 2017. Precision-machined from bars and finished with kiln firing, these components acquire ceramic-like properties and a distinctive dark metallic finish.

Combining titanium’s lightweight durability with ceramic’s hardness and scratch resistance, Ceratanium® delivers exceptional performance. The case is further protected by rubber bumpers on both sides for added impact resistance and is completed with a high-tech black rubber strap and a Ceratanium® pin buckle.

This story was first seen in WOW #78 Vision 2025 Issue

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