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IWC.

There is hardly anyone reading this text for whom these 3 letters mean nothing. The brand, founded in 1868 by the American engineer and watchmaker Florentine Ariosto Jones in Switzerland with the aim of producing high-quality watches for the American market, was acquired in 1880 by the Rauschenbach family and remained owned and managed by four generations of the family until 1955.

The brand was one of the first to start producing wristwatches as early as the end of the 19th century. An undisputed founder of the so-called “pilot’s watches”, the first to use titanium for the cases of its chronographs, and a manufacturer of unique works of watchmaking art such as the representatives of the Portugieser and Ingenieur series.

We do not know whether it is the same for others, but for us personally the term “pilot’s watch” automatically leads to “IWC”. Perhaps the reason for this lies in the fact that IWC are known mainly for the production of pilot’s watches, or perhaps because the brand developed its production particularly strongly around the period of the Second World War. But most likely the main role in this was played by the fact that IWC watches are well known for their quality, giving the brand several important advantages in the race for the customer – recognisability, image and reputation.

It all began back in 1936 with the launch of IWC’s first specialised pilot’s watch – a model that can boldly be defined as the forefather of the brand’s pilot series, and perhaps of pilot’s watches in general.

The colour of the dial is a deep blue, while the shape of the hands reminds one of aircraft propeller blades. The watch is large enough and has an instrumental design – made for a strong male wrist. The case is made of steel, which gives a sense of stability and comfort, while the legibility of the watch is among the best of all watches we have had the opportunity to present and that have passed through our hands. The colour combination is simple, but the blue, white and steel work perfectly together.

The clean design of the “Day-Date” window is equally impressive. We know that nowadays we are unlikely to rely on a watch to find out the date and day, but the very fact that with one quick glance at the wrist you can get this information personally makes us somehow calmer and more assured. And the fact that the indications are executed with black numerals on a white background makes them even easier to read.

The luminescence is one of the strongest among pilot’s watches in general and glows with a pleasant bluish light. The large Arabic numerals are well rendered and positioned, while the generous coating of the hands, which have a shape reminiscent of an aircraft propeller, completes this truly unique composition.

The original blue calfskin strap ensures comfort when worn, but also matches the design of the watch perfectly.

The case size is 43 mm – unusual for the new pilot models from IWC, and it will not sit well on every wrist, but on a larger wrist it looks masculine and elegant.

At the heart of the watch beats the Calibre 69385 – an automatic chronograph with a column wheel, 33 jewels, operating at 28,800 vibrations per hour and offering a power reserve of 46 hours.