International Watch Company (IWC) has announced the release of their limited edition Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Top Gun Edition “SFTI”. Inspired by the Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor model that was produced in 2018 exclusively for graduates of the “TOPGUN” Navy Fighter Weapons School, only 1,500 units of IWC’s new watch will be available for sale.
In order to test the mettle of their Pilot’s Watch, IWC asked 25-year Navy veteran Jim DiMatteo, who has amassed over 5,000 hours in five different fighter aircraft, to take it up for a spin. According to DiMatteo, “It’s pretty violent when you fly around in a fighter jet…the watch gets smacked against the sides of the canopy and the jet, which is all metal. So it needs to be durable and not get scratched and, of course, there are also a lot of little tiny parts, so if it’s not high-quality then the G-forces will impact that. It doesn’t with the IWC at all.”
The IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph boasts an ultra-durable black zirconium oxide ceramic 44mm case. IWC notes that the material is second only to a diamond with regard to hardness. Ticking within is IWC’s 69380 calibre movement in a classic column wheel design that can keep stop watch times up to 12 hours, as well as date and time. The case back and chronograph pushers are crafted from IWC-engineered matte-black Ceratanium, which is as strong as titanium and as scratch-resistant as ceramic. A tactical aesthetic is completed by an all-black dial, luminescent black hands, a unique red second hand shaped like a fighter jet and a green textile strap.