{"lien_WSTV":"","tax_name":"deprecated","tax_rate":20,"id_manufacturer":"0","id_supplier":"0","id_category_default":"497","id_shop_default":"1","manufacturer_name":false,"supplier_name":false,"name":"Grande Montre d'Aviateur","description":"<div>\n<div><strong>2012: the year of the high-flyers\u00a0<\/strong><br \/><br \/><strong>The new Pilot\u2019s Watches from IWC Schaffhausen<\/strong><br \/><br \/>IWC Schaffhausen gets off to a powerful start in 2012: the year of the Pilot\u2019s Watch. With five new models, the TOP GUN collection establishes itself as an independent formation within the IWC Pilot\u2019s Watch family. The year\u2019s high-flyer is the TOP GUN Miramar: a tribute to the place in California where the myth of the elite pilots was born. And two Pilot\u2019s Watches featuring many of fine watchmaking\u2019s greatest achievements prepare for take off: the Big Pilot\u2019s Watch Perpetual Calendar TOP GUN and the Spitfire Perpetual Calendar Digital Date-Month.\u00a0<br \/><br \/>\u201cFor the new TOP GUN Pilot\u2019s Watches we drew on our long tradition of manufacturing unusual deck watches. In the1940s, Pilot\u2019s Watches made in Schaffhausen were widely used as so-called B watches for flight navigation,\u201d explains Georges Kern, CEO of IWC Schaffhausen. \u201cBack then, only wristwatches with the highest possible precision were good enough for navigators: the pilot and his crew would synchronize their watches to the navigator\u2019s.\u201d Since the main priority for navigation is optimum legibility of the seconds and minutes, these two were often the only indicators shown on the outer ring; the hours would be relatively small and appeared on a central ring. This particular detail inspired IWC\u2019s designers to display the hour circle and the chapter ring separately on the dials of the Big Pilot\u2019s Watch TOP GUN Miramar and the Pilot\u2019s Watch Chronograph TOP GUN Miramar.\u201cThe process of retracing the historic roots of our Pilot\u2019s Watches gave us the idea of using the Miramar tocreateour first linewith a military-style design,\u201d adds Christian Knoop, Creative Director at IWC. \u201cThis allows us to combine various styles in an imaginative way \u2013 even with luxury elements, if we wish. That\u2019s one of the reasons the new Miramar line is such a perfect fit for IWC: premium-class watches with out- standing mechanics and a rugged, almost hardedged feel.\u201d The dark, metallic sheen of the grey ceramic case and the matte anthracite of the dial all waken associations with precision instruments used in aviation. The use of specific camouflage colours such as beige for the hands and chapter ring, together with green for the strap, underscore the desired look. The textile strap leans visibly on the tough webbing belts. It is complemented by two high-tech materials, typical for TOP GUN, that were introduced to watchmaking by IWC as early as the 1980s: zirconium oxide for the case, along with titanium for the controls and the watch back. Both the Miramar models \u2013 like the entire TOP GUN collection, incidentally \u2013 are equipped with IWC-manufactured calibres. Like the other Big Pilot\u2019s Watch,theBig Pilot\u2019s Watch TOP GUN Miramar is equipped with the largest automatic movement made by IWC, with a power reserve of 168 hours. This also explains the 48-millimetre case diameter. The calibre 89365 found in the Pilot\u2019s Watch Chronograph TOP GUN Miramaris one of the most advanced and robust chronograph movements ever produced. It has a flyback function as well as an analogue display for stopped minutes and seconds. Commenting on the family\u2019s positioning in the international watch market, Karoline Huber, Director Marketing &amp; Communications at IWC, explains: \u201cFlying enthusiasts all over the world think of Miramar in California as the birth place of the Top Gun legend. With our new TOP GUN Miramar design line, we are addressing watch lovers who consciously embrace IWC\u2019s long-standing tradition of manufacturing Pilot\u2019s Watches but who also wish to benefit from the technological advances of the 21st century and the inimitable quality typical of IWC.\u201d\u00a0<br \/><br \/><strong>Classic TOP GUN collection: black and white with red highlights\u00a0<\/strong><br \/><br \/>The TOP GUN edition has held a permanent place in IWC Pilot\u2019s Watches collection since 2007. The elaborately equipped Big Pilot\u2019s Watch Perpetual Calendar TOP GUNcomes with a host of advanced features, including a perpetual calendar with its four-digit year display, moon phase display and seven-day power reserve. The Big Pilot\u2019s Watch TOP GUNunites the clear-cut instrument look of the 1940s with ultra-modern watch technology. The tiny aircraft silhouette on the seconds hand creates an eye-catching signal-red highlight on the black-and-white dial. The Pilot\u2019s Watch Chronograph TOP GUN, which comes with a flyback function and protection against magnetic fields, is also equipped with an IWC-manufactured movement.\u00a0<br \/><br \/><strong>Rising fast: the Spitfire combines fabulous contours with first-class mechanics\u00a0<\/strong><br \/><br \/>In 2003, IWC Schaffhausen launched a Pilot\u2019s Watch line that took not only its name from the Spitfire but also reflected the elegance and out- standing technology of the legendary single-propeller aircraft. Now, the designers and technicians have subjected the Spitfire watches to a thorough general overhaul. With a streamlined design and new features, they remain firmly on course for success. All the latest models are fitted with IWC-manufactured calibres. The gold and stainless-steel cases are meticulously machined by hand; the result is a vibrant interplay of shiny, silky matte and structured surfaces. The sun-pattern finish gives the slate-coloured dial a metallic sheen that optically references its namesake. The Spitfire Perpetual Calendar Digital Date-Month in its red gold case combines tasteful design with the art of watchmaking at its finest. It is the first IWC Pilot\u2019s Watch to show the date and month digitally in the form of four large numerals; in visual terms, it goes perfectly with the instrument appearance and revives the tradition of the Pallweber system, now dating back well over 100 years. The Spitfire Chronographwith its IWC-manufactured 89365 calibre is available in red gold and stainless steel. With its vertically arranged numerals, the date window is an unmistakable sign that the engineers had the shape of an altimeter in mind when they designed it.The metal bracelet supplied with Reference 387804, is fitted with a newly developed fine-adjustment mechanism. Simply pressing the IWC button in the folding clasp lengthens the bracelet; to shorten it, the bracelet is pushed together until it is the correct length. Both the pin buckle and folding clasp are slightly bolder, in order to match the larger case diameter.<br \/><br \/><strong>2012: the year of the high-flyers\u00a0<\/strong><br \/><br \/><strong>The new Pilot\u2019s Watches from IWC Schaffhausen<\/strong><br \/><br \/>IWC Schaffhausen gets off to a powerful start in 2012: the year of the Pilot\u2019s Watch. With five new models, the TOP GUN collection establishes itself as an independent formation within the IWC Pilot\u2019s Watch family. The year\u2019s high-flyer is the TOP GUN Miramar: a tribute to the place in California where the myth of the elite pilots was born. And two Pilot\u2019s Watches featuring many of fine watchmaking\u2019s greatest achievements prepare for take off: the Big Pilot\u2019s Watch Perpetual Calendar TOP GUN and the Spitfire Perpetual Calendar Digital Date-Month.\u00a0<br \/><br \/>\u201cFor the new TOP GUN Pilot\u2019s Watches we drew on our long tradition of manufacturing unusual deck watches. In the1940s, Pilot\u2019s Watches made in Schaffhausen were widely used as so-called B watches for flight navigation,\u201d explains Georges Kern, CEO of IWC Schaffhausen. \u201cBack then, only wristwatches with the highest possible precision were good enough for navigators: the pilot and his crew would synchronize their watches to the navigator\u2019s.\u201d Since the main priority for navigation is optimum legibility of the seconds and minutes, these two were often the only indicators shown on the outer ring; the hours would be relatively small and appeared on a central ring. This particular detail inspired IWC\u2019s designers to display the hour circle and the chapter ring separately on the dials of the Big Pilot\u2019s Watch TOP GUN Miramar and the Pilot\u2019s Watch Chronograph TOP GUN Miramar.\u201cThe process of retracing the historic roots of our Pilot\u2019s Watches gave us the idea of using the Miramar tocreateour first linewith a military-style design,\u201d adds Christian Knoop, Creative Director at IWC. \u201cThis allows us to combine various styles in an imaginative way \u2013 even with luxury elements, if we wish. That\u2019s one of the reasons the new Miramar line is such a perfect fit for IWC: premium-class watches with out- standing mechanics and a rugged, almost hardedged feel.\u201d The dark, metallic sheen of the grey ceramic case and the matte anthracite of the dial all waken associations with precision instruments used in aviation. The use of specific camouflage colours such as beige for the hands and chapter ring, together with green for the strap, underscore the desired look. The textile strap leans visibly on the tough webbing belts. It is complemented by two high-tech materials, typical for TOP GUN, that were introduced to watchmaking by IWC as early as the 1980s: zirconium oxide for the case, along with titanium for the controls and the watch back. Both the Miramar models \u2013 like the entire TOP GUN collection, incidentally \u2013 are equipped with IWC-manufactured calibres. Like the other Big Pilot\u2019s Watch,theBig Pilot\u2019s Watch TOP GUN Miramar is equipped with the largest automatic movement made by IWC, with a power reserve of 168 hours. This also explains the 48-millimetre case diameter. The calibre 89365 found in the Pilot\u2019s Watch Chronograph TOP GUN Miramaris one of the most advanced and robust chronograph movements ever produced. It has a flyback function as well as an analogue display for stopped minutes and seconds. Commenting on the family\u2019s positioning in the international watch market, Karoline Huber, Director Marketing &amp; Communications at IWC, explains: \u201cFlying enthusiasts all over the world think of Miramar in California as the birth place of the Top Gun legend. With our new TOP GUN Miramar design line, we are addressing watch lovers who consciously embrace IWC\u2019s long-standing tradition of manufacturing Pilot\u2019s Watches but who also wish to benefit from the technological advances of the 21st century and the inimitable quality typical of IWC.\u201d\u00a0<br \/><br \/><strong>Classic TOP GUN collection: black and white with red highlights\u00a0<\/strong><br \/><br \/>The TOP GUN edition has held a permanent place in IWC Pilot\u2019s Watches collection since 2007. The elaborately equipped Big Pilot\u2019s Watch Perpetual Calendar TOP GUNcomes with a host of advanced features, including a perpetual calendar with its four-digit year display, moon phase display and seven-day power reserve. The Big Pilot\u2019s Watch TOP GUNunites the clear-cut instrument look of the 1940s with ultra-modern watch technology. The tiny aircraft silhouette on the seconds hand creates an eye-catching signal-red highlight on the black-and-white dial. The Pilot\u2019s Watch Chronograph TOP GUN, which comes with a flyback function and protection against magnetic fields, is also equipped with an IWC-manufactured movement.\u00a0<br \/><br \/><strong>Rising fast: the Spitfire combines fabulous contours with first-class mechanics\u00a0<\/strong><br \/><br \/>In 2003, IWC Schaffhausen launched a Pilot\u2019s Watch line that took not only its name from the Spitfire but also reflected the elegance and out- standing technology of the legendary single-propeller aircraft. Now, the designers and technicians have subjected the Spitfire watches to a thorough general overhaul. With a streamlined design and new features, they remain firmly on course for success. All the latest models are fitted with IWC-manufactured calibres. The gold and stainless-steel cases are meticulously machined by hand; the result is a vibrant interplay of shiny, silky matte and structured surfaces. The sun-pattern finish gives the slate-coloured dial a metallic sheen that optically references its namesake. The Spitfire Perpetual Calendar Digital Date-Month in its red gold case combines tasteful design with the art of watchmaking at its finest. It is the first IWC Pilot\u2019s Watch to show the date and month digitally in the form of four large numerals; in visual terms, it goes perfectly with the instrument appearance and revives the tradition of the Pallweber system, now dating back well over 100 years. The Spitfire Chronographwith its IWC-manufactured 89365 calibre is available in red gold and stainless steel. With its vertically arranged numerals, the date window is an unmistakable sign that the engineers had the shape of an altimeter in mind when they designed it.The metal bracelet supplied with Reference 387804, is fitted with a newly developed fine-adjustment mechanism. Simply pressing the IWC button in the folding clasp lengthens the bracelet; to shorten it, the bracelet is pushed together until it is the correct length. Both the pin buckle and folding clasp are slightly bolder, in order to match the larger case diameter.\u00a0<br \/><br \/><strong>Classic Pilot\u2019s Watches \u2013 slightly modified\u00a0<\/strong><br \/><br \/>The Pilot\u2019s Watches made by IWC in the 1930s and 1940s established a legend that lives on in the classic Pilot\u2019s Watches family. The most conspicuous change compared to their predecessors \u2013 with the exception of the Big Pilot\u2019s Watch\u2013 is the vertical triple date display at \u201c3 o\u2019clock\u201d, whose form underscores the cockpit-style design more emphatically. In 2012, the Big Pilot\u2019s Watchwill appear with its familiar looks as well as the highly efficient IWC-manufactured 51111- calibre movement. Compared with its predeces- sor, the Mark XVI, the Pilot\u2019s Watch Mark XVII is 2 millimetres larger at 41 millimetres. With its new red design features, the dial of the Pilot\u2019s Watch Double Chronographis even more attractive, and thanks to a larger case diameter \u2013 now 46 millimetres \u2013 it is also significantly more legible. The stainless-steel case of the Pilot\u2019s Watch Chronographhas increased by a mod- erate 1 millimetre to 43 millimetres. The new Pilot\u2019s Watch Worldtimerhas a 24-hour ring that enables the wearer to look at all 24 time zones, including the Universal Time Coordinated (UTC). The city ring shows the names of 23 places around the globe, each of which represents a time zone. The dial shows local time, which can be adjusted forwards or backwards in one-hour steps \u2013 also when crossing the International Date Line. \u201cIt is with pride and confidence that IWC looks forward to 2012, our year of the Pilot\u2019s Watch. We have six exciting new models, including two Perpetual Calendar models, with some of the most complex watchmaking features imaginable, the new Miramar design line and the new-look Spitfire collection,\u201d sums up Georges Kern.\u00a0<br \/><br \/><strong>Pilot\u2019s Watches for 76 years\u00a0<\/strong><br \/><br \/>The Schaffhausen-based watch manufacturer IWC has been making rugged and reliable timepieces for pilots and their passengers since the mid-1930s. Right from the start, IWC Pilot\u2019s Watches were designed to offer optimum legibility by day and night and established the look of an instrument: a look that has since determined the appearance of this special breed of watches, to this day. The IWC Special Pilot\u2019s Watch, launched in 1936, stood out with a distinctive black dial that was set off by striking luminescent hands and large luminescent numerals. Outstanding technical features of the IWC Special Pilot\u2019s Watch included a shock-protected balance wheel bearing and a non-magnetic escapement. With its 55-millimetre diameter, the Big Pilot\u2019s Watch 52 T. S. C. of 1940 is the biggest wristwatch IWC Schaffhausen has ever manufactured. As a deck watch it featured, among other things, a central hacking seconds to enable pilots and navigators to synchronize their watches with down-to-the-second precision. An extra-long leather strap also meant that it could be fastened around a flight suit. The clearly arranged dial was a perfect example of reductionism: a style cue and a paragon for all classic Pilot\u2019s Watches. The Mark 11, with its hand-wound 89 calibre, manufactured from 1948 onwards for the Royal Air Force, established itself as the best-known IWC Pilot\u2019s Watch of them all. Its movement was enclosed in a soft-iron inner case to shield the mechanism from magnetic fields. The Mark 11 was used success-fully by the Royal Air Force for over 30 years.\u00a0<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><strong>The Pilot\u2019s Watch heritage<\/strong>\u00a0<\/div>\n<div><strong> <\/strong><\/div>\n<div><strong>Big Pilot\u2019s Watch and Pilot\u2019s Watch Mark XVII<\/strong>\u00a0<\/div>\n<div><strong> <\/strong><\/div>\n<div>Watch legends like the Big Pilot\u2019s Watch of 1940 or the Mark 11 of 1948 have had a de- cisive influence on the new appearance of the classical pilot\u2019s watches. In 2012, their successors, the Big Pilot\u2019s Watch and the Pilot\u2019s Watch Mark XVII, demonstrate that IWC Schaffhausen continues to write the success story of these pioneering watches even now, over 70 years later.\u00a0<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>Anyone looking for a professional pilot\u2019s watch would today find it difficult to ignore IWC Schaffhausen. The IWC Special Pilot\u2019s Watch of 1936 defined the appearance of an entire watch family, and continues to do so to this day. With the Big Pilot\u2019s Watch of 1940, IWC introduced the hacking seconds; the Mark 11 of 1948 set standards for precision, robustness and reliability. And that is why their direct successors have held a firm place in the new collection.\u00a0<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>Launched in 2002, the <strong>Big Pilot\u2019s Watch <\/strong>(Ref. 500901) has remained on a high-flying trajectory virtually unchanged ever since. Its 51111 calibre \u2013 the largest automatic movement manufactured in-house by IWC \u2013 contains all the features that have proved their worth in the long history of IWC mechanical watches. Within no time at all, the spring-mounted rotor and Pellaton pawlwinding system build up a power reserve of over 7 days, before the movement is mechanically brought to a halt by a complex train in the power reserve after exactly 168 hours. Stopping the movement before all the tension in the spring has been exhausted eliminates the danger of diminishing torque in the mainspring. This en- sures the same level of accuracy the entire time the watch is running. The power reserve display at \u201c3 o\u2019clock\u201d provides a reliable indication of the time remaining until the movement comes to a stop. The Big Pilot\u2019s Watch has a date display at \u201c6 o\u2019clock\u201d and the central seconds essential in any watch used for flying. The 46-millimetre case encloses a soft-iron cage that protects the movement against extreme magnetic fields.\u00a0<\/div>\n<div><strong> <\/strong><\/div>\n<div><strong>For business suits and flying gear<\/strong>\u00a0<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>The design was modelled unmistakably on the historic Big Pilot\u2019s Watch of 1940. A clearly organized matte-black dial, the arrowhead index at \u201c12 o\u2019clock\u201d and the bold, luminescent numerals and hands guarantee minute-perfect legibility of the time regardless of lighting conditions. The Big Pilot\u2019s Watch is the only model made by IWC Schaffhausen with such an enormous crown, a memento of those pioneering days of aviation when pilots were exposed to the elements in unheated \u2013 or even open \u2013 cockpits. To combat this, they wore quilted flying suits and thick gloves, which made it difficult for them to wind and set their watches, hence the need for an unusually large, chunky crown. Apart from this, the watch had an extra-long leather strap with a double bow and a clasp bow to facilitate wearing the watch over a flying suit. Today, owners of the Big Pilot\u2019s Watch are more likely to wear it with a business suit than an overall. The latest version in stainless steel is rounded off with a black alligator leather strap. The design of the folding clasp is slightly more striking and more appropriate due to the con- siderable diameter of the case.\u00a0\u00a0<\/div>\n<div><strong> <\/strong><\/div>\n<div><strong>The successor to the legendary Mark 11\u00a0<\/strong><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>In both form and function, the <strong>Pilot\u2019s Watch Mark XVII <\/strong>(Ref. 326501, 326504) is a virtually perfect example of a classical pilot\u2019s watch. Like cockpit instrumentation, the dial is black with white indices and reduced to essentials: legibil- ity is a top priority. Compared with its predecessor, the Mark XVI, the stainless-steel case has increased by 2 millimetres to 41. In this model, too, IWC\u2019s designers have modified the date window to make it look more like an instrument: with its vertically arranged numerals, it is now reminiscent of an altimeter. The current date is indicated by a striking red triangular index, by now a typical design feature of IWC\u2019s Pilot\u2019s Watches and inspired by the signal red elements on an aircraft\u2019s instrument panel. The watch, which is water-resistant to 6 bar, is powered by an automatic 30110-calibre movement and has a 42-hour power reserve. In terms of precision and robustness \u2013 and like all its predecessors \u2013 the Mark XVII meets the full range of requirements for professional Pilot\u2019s Watches from Schaffhausen. With its soft-iron inner case for protection against magnetic fields and a front glass secured against sudden drops in pressure, the Mark XVII takes up a tradition established by its historical forebear, the legendary Mark 11 of the 1940s. The watch was encased in a special alloy that readily conducted magnetic fields. As a result, the magnetism emitted by radio, and later, radar instrumentation was simply guided around the movement. A solution as simple as it was ingenious, it helped propel the watch to enormous success. Thanks to its superior tech- nical specifications, the Mark 11 was for a long time the official service watch used by pilots and navigators in Britain\u2019s Royal Air Force. The layout of the dial set a benchmark for pilot\u2019s watch design that has survived to this day. The most famous of IWC\u2019s Pilot\u2019s Watches rapidly established cult status for themselves. The few surviving examples continue to run today as they did back then and are much sought-after collector\u2019s items. The new Pilot\u2019s Watch Mark XVII blends in seam- lessly with the Pilot\u2019s Watch formation from IWC. It is available with a black alligator leather strap and pin buckle or, alternatively, with the newly developed stainless-steel bracelet featuring a folding clasp with precision adjustment.\u00a0<\/div>","description_short":"","quantity":0,"minimal_quantity":"1","available_now":"","available_later":"","price":11250,"specificPrice":false,"additional_shipping_cost":"0.00","wholesale_price":"0.000000","on_sale":"0","online_only":"0","unity":"","unit_price":0,"unit_price_ratio":"0.000000","ecotax":"0.000000","reference":"IW500901","supplier_reference":"","location":"","width":"0.000000","height":"0.000000","depth":"0.000000","weight":"0.000000","ean13":"","upc":"","link_rewrite":"grande-montre-daviateur","meta_description":"2012: the year of the high-flyers\u00a0The new Pilot\u2019s Watches from IWC SchaffhausenIWC Schaffhausen gets off to a powerful start in 2012: the year of the Pilot\u2019s...","meta_keywords":"","meta_title":"Watch IWC Grande Montre d'Aviateur | Montres d'Aviateur IW500901  Steel - Aligator Bracelet","quantity_discount":"0","customizable":"0","new":false,"uploadable_files":"0","text_fields":"0","active":"1","redirect_type":"404","id_product_redirected":"0","available_for_order":"0","available_date":"0000-00-00","condition":"new","show_price":"1","indexed":"1","visibility":"both","date_add":"2015-08-03 22:47:21","date_upd":"2016-01-05 12:55:50","tags":false,"base_price":"11250.000000","id_tax_rules_group":"1","id_color_default":0,"advanced_stock_management":"0","out_of_stock":0,"depends_on_stock":false,"isFullyLoaded":true,"cache_is_pack":"0","cache_has_attachments":"1","is_virtual":"0","id_pack_product_attribute":null,"cache_default_attribute":"0","category":"pilot-s-watches","pack_stock_type":"3","id":3312,"id_shop_list":null,"force_id":false,"customization_required":false}

{"Compl\u00e9ment":"Steel - Aligator Bracelet","Statut de vente":"N est plus commercialis\u00e9","Date":"2012","Pi\u00e8ce unique":"No","S\u00e9rie limit\u00e9e":"No","Sexe":"Homme","Gaucher":"No","Diam\u00e8tre":"46","Epaisseur":"16","Types":"Self-winding","Styles":"Sporty","Calibre_autre":"51111","Affichage":"Luminescent hands","Complication":"Power Reserve Indicator, Stop second mechanism","Mati\u00e8re du bo\u00eetier":"Steel","Particularit\u00e9 du boitier":"Screwed-down crown, Anti-magnetic","Etanch\u00e9it\u00e9":"60 meters","Forme":"Round","Couleur du cadran":"Black","Index":"Baton-type, Luminescent, Triangles, Arabic numerals","Verre":"Sapphire, Antireflective coating, Domed","Mati\u00e8re du bracelet":"Alligator leather","Fermeture du bracelet":"Folding buckle ","Couleur du bracelet":"Black","Plus de caract\u00e9ristiques":"Movement<br \/>42 jewels<br \/>Automatic Pellaton winding system<br \/>Glucydur beryllium alloy balance<br \/>Breguet spring<br \/>Frequency: <br \/>21 600 vibrations per hour<br \/>Power reserve: 7 days (168 h)<br \/><br \/>Case<br \/>Glass secured against displacement by drop in air pressure"}

Grande Montre d'Aviateur

Reference: IW500901

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Brand  :	IWC
Collection  :	Pilot's Watches
Model  :	Grande Montre d'Aviateur
Reference  :	IW500901
Complement :	Steel - Aligator Bracelet
Year :	2012
Is not commercialised any more

13 500 €Recorded list price in FranceI WANT ITADD TO CART

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• Brand  :	IWC
  Collection  :	Pilot's Watches
  Model  :	Grande Montre d'Aviateur
  Reference  :	IW500901
  Complement :	Steel - Aligator Bracelet
  Year :	2012
  Is not commercialised any more
  List Price :	13 500 €
  Diameter :	46 mm
  Thickness :	16 mm
  Styles :	Sporty
  Types :	Self-winding
  Calibre :	51111
  Complication :	Power Reserve Indicator Stop second mechanism
  Case material :	Steel
  Case peculiarity :	Screwed-down crown Anti-magnetic
  Shape :	Round
  Water-resistance :	60 meters
  Dial color :	Black
  Display :	Luminescent hands
  Indexes :	Baton-type Luminescent Triangles Arabic numerals
  Glass :	Sapphire Antireflective coating Domed
  Strap material :	Alligator leather
  Strap color :	Black
  Strap clasp :	Folding buckle
  + More characteristics :	Movement 42 jewels Automatic Pellaton winding system Glucydur beryllium alloy balance Breguet spring Frequency: 21 600 vibrations per hour Power reserve: 7 days (168 h) Case Glass secured against displacement by drop in air pressure

DESCRIPTION

• 2012: the year of the high-flyers 
  
  The new Pilot’s Watches from IWC Schaffhausen
  
  IWC Schaffhausen gets off to a powerful start in 2012: the year of the Pilot’s Watch. With five new models, the TOP GUN collection establishes itself as an independent formation within the IWC Pilot’s Watch family. The year’s high-flyer is the TOP GUN Miramar: a tribute to the place in California where the myth of the elite pilots was born. And two Pilot’s Watches featuring many of fine watchmaking’s greatest achievements prepare for take off: the Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar TOP GUN and the Spitfire Perpetual Calendar Digital Date-Month. 
  
  “For the new TOP GUN Pilot’s Watches we drew on our long tradition of manufacturing unusual deck watches. In the1940s, Pilot’s Watches made in Schaffhausen were widely used as so-called B watches for flight navigation,” explains Georges Kern, CEO of IWC Schaffhausen. “Back then, only wristwatches with the highest possible precision were good enough for navigators: the pilot and his crew would synchronize their watches to the navigator’s.” Since the main priority for navigation is optimum legibility of the seconds and minutes, these two were often the only indicators shown on the outer ring; the hours would be relatively small and appeared on a central ring. This particular detail inspired IWC’s designers to display the hour circle and the chapter ring separately on the dials of the Big Pilot’s Watch TOP GUN Miramar and the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph TOP GUN Miramar.“The process of retracing the historic roots of our Pilot’s Watches gave us the idea of using the Miramar tocreateour first linewith a military-style design,” adds Christian Knoop, Creative Director at IWC. “This allows us to combine various styles in an imaginative way – even with luxury elements, if we wish. That’s one of the reasons the new Miramar line is such a perfect fit for IWC: premium-class watches with out- standing mechanics and a rugged, almost hardedged feel.” The dark, metallic sheen of the grey ceramic case and the matte anthracite of the dial all waken associations with precision instruments used in aviation. The use of specific camouflage colours such as beige for the hands and chapter ring, together with green for the strap, underscore the desired look. The textile strap leans visibly on the tough webbing belts. It is complemented by two high-tech materials, typical for TOP GUN, that were introduced to watchmaking by IWC as early as the 1980s: zirconium oxide for the case, along with titanium for the controls and the watch back. Both the Miramar models – like the entire TOP GUN collection, incidentally – are equipped with IWC-manufactured calibres. Like the other Big Pilot’s Watch,theBig Pilot’s Watch TOP GUN Miramar is equipped with the largest automatic movement made by IWC, with a power reserve of 168 hours. This also explains the 48-millimetre case diameter. The calibre 89365 found in the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph TOP GUN Miramaris one of the most advanced and robust chronograph movements ever produced. It has a flyback function as well as an analogue display for stopped minutes and seconds. Commenting on the family’s positioning in the international watch market, Karoline Huber, Director Marketing & Communications at IWC, explains: “Flying enthusiasts all over the world think of Miramar in California as the birth place of the Top Gun legend. With our new TOP GUN Miramar design line, we are addressing watch lovers who consciously embrace IWC’s long-standing tradition of manufacturing Pilot’s Watches but who also wish to benefit from the technological advances of the 21st century and the inimitable quality typical of IWC.” 
  
  Classic TOP GUN collection: black and white with red highlights 
  
  The TOP GUN edition has held a permanent place in IWC Pilot’s Watches collection since 2007. The elaborately equipped Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar TOP GUNcomes with a host of advanced features, including a perpetual calendar with its four-digit year display, moon phase display and seven-day power reserve. The Big Pilot’s Watch TOP GUNunites the clear-cut instrument look of the 1940s with ultra-modern watch technology. The tiny aircraft silhouette on the seconds hand creates an eye-catching signal-red highlight on the black-and-white dial. The Pilot’s Watch Chronograph TOP GUN, which comes with a flyback function and protection against magnetic fields, is also equipped with an IWC-manufactured movement. 
  
  Rising fast: the Spitfire combines fabulous contours with first-class mechanics 
  
  In 2003, IWC Schaffhausen launched a Pilot’s Watch line that took not only its name from the Spitfire but also reflected the elegance and out- standing technology of the legendary single-propeller aircraft. Now, the designers and technicians have subjected the Spitfire watches to a thorough general overhaul. With a streamlined design and new features, they remain firmly on course for success. All the latest models are fitted with IWC-manufactured calibres. The gold and stainless-steel cases are meticulously machined by hand; the result is a vibrant interplay of shiny, silky matte and structured surfaces. The sun-pattern finish gives the slate-coloured dial a metallic sheen that optically references its namesake. The Spitfire Perpetual Calendar Digital Date-Month in its red gold case combines tasteful design with the art of watchmaking at its finest. It is the first IWC Pilot’s Watch to show the date and month digitally in the form of four large numerals; in visual terms, it goes perfectly with the instrument appearance and revives the tradition of the Pallweber system, now dating back well over 100 years. The Spitfire Chronographwith its IWC-manufactured 89365 calibre is available in red gold and stainless steel. With its vertically arranged numerals, the date window is an unmistakable sign that the engineers had the shape of an altimeter in mind when they designed it.The metal bracelet supplied with Reference 387804, is fitted with a newly developed fine-adjustment mechanism. Simply pressing the IWC button in the folding clasp lengthens the bracelet; to shorten it, the bracelet is pushed together until it is the correct length. Both the pin buckle and folding clasp are slightly bolder, in order to match the larger case diameter.
  
  2012: the year of the high-flyers 
  
  The new Pilot’s Watches from IWC Schaffhausen
  
  IWC Schaffhausen gets off to a powerful start in 2012: the year of the Pilot’s Watch. With five new models, the TOP GUN collection establishes itself as an independent formation within the IWC Pilot’s Watch family. The year’s high-flyer is the TOP GUN Miramar: a tribute to the place in California where the myth of the elite pilots was born. And two Pilot’s Watches featuring many of fine watchmaking’s greatest achievements prepare for take off: the Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar TOP GUN and the Spitfire Perpetual Calendar Digital Date-Month. 
  
  “For the new TOP GUN Pilot’s Watches we drew on our long tradition of manufacturing unusual deck watches. In the1940s, Pilot’s Watches made in Schaffhausen were widely used as so-called B watches for flight navigation,” explains Georges Kern, CEO of IWC Schaffhausen. “Back then, only wristwatches with the highest possible precision were good enough for navigators: the pilot and his crew would synchronize their watches to the navigator’s.” Since the main priority for navigation is optimum legibility of the seconds and minutes, these two were often the only indicators shown on the outer ring; the hours would be relatively small and appeared on a central ring. This particular detail inspired IWC’s designers to display the hour circle and the chapter ring separately on the dials of the Big Pilot’s Watch TOP GUN Miramar and the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph TOP GUN Miramar.“The process of retracing the historic roots of our Pilot’s Watches gave us the idea of using the Miramar tocreateour first linewith a military-style design,” adds Christian Knoop, Creative Director at IWC. “This allows us to combine various styles in an imaginative way – even with luxury elements, if we wish. That’s one of the reasons the new Miramar line is such a perfect fit for IWC: premium-class watches with out- standing mechanics and a rugged, almost hardedged feel.” The dark, metallic sheen of the grey ceramic case and the matte anthracite of the dial all waken associations with precision instruments used in aviation. The use of specific camouflage colours such as beige for the hands and chapter ring, together with green for the strap, underscore the desired look. The textile strap leans visibly on the tough webbing belts. It is complemented by two high-tech materials, typical for TOP GUN, that were introduced to watchmaking by IWC as early as the 1980s: zirconium oxide for the case, along with titanium for the controls and the watch back. Both the Miramar models – like the entire TOP GUN collection, incidentally – are equipped with IWC-manufactured calibres. Like the other Big Pilot’s Watch,theBig Pilot’s Watch TOP GUN Miramar is equipped with the largest automatic movement made by IWC, with a power reserve of 168 hours. This also explains the 48-millimetre case diameter. The calibre 89365 found in the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph TOP GUN Miramaris one of the most advanced and robust chronograph movements ever produced. It has a flyback function as well as an analogue display for stopped minutes and seconds. Commenting on the family’s positioning in the international watch market, Karoline Huber, Director Marketing & Communications at IWC, explains: “Flying enthusiasts all over the world think of Miramar in California as the birth place of the Top Gun legend. With our new TOP GUN Miramar design line, we are addressing watch lovers who consciously embrace IWC’s long-standing tradition of manufacturing Pilot’s Watches but who also wish to benefit from the technological advances of the 21st century and the inimitable quality typical of IWC.” 
  
  Classic TOP GUN collection: black and white with red highlights 
  
  The TOP GUN edition has held a permanent place in IWC Pilot’s Watches collection since 2007. The elaborately equipped Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar TOP GUNcomes with a host of advanced features, including a perpetual calendar with its four-digit year display, moon phase display and seven-day power reserve. The Big Pilot’s Watch TOP GUNunites the clear-cut instrument look of the 1940s with ultra-modern watch technology. The tiny aircraft silhouette on the seconds hand creates an eye-catching signal-red highlight on the black-and-white dial. The Pilot’s Watch Chronograph TOP GUN, which comes with a flyback function and protection against magnetic fields, is also equipped with an IWC-manufactured movement. 
  
  Rising fast: the Spitfire combines fabulous contours with first-class mechanics 
  
  In 2003, IWC Schaffhausen launched a Pilot’s Watch line that took not only its name from the Spitfire but also reflected the elegance and out- standing technology of the legendary single-propeller aircraft. Now, the designers and technicians have subjected the Spitfire watches to a thorough general overhaul. With a streamlined design and new features, they remain firmly on course for success. All the latest models are fitted with IWC-manufactured calibres. The gold and stainless-steel cases are meticulously machined by hand; the result is a vibrant interplay of shiny, silky matte and structured surfaces. The sun-pattern finish gives the slate-coloured dial a metallic sheen that optically references its namesake. The Spitfire Perpetual Calendar Digital Date-Month in its red gold case combines tasteful design with the art of watchmaking at its finest. It is the first IWC Pilot’s Watch to show the date and month digitally in the form of four large numerals; in visual terms, it goes perfectly with the instrument appearance and revives the tradition of the Pallweber system, now dating back well over 100 years. The Spitfire Chronographwith its IWC-manufactured 89365 calibre is available in red gold and stainless steel. With its vertically arranged numerals, the date window is an unmistakable sign that the engineers had the shape of an altimeter in mind when they designed it.The metal bracelet supplied with Reference 387804, is fitted with a newly developed fine-adjustment mechanism. Simply pressing the IWC button in the folding clasp lengthens the bracelet; to shorten it, the bracelet is pushed together until it is the correct length. Both the pin buckle and folding clasp are slightly bolder, in order to match the larger case diameter. 
  
  Classic Pilot’s Watches – slightly modified 
  
  The Pilot’s Watches made by IWC in the 1930s and 1940s established a legend that lives on in the classic Pilot’s Watches family. The most conspicuous change compared to their predecessors – with the exception of the Big Pilot’s Watch– is the vertical triple date display at “3 o’clock”, whose form underscores the cockpit-style design more emphatically. In 2012, the Big Pilot’s Watchwill appear with its familiar looks as well as the highly efficient IWC-manufactured 51111- calibre movement. Compared with its predeces- sor, the Mark XVI, the Pilot’s Watch Mark XVII is 2 millimetres larger at 41 millimetres. With its new red design features, the dial of the Pilot’s Watch Double Chronographis even more attractive, and thanks to a larger case diameter – now 46 millimetres – it is also significantly more legible. The stainless-steel case of the Pilot’s Watch Chronographhas increased by a mod- erate 1 millimetre to 43 millimetres. The new Pilot’s Watch Worldtimerhas a 24-hour ring that enables the wearer to look at all 24 time zones, including the Universal Time Coordinated (UTC). The city ring shows the names of 23 places around the globe, each of which represents a time zone. The dial shows local time, which can be adjusted forwards or backwards in one-hour steps – also when crossing the International Date Line. “It is with pride and confidence that IWC looks forward to 2012, our year of the Pilot’s Watch. We have six exciting new models, including two Perpetual Calendar models, with some of the most complex watchmaking features imaginable, the new Miramar design line and the new-look Spitfire collection,” sums up Georges Kern. 
  
  Pilot’s Watches for 76 years 
  
  The Schaffhausen-based watch manufacturer IWC has been making rugged and reliable timepieces for pilots and their passengers since the mid-1930s. Right from the start, IWC Pilot’s Watches were designed to offer optimum legibility by day and night and established the look of an instrument: a look that has since determined the appearance of this special breed of watches, to this day. The IWC Special Pilot’s Watch, launched in 1936, stood out with a distinctive black dial that was set off by striking luminescent hands and large luminescent numerals. Outstanding technical features of the IWC Special Pilot’s Watch included a shock-protected balance wheel bearing and a non-magnetic escapement. With its 55-millimetre diameter, the Big Pilot’s Watch 52 T. S. C. of 1940 is the biggest wristwatch IWC Schaffhausen has ever manufactured. As a deck watch it featured, among other things, a central hacking seconds to enable pilots and navigators to synchronize their watches with down-to-the-second precision. An extra-long leather strap also meant that it could be fastened around a flight suit. The clearly arranged dial was a perfect example of reductionism: a style cue and a paragon for all classic Pilot’s Watches. The Mark 11, with its hand-wound 89 calibre, manufactured from 1948 onwards for the Royal Air Force, established itself as the best-known IWC Pilot’s Watch of them all. Its movement was enclosed in a soft-iron inner case to shield the mechanism from magnetic fields. The Mark 11 was used success-fully by the Royal Air Force for over 30 years. 
  The Pilot’s Watch heritage 
  Big Pilot’s Watch and Pilot’s Watch Mark XVII 
  Watch legends like the Big Pilot’s Watch of 1940 or the Mark 11 of 1948 have had a de- cisive influence on the new appearance of the classical pilot’s watches. In 2012, their successors, the Big Pilot’s Watch and the Pilot’s Watch Mark XVII, demonstrate that IWC Schaffhausen continues to write the success story of these pioneering watches even now, over 70 years later. 
  Anyone looking for a professional pilot’s watch would today find it difficult to ignore IWC Schaffhausen. The IWC Special Pilot’s Watch of 1936 defined the appearance of an entire watch family, and continues to do so to this day. With the Big Pilot’s Watch of 1940, IWC introduced the hacking seconds; the Mark 11 of 1948 set standards for precision, robustness and reliability. And that is why their direct successors have held a firm place in the new collection. 
  Launched in 2002, the Big Pilot’s Watch (Ref. 500901) has remained on a high-flying trajectory virtually unchanged ever since. Its 51111 calibre – the largest automatic movement manufactured in-house by IWC – contains all the features that have proved their worth in the long history of IWC mechanical watches. Within no time at all, the spring-mounted rotor and Pellaton pawlwinding system build up a power reserve of over 7 days, before the movement is mechanically brought to a halt by a complex train in the power reserve after exactly 168 hours. Stopping the movement before all the tension in the spring has been exhausted eliminates the danger of diminishing torque in the mainspring. This en- sures the same level of accuracy the entire time the watch is running. The power reserve display at “3 o’clock” provides a reliable indication of the time remaining until the movement comes to a stop. The Big Pilot’s Watch has a date display at “6 o’clock” and the central seconds essential in any watch used for flying. The 46-millimetre case encloses a soft-iron cage that protects the movement against extreme magnetic fields. 
  For business suits and flying gear 
  The design was modelled unmistakably on the historic Big Pilot’s Watch of 1940. A clearly organized matte-black dial, the arrowhead index at “12 o’clock” and the bold, luminescent numerals and hands guarantee minute-perfect legibility of the time regardless of lighting conditions. The Big Pilot’s Watch is the only model made by IWC Schaffhausen with such an enormous crown, a memento of those pioneering days of aviation when pilots were exposed to the elements in unheated – or even open – cockpits. To combat this, they wore quilted flying suits and thick gloves, which made it difficult for them to wind and set their watches, hence the need for an unusually large, chunky crown. Apart from this, the watch had an extra-long leather strap with a double bow and a clasp bow to facilitate wearing the watch over a flying suit. Today, owners of the Big Pilot’s Watch are more likely to wear it with a business suit than an overall. The latest version in stainless steel is rounded off with a black alligator leather strap. The design of the folding clasp is slightly more striking and more appropriate due to the con- siderable diameter of the case.  
  The successor to the legendary Mark 11 
  In both form and function, the Pilot’s Watch Mark XVII (Ref. 326501, 326504) is a virtually perfect example of a classical pilot’s watch. Like cockpit instrumentation, the dial is black with white indices and reduced to essentials: legibil- ity is a top priority. Compared with its predecessor, the Mark XVI, the stainless-steel case has increased by 2 millimetres to 41. In this model, too, IWC’s designers have modified the date window to make it look more like an instrument: with its vertically arranged numerals, it is now reminiscent of an altimeter. The current date is indicated by a striking red triangular index, by now a typical design feature of IWC’s Pilot’s Watches and inspired by the signal red elements on an aircraft’s instrument panel. The watch, which is water-resistant to 6 bar, is powered by an automatic 30110-calibre movement and has a 42-hour power reserve. In terms of precision and robustness – and like all its predecessors – the Mark XVII meets the full range of requirements for professional Pilot’s Watches from Schaffhausen. With its soft-iron inner case for protection against magnetic fields and a front glass secured against sudden drops in pressure, the Mark XVII takes up a tradition established by its historical forebear, the legendary Mark 11 of the 1940s. The watch was encased in a special alloy that readily conducted magnetic fields. As a result, the magnetism emitted by radio, and later, radar instrumentation was simply guided around the movement. A solution as simple as it was ingenious, it helped propel the watch to enormous success. Thanks to its superior tech- nical specifications, the Mark 11 was for a long time the official service watch used by pilots and navigators in Britain’s Royal Air Force. The layout of the dial set a benchmark for pilot’s watch design that has survived to this day. The most famous of IWC’s Pilot’s Watches rapidly established cult status for themselves. The few surviving examples continue to run today as they did back then and are much sought-after collector’s items. The new Pilot’s Watch Mark XVII blends in seam- lessly with the Pilot’s Watch formation from IWC. It is available with a black alligator leather strap and pin buckle or, alternatively, with the newly developed stainless-steel bracelet featuring a folding clasp with precision adjustment.