The Top Gun watches, which IWC has been producing since 2007, take their name from the U.S. Navy Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor program. This training programme provides the best Navy pilots with flying and tactical training. Naval aviation requires incredible skill. When manoeuvring in tight curves, for example, both the pilots and the aircraft are subjected to maximum acceleration forces. Spending months at a time on an aircraft carrier also takes its toll on personnel and material. The Top Gun watches are therefore specially designed with robust materials, such as ceramic and titanium, to meet the specific requirements of elite jet pilots. They are also extremely corrosion-resistant and can withstand humid, salty sea air.
The Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Top Gun Edition “Mojave Desert” (Ref. IW389103) is the first watch with a case made from sand-coloured ceramic. This reference is limited to 500 pieces. The sand-coloured ceramic is inspired by the Mojave Desert, home to the Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake – the largest land area of the U.S. Navy. The colour perfectly matches the uniforms worn by Navy pilots and is the result of a combination of zirconium oxide with other metallic oxides.
The chronograph is powered by the 69380 IWC-manufactured calibre. The chronograph movement with a classic column wheel design has both a chronograph function and a display for the day and date. The pawl-winding system, which winds up on both sides, boasts a power reserve of 46 hours.
