IWC.
There is hardly anyone here for whom these three letters mean nothing. The brand was founded in 1868 by the American engineer and watchmaker Florentine Ariosto Jones in Switzerland, with the goal of producing high-quality watches for the American market. In 1880, it was acquired by the Rauschenbach family, who owned and managed it for four generations, until 1955.
This is the brand that was one of the first, as early as the end of the 19th century, to begin producing wristwatches. An undisputed pioneer 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.
It is certain that for anyone interested in watches, this abbreviation means something.
We do not know if it is the same for others, but for us, the term "pilot's watch" automatically leads to IWC. Perhaps the reason is that the brand is known mainly for the production of pilot models, or the fact that it developed its production particularly strongly during the Second World War. Most likely, however, the main role is played by the fact that IWC supplied its products to both sides of the conflict, and both during and after the war, the participating countries were already very familiar with the brand's quality. This gave it several important advantages in the competition for the customer – recognizability, image, and reputation.
It all began back in 1936 with the market launch of the famous Mark IX, which can boldly be described as the progenitor of IWC's pilot series, and why not of pilot's watches in general.
IWC Pilot’s Spitfire 39mm IW326803
The model was first introduced in 2020 and is part of the brand's new series of pilot's watches, which has become legendary. The case is borrowed from the limited Hodinkee model introduced a year earlier and, unlike the standard Mark XVIII, is in the more classic size of 39 mm.
The Spitfire series is named in honor of perhaps the most renowned and famous representative of the Allied army's squadrons during the Second World War – the Supermarine Spitfire VB. The watch's black dial has the classic Mark series design, and the shape of the hands is reminiscent of the propeller blades of this aircraft. The luminescence has a slightly aged color.
The legibility of the watch is one of the best among all the watches we have owned and that have passed through our hands. The colors of the dial are extremely clean – black and white – and this only reinforces the model's class. The design of the date window is just as elegant and legible. We know that nowadays we are unlikely to rely on a watch to learn the date, but the very fact that we can get this information with a quick glance at the wrist creates a sense of calm and completeness.
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 clearly depicted and perfectly positioned, and the generous coating on the hands, which are shaped like an airplane propeller, completes this truly unique composition. The original brown strap with contrast stitching is typical of any thoroughbred pilot's watch, and on this model, it provides the expected specialized look.
The case size is 39 mm – a size to which the brand returns in the most current representative of the Mark line. Thanks to its proportions, the watch is very compact and comfortable to wear, and on the wrist, it sits elegantly, yet at the same time is distinctive enough to attract the eye.
At the heart of the watch beats the IWC 32110 – an automatic movement from the brand's most modern in-house 32xxx caliber series, with 21 jewels, 164 components, a frequency of 28,800 vibrations, and a power reserve of over 72 hours.
The solid case back does not allow us to enjoy the beauty of the movement, but it allows the watch to have a higher degree of anti-magnetic protection, and for the model's "godfather" – the combat silhouette of the Spitfire – to be placed on the case back itself.
