IWC Strikes Again With Two New Pilot’s Watches In Black Ceratanium

With “Top Gun 2: Maverick” on the horizon, IWC is here to ensure that pilots and fans of pilot’s watches alike can gear up appropriately for the long-awaited movie. To cater to different needs and tastes, there’s a wide variety of Top Gun watches. Some in beige ceramic, some in blue, and black is also an option. But the color black means you’re not looking at just any ordinary ceramic. No, black ceramic at IWC is called Ceratanium. Now, IWC strikes again with two new Pilot’s Watches in black Ceratanium: The Pilot’s Watch Timezoner Top Gun Ceratanium and the Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Top Gun Ceratanium.

IWC and ceramic go way back. All the way back to 1986, with the launch of the world’s first production wristwatch in a ceramic case: the baroque Da Vinci reference 3755. And in 1994 the first ceramic Pilot’s Watch debuted, the reference 3705 — it also got a modern homage it deserved. In 2019 the Pilot’s Watch Double Chronograph Top Gun Ceratanium (Ref. IW371815) was the first all-black Pilot’s watch. And ever since that watch, it looks like IWC also rediscovered ceramic as a fundamental material. They started experimenting with it more and then decided what the world of watches needed was more ceramic IWC’s, and Ceratanium ones too.

Two new Pilot’s Watches in black Ceratanium

Amongst the recent ceramic highlights we have the Big Pilot’s Top Gun Mojave plus the three U.S. Navy Pilot’s Chronograph; one in blue, two in Ceratanium. And Ceratanium is also the material of choice for two new, full-black, stealth-mode Pilot’s Watch Timezoner Top Gun Ceratanium and Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Top Gun Ceratanium. And though it may sound a bit like unobtanium, Ceratanium is the real deal. It’s an alloy that combines the advantages of titanium and ceramic, meaning it’s both light and tough as titanium and as hard and scratch-resistant as ceramic. So, these two new models don’t just talk the talk when it comes to being rugged pilot’s watches.

The Timezoner lost weight and gained comfort

Let’s start with the least complicated of the two, the Pilot’s Watch Timezoner Top Gun Ceratanium (Ref. IW395505, price: €18.200). It’s based on the Timezoner used by the two pilots of the Silver Spitfire Longest Flight. But that watch was made of steel and therefore quite heavy, while the Ceratanium version in the same size — 46 × 15.1mm, that is — loses a considerable amount of weight. And that makes it easier to wear, as you would guess. It’s easy to use and has definitely been field-tested. You set the watch to a different time zone by pressing and turning the bezel. The hour hand, 24-hour display, and date move forward or backward in one-hour increments.

Not everything is Ceratanium

The watch is not entirely made of Ceratanium though; the city ring with 24 cities representing the corresponding time zones is made of ceramic. The numbers on the dial are gray, but the 12, 3, 6, and 9 get a coating with luminescent material. More black elements are the tinted sapphire crystal back and a black rubber strap with textile inlay.

Inside the case beats the automatic, 4 Hz in-house caliber 82760 that uses a Pellaton winding system reinforced with ceramic components with a 60-hour power reserve. And although strictly speaking the Pilot’s Watch Timezoner Top Gun Ceratanium is not a limited edition, it has an annual limited production of 500 pieces.

Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Top Gun Ceratanium

Even more Ceratanium can be found on the Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Top Gun Ceratanium (Ref. IW503604, price: €46.800). And that is because the bracelet is also made from the stuff. It makes this 46.2 × 15.4mm watch one that is easier than expected to wear.  The bracelet alone is 30% lighter than a steel equivalent. And the looks aren’t bad either if you ask me. The bracelet gives the watch an even stealthier appearance.

Accurate for years and years

Gray is again the color of choice for the details on the dial. It gives the prominent perpetual calendar layout with the double moon phase a somewhat more introverted demure. More black can be found at the back in the shape of a tinted sapphire. And through it, you can see the 7-day automatic caliber 52615. Should IWC have blacked out the movements in both new Top Gun watches? That would have been a nice touch, but for some reason, they haven’t.

Anyway, the movement drives the perpetual calendar with a single nighttime switching impulse. And it will do so correctly until the year 2100, and since we’re talking numbers, the moon phase will deviate just one day after 577.5 years. The annual production of the Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Top Gun Ceratanium is limited to 150 pieces.

Both the Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Top Gun Ceratanium and the Pilot’s Watch Timezoner Top Gun Ceratanium are available now. For more information, check out IWC’s official website.

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