PARTNERSHIPS
TOP GUN
In its legendary TOPGUN program, the US Navy trains the elite of naval aviators. Since it was established in 1969, the program has taught its hand-picked participants how to become better pilots and outstanding instructors. TOPGUN is also about learning valuable life lessons. Striving for excellence, accepting failure and learning from it are just some of the character traits graduates take with them when returning to their units.
In 2007, the combination of a double chronograph with a black zirconium oxide ceramic case marked IWC’s first TOP GUN watch. TOP GUN watches are crafted from advanced performance materials like ceramic and Ceratanium®, engineered to withstand the extreme strains a pilot can experience in the cockpit. IWC’s “The Colors of TOP GUN” collection features a range of striking ceramic hues, inspired by the colour codes of naval aviation and the fascinating landscapes pilots use as training grounds.
US NAVY
Within its “Professional Pilot’s Watches Program”, IWC maintains an intensive dialogue with professional pilots and has created more than two dozen bespoke watches. IWC is currently the only watch brand licensed to work on watches for the entire US Navy and Marine Corps aviation units, including 247 active and 100 inactive squadrons.
PANTONE®
Pantone provides a universal language of color that enables color-critical decisions through every stage of the workflow for brands and manufacturers. More than 10 million designers and producers around the world rely on Pantone products and services to help define, communicate and control color from inspiration to realization – across various materials and finishes for graphics, fashion and product design.
IWC Schaffhausen and Pantone became Partners in 2021. Their first joint project revolved around the launch of IWC’s “Colors of TOP GUN”, a comprehensive collection of coloured ceramic watches. Ceramic colours like IWC Lake Tahoe, IWC Mojave Desert, IWC Woodland and IWC Jet Black were specified with Pantone. IWC also used Pantone’s color matching tools to translate the ceramic colours to other watch components like the dials and the straps, creating striking monochromatic designs.
BLUE ANGELS®
In 2019, IWC Schaffhausen became an official licensee of the team and celebrated the collaboration with a special edition Pilot’s Watch: The Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Edition “Blue Angels®” (Ref. IW389008).The blue dial, accented with a white-numeral outer ring and a yellow-numeral inner ring, paid homage to the colours this historic group is known for and the design codes of early military observer’s watches.
For over 70 years, the “Blue Angels®” U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron has performed feats of aerobatic bravery for the enjoyment of millions of fans worldwide. Founded in 1946 on the instruction of the Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, the Blue Angels® are synonymous for their breath-taking precision, elegance and speed.
In 2019 the team comprised 14 officers, including six Navy and Marine pilots to fly the F/A-18 Hornet jets, plus 122 enlisted staff, and IWC collaborated with several members of the team to help bring the model to life.
Additionally, on the occasion of the Blue Angels 75th anniversary, IWC created a unique model available exclusively to current and former Blue Angels staff. It features the special Blue Angel crest worn only by the staff at 9 o’clock, as well as an individual engraving of the owner’s name and call sign.
In 2021, IWC Schaffhausen launched the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Edition “Blue Angels” as part of its professional Pilot’s Chronograph collection. The third timepiece to emerge from IWC’s license agreement with the Blue Angels® is inspired by the military-exclusive watch developed with team members of the Blue Angels in Pensacola and features a striking blue ceramic case.