Historical Watches @ Spitfire Exhibition

To celebrate the 10^th anniversary of IWC Schaffhausen’s first-ever flagship boutique, IWC brings an exclusive Spitfire exhibition to Hong Kong. The celebration at the boutique, located at 1881 Heritage, includes a life-size replica of the Silver Spitfire, the restored aircraft set to take off on a round-the-world flight in August.

Besides the spectacular replica, a collection of 12 historical watches from the IWC Museum in Schaffhausen, Switzerland will be showcased at the flagship boutique.

Visit the 1881 Heritage Hong Kong Flagship Boutique to see the timepieces and learn the stories that have made horological history. The watches will be on display until 1^st July 2019.

IWC 1881 Heritage Hong Kong Flagship Boutique

Shop G12-13, G/F, 1881 Heritage

2A Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui

Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China

Open Daily 10am – 10pm

Heritage of Pilot’s Watches

For over 80 years, IWC’s Pilot’s Watches have been bringing the magic of flight to all those who wear them. The very first IWC Pilot’s Watches of the 1930s and 1940s set technical benchmarks, and the dial designs determined the instrument look that has remained characteristic to this day.

Special Watch for Pilots

1936

The first IWC Pilot Watch was manufactured in 1936 for civil aviation purposes. It was particularly robust and resistant to fluctuations in temperature in the range of -40 degrees Celsius to +40 degrees Celsius, and was also anti-magnetic.

Big Pilot’s Watch

1940

The first Big Pilot’s Watch from IWC was built in 1940, with a case diameter of 55mm and a weight of 183g. In the world of watchmaking, the IWC Big Pilot’s Watch has become a true icon with a design well known among watch aficionados worldwide.

Pilot’s Wristwatch Mark 11

1948

In response to a tender issued by the British Government, IWC developed a service watch for pilots of the Royal Air Force. Production of the legendary Mark 11 commenced in 1948. The watch features the original radium RAF dial used between 1949 and 1952, which is often referred to by collectors as the “White 12” dial.

Pilot’s Wristwatch Mark 11

1952

The Mark 11 design changed slightly in 1952, with this edition of the watch featuring a white triangle index marker at the 12 o’clock position to enable pilots to discern the time at a glance.

By 1963, the RAF exchanged all the radium dials with tritium dials clearly marked with an encircled “T”. The Mark 11, in its different variations, remained in service until 1981, proving its quality and reliability in even the toughest of conditions.

Spitfire

The Pilot’s Watch Spitfire collection has been paying tribute to the elegance and cutting-edge technology of the legendary fighter plane since 2003. The collection not only embraces the Spitfire name but also reflects the characteristic instrument design of the aircraft that was technologically advanced during its time.

Pilot’s Watch Spitfire UTC

2003

Since 2003, IWC Pilot’s Watches have been available in a style that takes its name from the Spitfire aircraft. The collection includes four different models: the Chrono-Automatic, the UTC watch with its two time zones, the classic Mark XVI and the Spitfire Midsize.

Pilot’s Watch Spitfire Chronograph

2006

In 2006, the Spitfire collection grew from 39mm to 42mm, imparting a more masculine appearance. The distinctive design of the stainless steel case is inspired by the striking presence of the Spitfire aircraft.

Pioneer and Poet – Antoine de Saint Exupéry

Since 2006, IWC has been a partner of the Fondation Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, an organization committed to helping children and young people in disadvantaged circumstances. The “Antoine de Saint Exupéry” special edition watches, with their tobacco brown dials, are dedicated to the life’s work of the great humanist, while the “Le Petit Prince” special edition timepieces, featuring trademark blue dials, commemorate the work of the author. The fairy tale “The Little Prince” is one of the best-selling books in literary history. No other writer has succeeded in describing the excitement of the pioneering days of aviation more vividly than Antoine de Saint Exupéry did.

Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Edition “Antoine de Saint-Exupéry”

2006

In 2006, IWC introduced a special Pilot’s Watch Chronograph named after Antoine de Saint-Exupéry to commemorate the publication 88 years earlier of his novel “Night Flight”. The special edition was limited to exactly 1,931 watches.

Big Pilot’s Watch Annual Calendar Edition “Le Petit Prince”

2016

Celebrating the 80^th anniversary of its Pilot’s Watches, IWC in 2016 debuted the first Pilot’s Watch with an annual calendar. Through the big sapphire-glass back, the little prince can be seen standing on his tiny asteroid and staring in amazement at the sky. The elegant special edition was limited to 250 watches in 18-carat 5N gold.

Ceramic and TOP GUN

In 2007, the first watch bearing the name TOP GUN joined the IWC Pilot’s Watch collection. The name comes from a special training course offered by the United States Navy Fighter Weapons School, the “Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor”, better known by the legendary accolade “Top Gun”.

Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Ceramic

2003

First manufactured in 1994, IWC continued to strengthen its tradition of designing aviation watches throughout the last quarter of the twentieth century.

Pilot’s Watch Double Chronograph Edition TOP GUN

2007

The Pilot’s Watch Double Chronograph Edition TOP GUN was made of high-tech ceramic and operating elements in titanium. This exceptional watch bears the symbol of the best pilots in the US Navy discreetly on the case flank. The red counterweights on the two chronograph hands form the silhouette of a fighter aircraft as they come together.