IWC Spitfire Pilot Watches

IWC Portuguese F.A Jones Squelette (Ref. 544205 and Ref. 544206)The IWC Portuguese F.A Jones Squelette skeletonized watch is equipped with a rare Caliber 98910 manual-wind movement, which is based on a vintage pocket watch caliber developed almost 135 years ago.This is not the only IWC Portuguese, which is dedicated to a certain F.A. Jones of Boston, Massachusetts, who founded the International Watch Company back in 1868. Earlier this year, at SIHH 2010 international trade show, the Swiss manufacturer also introduced their IWC Portuguese Tourbillon Manual-Wind watch (Ref. IW5447) that sported an “F.A.Jones” facsimile counterweighting the visual bulkiness of the tourbillon complication.Although, for some a known reason, most blogs tend to pitch the IWC Portuguese F.A Jones Squelette as a “new” watch, it is not so.The model in question was introduced more than five years ago exclusively for IWC Boutiques and was delivered in platinum (50 units, $58,000, Ref. 544205) and red gold (100 units, $43,000, Ref. 544206) versions.The watch is, probably, not selling terribly well, so the Swiss watchmaker’s PR department must have decided to draw some attention to the beautiful timepiece.The watch is powered by the IWC Caliber 98910 hand-wound movement, which, judging by the looks of it, is directly related to the vintage F.A. Jones movement from the 1870s that was the first in the brand’s history and is still used in some of IWC watches. As just about everyone already copy-pasted from IWC’s PR blurb, the movement’s main point of interest is that it employs an elongated index to regulate the balance hairspring.If you are into skeletonized watches and have financial means, then you should probably hurry to get one, since the timepiece is about to become a horological rarity.

Without a doubt the IWC Big Pilot watch is one of the best ultimate sport watches for men on the market today. As a matter of fact, it goes beyond the title of “sports-watch” because it is actually a watch for Pilots. A true Pilots’ Watch – Big, visible, with smooth sweeping movement hand that seems to float in the air. The International Watch Company originally developed the first Pilot watch back in the 1930s but introduced to the general public a few years later. The world’s aviation history tells us that Pilots faced the same problem when it came to measuring the time. They used to rely on over-sized pocket watches to measure time – which was not only difficult but highly inconvenient. IWC designed a watch that would fit on the pilot’s wrist but over his flight suit. The watch was obviously of considerable dimensions with a huge case and highly contrasting but easy to read numerals and luminous hands. The watch also had a rather large wrist leather band.Today, the IWC Big Pilot Automatic watch is a smaller version of the original watch introduced in 1936. Nevertheless, the IWC Big Pilot watch is still a rather massive watch compared with the average wristwatch. This watch is definitively suited for men. The IWC Big Pilot Watch measures 46.2 mm and is available in steel or platinum. Since 2002, the Big Pilot’s Watch has been one of IWC’s most successful flagships. Its in house (IWC made) manufactured 51111 calibre is one of the largest automatic movements (with reason) available anywhere in the world and contains all the features that have proved their worth in the long history of IWC mechanical watches. The 51111 calibre automatic movement generates a power reserve of 8.5 days.Every year IWC produces this magnificent watch limited to only 500 pieces. IWC kept the overall essence of the watch true to the original IWC Pilot’s watch but added a few contemporary touches that fuses tradition with functionality. The IWC Big Pilot Replica Watch “Die Grosse Fliegeruhr” with Automatic Movement and genuine leather strap is available at watch-inc.com with the smallest detail copied. IWC only offers the stainless steel version with a black dial and brown strap leather band as available at watch-inc.com