At the 2019 edition of the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie in Geneva, IWC presented a new Spitfire line within the Pilot's Watches collection. Paying tribute to the engineering excellence of the legendary British fighter's designers, all Spitfire watches are powered by IWC-manufactured calibres. The design is inspired by the lines of the Mark 11 instrument watch, a famous navigator's watch made in Schaffhausen for the Royal Air Force from 1948 and used by many of the pilots and navigators in service at the time. The Spitfire, designed by Reginald J. Mitchell, is one of the most sophisticated developments in aviation history. The iconic shape of the British fighter is the result of perfect functional design; its elliptical wings not only make it extraordinarily agile and easy to manoeuvre, but also give it a unique silhouette. The distinctive instrument design of IWC's Pilot's Watches is the result of specific military aviation engineering requirements. "Like the Spitfire, the IWC watch collection of the same name is a perfect blend of form and function. The design is inspired by the pure lines of the legendary Mark 11 navigation watch. This watch demonstrates our engineering expertise, because we have integrated prestigious IWC-manufactured calibres into all Spitfire models," said Christoph Grainger-Herr, CEO of IWC Schaffhausen. Pictured here is one of the new models unveiled by WC at SIHH, namely the Pilot's Watch Timezoner Spitfire Edition "The Longest Fglight" (Ref. IW395501), which combines for the first time the patented Timezoner mechanism with an IWC-manufactured automatic movement. It is being produced in a limited edition of 250 pieces. The 46-millimetre case is made of steel, and it comes with a green textile strap. It is therefore a special edition, dedicated to the 'Silver Spitfire - The Longest Flight' project and was specially developed to accompany pilots Steve Boultbee Brooks and Matt Jones on their round-the-world flight in a Spitfire. The watch can be set to a different time zone by simply rotating the bezel. The hour hand, 24-hour indicator and date automatically rotate at the same time. The 24-hour indicator has been designed as a rotating disc under the dial, which thus comes closer to the glass, making it easier to read. The movement used is the new IWC-manufactured 82760 calibre, which has a Pellaton winding system with wear-resistant ceramic components and a 60-hour power reserve.
