All,
As the press releases are being distributed for next week's Baselworld, another company is trying to steal IWC's thunder as having the "Real Topgun" watches.
Does anyone know what the real story is? I would think that IWC had secured the rights to these names as they have had top gun watches for several years?
As has been pointed out to me it is considered a lower favored brand but none the less will be confusing in the marketplace.
Kevin
Just looked up the press releases and images. No idea what the story is, but certainly seems a bit amateurish on their part to feel the need to say 'REAL Top Gun...' and such things as '100% high performance movement' (what as opposed to 75%???). All this aside, the IWC offerings are certainly much more elegant and sophisticated; the design approach IWC uses when featuring their various associations is much more subtle as it should be... after all there's are all fine timepieces. Best, Thang
I agree 100% with your comments, my point is it may cause confusion in the marketplace, and I don't understand why they did it as IWC carved out this spot two years back. Why get into a marketing tussle over this? Go to the air force and do the Blue Angeles or something.
Kevin
I don't understand why Breitling is trying to steal IWC's thunder on this one. Surely, their tie in with Bentley should be enough sponsorship.
Maybe there is a back story which some Forum member can relate to us?
Hi All,
Whilst I am not a fan of most Breitling's and only have IWC's - including a 3799 TopGun which I love, could it be possible that IWC stole Breitling thunder here?
Looking back through time, IWC are not the only manufacturers to have released a TopGun watch - Breitling released one based on their Navitimer 92 between 1992 and 1996 - some time before IWC released it's TopGun range.
Might be best to do a little more research before saying that someone else is stealing IWC's thunder in this case.
Cheers,
Ben
unbelievable that a brand copies a name like this.
Though not a fan of adding a name to any watch (like amg etc etc) I have the feeling IWC is copied many times ilk:
- black watches
- large watches
- Titanium
- dive technologies
- design
- pilot watches.... and the list goes on
Well every good artist has copied someone. We all do. We call it inspiration.
The art is to copy someone without making it look like a copy or else openly confess that you copy as a hommage to another artist or brand as long as you just don't violate any laws regarding this subject.
I am all against the kind copying where you take an object and make a new one exactly like it only with small alterations.
I am quite sure that none of the mentioned companies are allowed to use the 'Topgun' name without having made a contract with the American Naval Airforce.
Mike
Divers models, pilot models, titanium model?
Rolex Oyster HW 1926 and auto in 1931
Seen an Omega WW1 pilot model and over 50mm with accompanying advert
First Titanium watch claimed by Citizen in 1970
That is of course all after the IWC models which were??
Given how everything from furniture to jewellery was in black after Queen Victoria's husband died it would not surprise me to find a black dialled watch came about from that era or even before.
And IWC association with TG was after Breitlings.
What were IWC first to come up with exactly out of the claimed list?
Of course Breitling had previous Top Gun models.
But when you base the new Pilot line for 2012 on the Top Gun theme I would hope that at least for that year the arrangement would be exclusive.
It would be hard for me to search IWC's private files on this. That's why I asked whether anyone had more information. ;0)
On the Dutch Wikipedia site on Breitling was mentioned that IWC made the first wrist watch, in 1899, and that Breitling was impressed by it.
The watches that I like need to have character, presence; it is about the watch foremost, its quality. Being first in the far past is nice for the history books, and maybe for the marketing department.
I cannot imagine that both companies, IWC (Richemont) and Breitling didn't check on the use of the name Top Gun, didn't cover its use by contracts. So I am quite curious what is going to happen here: if one party has to withdraw the use of this name it will incur a huge financial and image loss.
Kind regards,
Paul
On the English Wikipedia "History of time keeping devices" the first wrist watch is credited to PP in 1868 but as ladies Bracelet watches.
Where the truth lies I don't know!!
I do not understand why any watch manufacturer would choose to identify one of its models with a school for fighter pilots, when the watch (measuring time) is irrelevant in air to air combat.
Traditional air to air combat (dogfight) lasts a very short time, during which no pilot in his right mind will be looking at his watch, unless he wants to know the exact time of his demise.
Associating a pilot's watch line with an airline, an air force bomber squadron, an emblematic airplane, etc, would be a much better idea, imho.
Totally agree !
Regards
HEBE
In order for the other brand to steal IWC's thunder, it was necessary they release the watch first...they did not! Br* appears to be the 'wannabe'.
Jim, evidently the association of Breitling and TG goes back to the 1990's, if that is correct then IWC are the ones who came second.
Whilst ferreting around I saw an article lifted from a magazine referring clearly to an IWC press release stating the IWC Porsche design 1980 being the first titanium watch, earlier today I had read about a titanium model from one manufacture from 1970 and another for a Seiko model from 1975! Both dates are pre IWC's 1980 by my Calender system!!
If we or IWC want to keep banding myths as facts then we devalue the brand and appear foolish, especially when we repeat what has already been pointed out as incorrect.
Too many speculating about Titanium and IWC !
It was the FIRST Titanium Chrono.
Regards
HEBE
Hebe, The IWC PD Chrono may have been the first Ti Chrono but what has been claimed in the above posts and in the reported article I saw made no mention of the chrono qualification to being the first. Chronos had been around for many decades and Ti whilst recent and possibly rare combining the two and claiming it as a first created a totally incorrect claim as the word chronograph disappeared from the claim very quickly.
Well, I do understand. I didn't see a picture of a fighter pilot with such a watch (maybe I missed it), nor did I read a story by IWC, claiming that such a watch should be worn by a fighter pilot (maybe I missed that too). Great looking watches that look military too are connected to military flying, it is that connection that some buyers of watches might like. Like other watches, that are connected to Italy 60 years ago, or are connected to football: nobody would suggest that the football players wear that watch during the game, trying to check out the remainder of the match time. Whether such a connection is silly or not depends on the success rate, that is, the amount of watches sold. My guess is that IWC has a very strong case here.
Kind regards,
Paul