Some observations on the new Pilot's range

Hello all,

Like many I have been very much looking forward to the new releases this year and have not been disappointed.
Thank you to those on location who have been furnishing us with tempting snippets and pictures.

I absolutely love the new BPs (even the small seconds), the Mark XVIII and the 36mm automatic (albeit too small for my wrist/taste) look fantastic – very true to the genre.

I have noted some other changes too. The new in-house 69000 and 42000 movements, touted to replace some of the non-in-house movements at entry level, Your text to link here... do not seem to have been used in any of the new models. The relatively new cal 52000 only appears in two of the new range.
There remains a nice mix with the majority (15) having IWC manufactured movements but still a good number (9) with IWC modified ETA/Vajoux/Sellita based movements to appeal to a broad market.

Another observation is that the Spitfire chronograph, the pilots watch chronograph and the Le Petit Prince chronograph are now all but identical except for dial and date wheel colour.
They are all in a 43mm x 15mm case and driven by the workhorse 79320 cal - Valjoux based 7750 movement (the spitfire was previously an in-house movement and in a slightly thicker case).
The similarity is recognised by the reference number they all now share – 3777xx

The signature St Exupery numeral font and hand shape on all the LPP variants, except the annual calendar and the double chronograph, has been replaced by the standard pilots’ font and hands.
While this makes for a very nice looking blue pilot’s watch which matches beautifully with the brown calfskin strap, some might see this as too much a departure from the heritage of the St Exupery range, the rest of which retain the traditional characteristics.

The applied markers of the spitfire chronograph have also gone in favour of the standard markers/font but remain on the digital date and month model.

Overall a very nice balance which leaves aficionados spoilt for choice!
Can’t wait to see some in the metal.

Regards

Peter

Regarding the 42000 and 69000 caliber movements, in an interview last July, IWC technical chief Stefan Ihnen mentioned that it would take at least 18 months before these new movements could appear in watches. I guess it means that they will be introduced at SIHH 2017.

Hi Peter, excellent recap and view on the new family of Pilots. I really regret the new Mark 18 and chrono models will not have new movements but i will wait then for Stephan Ihnens department to make it happen next year.
Must be really difficult to get a new movement 100% ready and tested without any defects.
Designing a movement isn`t the problem, maybe not breaching another patent is ?, as they live and breath movements in Schaffhausen. But margin of error is so small, so before a full production run is perfect for the market and working fully up to IWC standard ( 0- +7) it takes this long. Does that also involve new production machines/lines ?
I think modern cars have a shorter design to market cycle ? But much lower tollerances too (in software for example ;-) and they dont last for generations.

Great summary - Highly appreciated!

/Anders

Great thoughts on the new range. I welcome the reduction in size especially the big pilot top gun. Can't wait to see that in person, 48mm a little too big for my 6in wrist, but 46..
Sad to see the changes to the spitfire chrono, which imo are a bit of a downgrade. At least I avoided buyers remorse as I think my 3878 is perfect and hasn't been bested.

Great analysis Peter - thanks!

I'm interested in forum thoughts with relation to the Le Petit Prince font change. Do people think this line up will now continue with standard Pilot font style and the enlarged Arabic font is reserved solely for the Saint Exupéry line?

The consolidation of the 3777 style across Pilot, LPP and Spitfire families is an interesting move. Whilst I'm guessing it makes business sense and brings those models into a more affordable tier for a wider share of the audience, the lack of applied indices, in house movement and raised chapter ring seem to rob the Spitfire of its charm and poise. That said, all three chrono models still look beautiful to my eyes.

Finally, the new Mark XVIII does look more balanced and purposeful with the single date and return of nine and triangle to their original positions. However, to my eyes, the single date window seems to be swimming, adrift if you will, from the line of the numbers. It is saved on the Miramar models by the inner red hour circle.

Minor quibbles though. I think the lineup this year will make a lot of people happy.

Hi Anthony,

Thanks for your comments.
I note the LPP font change has been mentioned in at least one other post.

Personally I have mixed feelings about it. If the 377714 was just called a 'pilot's watch chronograph with blue dial' I'd be really happy and very tempted because it looks fantastic, but calling it a LPP creates an expectation that visually it will retain the features characteristic of that line - incuding the numeral font. When it doesn't the question arises as to whether it still qualifies to be called a LPP.

On the other hand I love my Jacques Cousteau AT even though it is really just an AT chronograph with a blue dial!

I agree that the Spitfire may have lost something in the move away from both applied indices and in-house movement but accept that it may now be attractive to a whole new market.

Perhaps some of the forummers present at SIHH may have gained some insight into the reasons behind the LPP and Spitfire changes.
It would be good to hear if this was discussed or explained.

Regards

Peter

Peter, I agree vey much with your summary.
It's an overwhelming amount of new great watches, but the small details have gone a little bit.
What is really pleasing me the most, because the details here are outstanding, are the LPP Annual Calendar (1st place, very high class, detailed and clean look) and the St. Ex Perpetual in steel (2nd place).
[](media2.iwc.com/site_media/thumbnails/5f/38/IW502701_o5ead9N.5f38d2d152099c2a1d030caa33707afd.jpg)
[](media1.iwc.com/site_media/thumbnails/00/5a/IW502701_Back.005acc271b2aa88b8cca04662c79c4a9.jpg)
[](media3.iwc.com/site_media/thumbnails/fd/bd/IW503801_hAoEqR2.fdbd99d8c2af4e856c02039fbcee299e.jpg)
[](media2.iwc.com/site_media/thumbnails/a2/bb/IW503801_Back.a2bbaf2e3deec1113eb96803ca814de2.jpg)
Love my details too:
[](fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xaf1/v/t1.0-9/12512588_543164192519886_4645774833994739810_n.jpg?oh=b366b7f7f7b9eaf30aba94702b2bcba1&oe=573FC81D&gda=1464295340_549048741d0a51406a614374b80a8551)