Top Gun Miramar thoughts

With only one new model available in pictures the level of anticipation is high. But the picture gives some clues as to IWC's intentions.

This watch incorporates many of the original hallmarks of Pilot watches and ties them back into the contemporary line.
The dial shows the minutes in the style of the B Uhr watches of the 1940s.
The inside (red) circle numerals were used on many old pilot watches.
The triple date window, always a favorite for me, mimics the cockpit gauges as no other index can.
The hands and sweeping seconds hand pay homage to the Big Pilot.
And the colors and ceramic case let you know that this is not my grandfather's pilot watch.
And, the logo Top Gun has been toned down as it should be.
All in all a tour de force in my opinion.
The more I look at it, the more I like it.
Do you agree with me?
Can't wait to see the rest...

a minor shortcoming for me--as attractive as it is, its modern Mirimar name is at odds with its 1930s-1940s Teutonic WWII aesthetic.

I can't wait to see the rest of the lineup:)

J

@Alan

ME too.

The more and more i see the watch i like it more`and more.
When my wife saw the watch she liked it from the first time.

May favorite is the Big Pilot PPC and I cant wait to see this and the rest.

I hope it is very soon

Regards from Hamburg
Arne

I agree with you and especially love the dial, just don't know if I can afford it! lol

I really like it though and can not wait for the whole "Pilot Line-Up" to be released! I am also very intrigued by the World Time which was mentioned on IWC's press release.

Cheers,

Enezdez

P.S Happy New Year To All!

Different sites are reporting it's 48mm while is 46mm!

This is something IWC should take care of, once the news is given, it's hard to turn minds back and I'm more than sure a lot of people would reconsider their thought about this watch if they knew it's 46.

Just an (sufficiently authoritative) example: forums.timezone.com/index.php?t=tree&goto=5983498&rid=0

One other observation....the 45 is missing but the 9 is present although it is small and red.

my opinion thus far is that this piece is stylistically very bold - and given my recent experience with the red gold BPP, www.iwc.com/forum/en/discussion/39711/, I think pics while creating some interest or a wow, the actual first meeting will be an overwhelming-of-senses experience.

with that casing colour and that strap, and a colourful dial - very very intriguing indeed.

is it just me or is the dial slightly smaller - and the casing thicker ? perhaps to make the ceramic stronger (after so many ceramic Top Gun breaking apart) ?

Alan, excellent comments. I am not a big fan of the Top Gun concept, although I do like the design and materials of this one. I will be more than interested in the BP PPC and Worldtimer references. A Laureus BP would add excitement as well for those of us who like blue dials. : ).

Alan,
Like you, the more I look at it...the more I like it! I think the color scheme is very interesting and has a decidely military look. I am intrigued by the worldtimer watch that was mentioned in the press release. I can't wait to hear first-hand reports and see the pics from SIHH.

You may not have noticed that the Top Gun logo is missing entirely from the side --not just "toned down". That is intentional, and the entire 2012 Top Gun line will only have Top Gun back engravings.

Also --Roberto-- I've written the moderator of that site to correct the misinformation there. It's difficult to deal with incorrect information other than to produce correct info.

Alan,

Great sharing and observations. I also noted one thing... looks like IWC is intending to use in-house movements big time for their new Pilot series.

I wonder if IWC would come up with a new double-chrono movement based on their new chronograph movements...

From past experience I have changed my mind from like-dislike-like a model and vice versa too many times. So I have decided to wait and see the watches, feel and try them and give my verdict.
@Shing, I do remember a couple of TopGuns with broken cases presented here at the Forum not sure that the term "so many" describes the phenomenon.
@Roberto you are right.
@MF Giving away the side TopGun logo is great news.
@Alan I ll have to agree with you on most.

Thank you Michael, in a proportional manner, I'm trying to do the same with people I know because the welcome to this model was highly positive, pointing most of the criticism on the dimensions, so it's crucial to tell the true size and I have no doubt you're working great on this, as usual.

Oh yes I noticed, My toned down comment was "tongue in cheek".
I think this is a big plus especially for buyers outside the US.

I'm big fun of Top Gun concept.
For Miramar, first impression was neutral not a WOW watch.
Like-dislike... don't know yet..
Reason?? Agree with Argiris, I have to wait to see the watch in real.

Can't wait to see what the lume looks like on this watch.

This is quite an exciting watch. It looks tough and sturdy, and all the details fit well together into a unity I like very much. It is quite different from what was in the past. Getting rid of the hours counter hand of the chrono is a nice touch too that I wouldn't have liked even a year ago, but it makes sense: in the fast world we live in we count maybe seconds and minutes, who cares about hours: making a small mental excercise makes you aware that an action took 1 hour, 24 minutes and 7 seconds, not 2 hours, 24 minutes and 7 seconds. I guess the top subdial counts the minutes, and the big seconds hand counts the seconds. The lower subdial will be the ordinary seconds hand. So the 89365 movement, in-house: great!, only needed a minor change of getting rid of the hours counter hand.

Is this watch for me? I don't know, I am not sure I want to be seen with a military looking watch, but it certainly is a wonderful watch very worth while checking out. And then there are those other watches to be shown: gee...

Kind regards,
Paul

Is it just me or would this watch look much more appealing with a black nylon strap instead of the military green one??