IWC Schaffhausen completes the Mark XX collection with new versions in stainless steel. The full line-up now includes black, blue, and green dial variations. The watches are available either with calfskin straps or with a new high-grade five-link stainless steel bracelet, which is highly comfortable to wear. The Mark XX is the latest addition to the Mark series. These models hark back to the legendary Mark 11 developed for the British Royal Air Force in 1948.
Release details and commentary in italics.
IWC’s Mark XX edition
The watch is priced at US$5250 on leather and US$6150 on bracelet.
Commentary
The IWC Mark XX is a highly wearable military timepiece with simplicity and functionality at its core. It has 120 hours power reserve which is significantly more than the average 3 days movement today. You may recall that the designers took their inspiration from the 1930s Junkers Ju 52 cockpit instruments, which have served as the model for classic pilot’s watches. The displays are round, generously sized and clearly arranged. The Arabic figures, big and round, stand proudly in position, with just two exceptions: instead of a “12”, we see a white triangle with a single dot on either side for better legibility, and at “3 o’clock” a date window, as a concession to modernity. The 40mm watch is well sized without being bulky at 10.8mm, uses contrasting dial and displays come very close to the ideal of the classic pilot’s watch.
Release details
The fascination with Pilot’s watches is rooted in their functional, purist design in the style of an easy-to read cockpit instrument. Moreover, the unique history of these timepieces continues to inspire people today. IWC’s Pilot’s watches were initially conceived as precision instruments for celestial navigation. Pilots used them with a sextant to determine their position during visual flights. Hardly any other model embodies this history like the Mark from IWC. The latest addition to the series is the Pilot’s Watch Mark XX. It continues the lineage started by the Mark 11, a precise and anti magnetic instrument watch IWC developed in 1948 for pilots and navigators of the British Royal Air Force and which remained in service well until the 1980s.
The Pilot’s Watch Mark XX (Ref. IW3282) features a robust and corrosion-resistant stainless steel case with a diameter of 40 mm and improved lug ergonomics. The high-contrast dial with white numerals and indices displays the triangular index at 12 o’clock, which has become a signature design detail of IWC’s Pilot’s watches. Luminous elements on the dial and the rhodium-plated hands ensure great readability in all lighting conditions.
The new reference is equipped with the IWC-manufactured 32111 calibre. This newly engineered automatic movement uses a bidirectional pawl winding system to build up a power reserve of 120 hours. In addition, the front glass of the watch is specially secured against sudden drops in air pressure. Another practical feature is IWC’s EasX-CHANGE® quick-change system*, which allows to change the strap or bracelet easily without needing additional tools. Furthermore, the Mark XX is now certified as water-resistant to 10 bars, making it the perfect companion for any adventure.
Following the introduction of the Pilot’s Watch Mark XX in stainless steel with a black or blue dial (Ref. IW328201 and IW328203), IWC now completes the collection with four new references:
• Ref. IW328202: stainless steel case, black dial, rhodium-plated hands, stainless steel bracelet • Ref. IW328204: stainless steel case, blue dial, rhodium-plated hands, stainless steel bracelet • Ref. IW328205: stainless steel case, green dial, rhodium-plated hands, brown calfskin strap • Ref. IW328206: stainless steel case, green dial, rhodium-plated hands, stainless steel bracelet
The Pilot’s Watch Mark XX is available immediately through IWC boutiques, authorised retail partners or online at IWC.com. Additionally, it is eligible for registration under the My IWC care program, benefitting from a 6-year extension to the standard 2-year International Limited Warranty.
