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The IWC Pilot’s Watch Double Chronograph is a timepiece of extraordinary technical and stylistic achievement. Calling upon their own original and groundbreaking usage of zirconium oxide (ceramic) dating from 1986, IWC has introduced a new and limited production chronograph which showcases the exceptionally difficult split-seconds complication in a stealthy and exciting rendition.
The Pilot’s Watch Double Chronograph features a case manufactured from zirconium oxide, a material harder, more scratch resistant and many times more expensive than stainless steel. In addition to these attributes, this ceramic material is also completely non-reflective, as suits a watch which may have tactical applications. Subtle contrasts to the black ceramic are provided by the pushpieces and screw-in winding crown, which are made from titanium. The dial’s date wheel, which is shown in an unconventional three-day presentation, effectively evokes the altimeter gauge in an aircraft’s cockpit.
The automatic-winding 79230 movement which is hidden beneath the caseback of the IWC Pilot’s Watch Double Chronograph is a complex mechanism boasting 29 jewels and a 44-hour power reserve. It allows for the usual chronograph operation, as well as an intermediate time measurement which can be activated via the pushpiece at 10 o’clock. This type of chronograph, called a rattrapante, is the most technically demanding of chronograph mechanisms, as well as the most functional. Protected by a soft iron shield, IWC’s caliber 79230 can resist strong magnetic fields. As further testament to the serious nature of this chronograph’s design, the sapphire crystal is painstakingly secured to ensure that drastic changes in air pressure will not cause displacement. Strictly limited to 1000 pieces for the world, the subtle beauty of IWC’s Pilot’s Watch Double Chronograph will be the privilege of only a few connoisseurs and collectors.
