IWC has Ceramic in its History and Today in its Pilot’s Watch collection
by Martin Green
Ceramic as a material for cases, bezels, and crowns has now been embraced by many brands, but roughly four decades ago it was still a novelty. Rado was one of the early adaptors, but so was IWC. This started in an era when the brand was, together with Jaeger-LeCoultre, owned by VDO Schindling AG, and the legendary Günter Blümleinwas its CEO. For IWC, it wasn’t an easy time, as the quartz crisis has left its mark. This didn’t stop IWC from looking to the future and continuing to innovate.
In terms of materials, they followed two routes simultaneously. The first one was titanium, and in 1979, they launched their Titanium Chronograph in collaboration with F.A. Porsche. The second was ceramic, which became available in 1986 as an option for the Da Vinci Perpetual Calendar Chronograph.
IWC Da Vinci Perpetual Calendar Ceramic
Zirconium Oxide
IWC’s ceramic story can be put roughly in three chapters. The first is that of Zirconium Oxide, the type of ceramic that IWC used first. It starts as a powder that needs to be fired at very high temperatures. To do so, it is packed tightly into something that is called a pre-blank, to which a binder is added. During the firing, the binder evaporates and then the delicate task of cooling starts.
As you want the polycrystalline structure to stay intact, this phase is equally important as the firing itself. The result is a ceramic blank that is a bond between the elements, oxygen, nitrogen, aluminum, carbon, silicon and, zirconium.
This blank has then to be milled and polished until its final shape.
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IWC Da Vinci Perpetual White Ceramic
In terms of colors, the optionss were limited, and IWC only made black and white for its own collection. As it has a specific expertise in the field of ceramics that only very few other brands could match, Louis Vuitton approached them to make the case of the Monterey II, designed by famous architect Gae Aulenti. It is also made in a greenish black. In terms of shapes, a donut was the strongest.
While a very hard material by itself, zirconium oxide could break, but the chances of breakage were minimized when the shape was as round as possible. That also made the material perfect for the Da Vinci Perpetual Calendar Chronograph.
As there is considerable shrinkage when making these types of ceramic cases, it wasn’t very suitable for other parts of the watch, so IWC only made the middle case segment in ceramic. By combining it with yellow gold hooded lugs, pushers and crown, it made a bold statement.
IWC Pilot’s Watch Fliegerchronograph Ref. 3705
The ceramic Fliegerchronograph Ref.3705 that IWC launched in 1994 was more the opposite, as here the black ceramic case gave the watch an understated look. Then IWC CEO Günter Blümlein was ahead of his time, not only with the developments he initiated within the watch world, but also by the fact that he bought a Fliegerchronograph Ref.3705 as a gift for his wife. That particular watch was auctioned by Philips in 2018, fetching $53,750.
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Colorful ceramics
As time passed, more experience was gained, which, combined with technical innovation, allowed IWC to create colored versions of ceramic. This adds another factor to the production process, as heating the powder makes it change color. This means that you need to get the blend of raw materials just right.
Another challenge is that you need to be able to replicate this with always the same outcome, as the color and the quality of the ceramic need to be consistent.
Whereas in the past it was the IWC Da Vinci collection where ceramic took the spotlight, now it is IWC’s Pilot’s Watch collection where ceramic shines. Various models are available with a black ceramic case, but there are also more colorful options.
IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 Top Gun Mojave Desert_9004
IWC offers its Pilot’s Chronograph 41 Top Gun in both a Mojave Desert as well as an Oceana version. As the name of the first indicates, the ceramic case of this watch has a sand color. With its matching dial, hands, and even Super LumiNova, it has a stealth look that perfectly fits the military theme.
Back of the IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 Top Gun Mojave Desert
A dash of color is added by the titanium crown and pushers, as these parts have too narrow tolerances to be made with ceramic.
IWC Pilot’s Chronograph 41 Top Gun Oceana
The Pilot’s Chronograph 41 Top Gun Oceana offers a bit more contrast, although its ocean blue color is matched by its dial. Light-colored Super LumiNova and printing give it a more casual appearance, much like your favorite pair of jeans, to which the strap is reminiscent.
As the material is light and scratch resistant, ceramic is perfect to make watch cases from, but also the product process stays in your mind when wearing one. It adds an extra technical feature to the mechanical chronographs, and the unique colors make this visible.
IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Top Gun Lake Tahoe
IWC also still makes white ceramic cases . With the Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Top Gun Lake Tahoe, you even get 46.5mm of white ceramic goodness. It is a watch that is rich in contrast, despite only utilizing black and white. With its complex movement, it is the ceramic that gives this Big Pilot’s Watch a high-tech edge, the complete opposite of how perpetual calendar timepieces usually look.
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Ceratanium: the next step
In 2012, IWC started to develop the next step in material innovation, basically uniting the two materials with which they initially made name: ceramic and titanium. After five years, they were able to produce what they call Ceratanium. This is a composite that can be milled and processed like any other titanium alloy, but when you heat it, the top layers turn into ceramic.
This means that you unite the benefits of both materials. It also allows IWC to make much smaller parts from Ceratanium than they could from regular ceramics, as there is no shrinkage.
IWC Ceramic Pilot’s Watches
The brand introduced the material first the first time to the world with the celebration of 50 years of Aquatimer. They immediately went big, as the Ceratanium case of the Aquatimer Perpetual Calendar Digital Date- Month Edition “50 Years Aquatimer” (Ref. 3794) was an impressive 49 millimeters. Thanks to the advantages of this novel material, it was fortunately very light and scratch resistance.
Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Ceratanium
IWC then closed the loop, as in 2021, it made a 1,000-piece limited edition called ‘Tribute to 3705’ (ref.387905). Here, the brand re-envisioned the first Fliegerchronograph with ceramic case, yet now using Ceratanium for the case and also making the crown and pushers from the same material.
While its appearance was quite similar to the original, underneath the Valjoux 7750 was replaced with IWC’s manufacture caliber 69380. While this watch is an ode to IWC’s heritage in ceramic, it is also a showcase for ceramic which has become part of IWC’s DNA.
For more information, please visit:
www.iwc.com/us/en/watch-collections/pilot-watches/iw503008-big-pilots-watch-perpetual-calendar-top-gun-lake-tahoe.html
www.iwc.com/us/en/watch-collections/pilot-watches/iw389402-pilot_s-watch-chronograph-41-top-gun-mojave-desert.html
www.iwc.com/us/en/watch-collections/pilot-watches/iw389404-pilot_s-watch-chronograph-41-top-gun-oceana.html
Quick Facts IWC Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Top Gun Lake Tahoe
Case: 46.5 x 15.5 mm, white ceramic case, screw-down crown, display case back
Movement: automatic Caliber 52616, 168-hour power reserve, 4 Hz/28,800 vph frequency
Functions: hours, minutes, (hacking) seconds, perpetual calendar with date, day, month, four-digit year, and moon phase on both hemispheres
Price: $40,900
Quick Facts IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 Top Gun Mojave Desert
Case: 41.9 x 15.5 mm, sand ceramic case, screw-down crown, soft-iron inner case
Movement: automatic Caliber 69380, 46-hour power reserve, 4 Hz/28,800 vph frequency
Functions: hours, minutes, (hacking) seconds, chronograph, day date
Price: $11,700
Quick Facts IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 Top Gun Oceana
Case: 41.9 x 15.5 mm, blue ceramic case, screw-down crown, soft-iron inner case
Movement: automatic Caliber 69380, 46-hour power reserve, 4 Hz/28,800 vph frequency
Functions: hours, minutes, (hacking) seconds, chronograph, day date
Price: $11,700
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