Tag: IWC

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High Quality IWC Pilot’s Replica Watch Chronograph Top GunMiramar

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For a quick overview/ history of the Top Gun Miramar replica watches, click on the link above.

The new chronograph looks pretty much as it did before, but as with the non-chronograph version this new chronograph is also now smaller, with its ceramic case now measuring 44mm.

Well along with this, they also released a new Top Gun Miramar Chronograph which we had on loan for a few days and had the opportunity to wear and photograph.You may recall an earlier post about one of IWC’s new pilot’s replica watches for 2016, the Mark XVIII Top Gun Miramar.

There is also a hacking seconds feature on the small seconds at 6 o’clock. The pushers are titanium.Functionally, you can see a combined hour and minute counter/ totaliser at 12 o’clock, a simplified date display which I think looks better than the previous look, and of course the chronograph is flyback.

The new Chronograph Top Gun Miramar also features a soft-iron inner case for protection against magnetic fields and a screw-down crown and the sapphire crystal is secured against displacement by a drop in air pressuer. Water resistance is 60m (6 bar).

The Top Gun logo is now discreetly engraved on the solid case back, as opposed to the more colourful print used in the past, a change I rather like. Inside is the automatic Calibre 89361 with a 68-hour power reserve.

As with the previously blogged new Miramar, this also comes with an embossed black or green calfskin strap, the latter looking remarkably like fabric.

With such a strong colour dominance to the Miramar pieces from the dial to the strap, versatility is something that I have been asked about. Rather unexpectedly, I found that I have a surprising amount of clothing and accessories that matched it, and can tell you that despite very much being a sporty replica watch yes it can be dressed up. For those like myself who seem to tend towards black/ white for sports dials, spending a few days with a Miramar for the first time (all previous Miramar experiences having been more fleeting) showed me that after a few days, it’s really easy to develop an affinity for a differently coloured dial.

For those of you who have wanted a Miramar but whose wrists haven’t been able to feel totally comfortable with the larger sizing, this latest size reduction by IWC will be good news. The replica watch wears like a 43-44mm and the smaller size makes it so much accessible. I was particularly drawn to the strap both in terms of textures and comfort. It’s a great looking strap.

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IWC Replica

Replica IWC Portofino MonopusherChronograph Hands On

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Debuting at Elegant Replica Watches & Wonders 2015, IWC released a new Portofino Monopusher Chronograph which we had the opportunity to see in Hong Kong. Available in either red gold (with white dial) or a rather handsome white gold (with gray-brown dial), inside resides the manual-wind Calibre 59360 with an eight day power reserve. The chronograph function has been built on top of the base movement which is also found IWC’s Portugiser eight day model.

Visible through the open case back, the movement features 36 jewels and a mainplate with circular graining, bevelled edges and Geneva stripes.

You will note the centre elapsed-seconds hand, a minute sub dial at 12 o’clock for the chronograph function, date at 3 o’clock, constant small seconds at 6 o’clock, and a power reserve indicator between 8 o’clock and 9 o’clock.

Both models feature delicate gold leaf-shaped hands, and applied gold hour markers. The white dial model has a great clean look to it that is quintessentially IWC, but I like the elegant dressiness of the moody dark dial.

Measuring 45mm with a thickness of 13 mm, the red gold version (Ref.IWC515104) comes on a Santoni brown alligator leather strap with matching pin buckle and the white gold model (Ref.IWC155103) comes on a gray strap.

[Horologium attended Replica Watches & Wonder 2015 at the invitation of Richemont Australia]

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IWC Replica

PHOTOS : Replica IWC’s Portugieser Yacht Club – something old, somethingnew

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As most of you will know by now, 2015 is IWC’s year of the Portugieser.

As you all know 2015 is IWC’s year of the Portugieser, with a new collection having been launched at SIHH 2015 to celebrate its 75th anniversary that included an Annual Calendar (their first) containing a new movement, the Cal. 52850, and with which we spent a few ‘on the wrist’ days a little while ago. You can read about that experience, and our thoughts at this link.

Today it’s about the Portugieser Yacht Club Chronograph. A model first launched in 2010, this newer version uses the same IWC Calibre 89361 with its 68-hour power reserve.

As mentioned in this recent post about a 1970s Yacht Club, the first of the Yacht Clubs, the Yacht Club Automatic, was launched at the Baselworld 1967. Inside the original Yacht Club was the Calibre 8541 with date display and Pellaton bi-directional winding system. The stainless steel Yacht Club was water resistant to 100m and 60m for the gold version, via a crown mechanism that automatically tightened the seals as water pressure increased.

The new Yacht Club Chronograph is smaller, down from 45.4mm to 43.5mm. In wrist terms, that’s actually quite a difference. Heightwise, the new model is 14.5mm. With the (flyback) automatic IWC Calibre 89361 inside and a case water-resistant to 6 bar (part of its ‘sporty’ bit), the Portugieser Yacht Club Chronograph is the only Portugieser model with lumed hands and indices and comes on a rubber strap to complete the sports look.

Available in stainless steel with a slate-coloured (Ref. IW390503) or silver-plated (Ref. IW390502) dial and in 18 carat red gold with a silver-plated dial (Ref. IW390501), we had the second of these for a few days to test drive.

The dial features a railway track style chapter ring with lumed hour indices and polished Arabic numerals. The outer ring is a 60-second chronograph scale for the red chronograph seconds hand.

Note the chronograph function sub dial at 12 o’clock. It is totaliser-style, indicating both elapsed hours and minutes on the one sub dial. display that uses one dial to indicate both elapsed hours and minutes.

As mentioned above, we took a look at a 1970s Yacht Club not too long ago, and thought it might be fun to take a photo of these relatives together.

Of course they are quite different; each was created for different eras and thus different markets for starters, but they do share certain attributes at a glance – both have been created to be very practical sturdy replica watches with no extra frills, but also to be slightly dressy (and in that, versatile from a ‘wearing’ point of view) as well. You can wear these both dressed up and dressed down.

The red gold version (Ref. IWC 390501) is an entirely different proposition, since making it red (or rose) gold makes it more dress and less ‘yacht’/ ‘sports’ replica watch almost by default. However, we live in an age where sports replica watches are red or rose gold and are worn with suits and people like to have choices of metal, so two options satisfy this.

Australian prices for the three models are as follows :

Ref. IW390501 RRP: $31,500

Ref. IW390502 RRP: $16,400

Ref. IW390503 RRP: $16,400

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IWC Replica

ON THE WRIST : Replica IWC Portugieser AnnualCalendar

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At SIHH 2015 IWC released the Portugieser Annual Calendar, their first such complication and one about which we wrote at this link.

With thanks to IWC Australia we recently had the opportunity of having one of these new Annual Calendars for a few days, and took the chance to take it on a whirlwind tour of one or two places of note before our final destination of the sun dial at the Botanic Gardens (more on that later).

Having the choice of more than one dial/ metal combination we selected this one and not the blue dial because the blue seems to have had more coverage, but having seen both colours, the choice of this one ended up unexpectedly changing our views about certain aspects of this replica watch. But more on that later.

Firstly, let’s recap.

THE REPLICA WATCH

This year sees the celebration of the Port’s 75th birthday, and amongst the pieces released to mark this occasion is a new Annual Calendar, Ref. 5035. The first such complication in its repertoire, it is intended to fill in that gap between the perpetual calendar and the rest of the cheap replica watch pack. For those unfamiliar with this complication an annual calendar, unlike a perpetual calendar, will need to be adjusted on leap years.

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Containing the new IWC-manufactured Calibre 52850 with a seven day power reserve, the design of the dial has proven to be one of its biggest talking points since its release. With the month, date and day in three separate semi-circular apertures at 12 o’clock, it is very symmetrical, very balanced. The month/ date/ day sequence aka ‘American’ style, is a nod to founder F.A. Jones.

At 44.2mm and a thickness of 15.mm it is bigger than the Portugieser Automatic, which is 42.3mm with a thickness of 14mm. It comes in three models : two steel ones with either a midnight blue or silver-plated dial, and an 18k red gold on with a silver-plated dials.

SPECIFICATIONS

Features
– Power reserve display
– Annual calendar with displays for the date, day and month
– Small hacking seconds at 9 o’clock
– Glucydur® beryllium alloy indexless balance with high-precision adjustment screws on balance rim
– Breguet spring
– See-through sapphire-glass back
– Rotor with 18-carat gold medallion
– Glass: sapphire, arched edge, antireflective coating on both sides
– Water-resistant: 3 bar
– Diameter: 44.2 mm
– Case height: 15.3 mm

Movement : IWC-manufactured calibre 52850
– Frequency: 28,800 A/h / 4 Hz
– Jewels: 36
– Power reserve: 7 days (168 h)
– Winding: automatic

Ref. IW503501: case in stainless steel, silver-plated dial, black alligator leather strap, folding clasp in stainless steel

Ref. IW503502: case in stainless steel, midnight blue dial, black alligator leather strap, folding clasp in stainless steel

Ref. IW503504: case in 18-carat red gold, silver-plated dial, black alligator leather strap, folding clasp in 18-carat red gold

ON THE WRIST

As mentioned at the outset, one of the reasons for choosing this model was the dial colour. One of the subjects that has come up a bit about this replica watch has been the size and dominance, space wise, of the apertures. Some people have expressed a dislike of this.

On the blue dialled model they are indeed rather striking, in large part due to the contrasting colour of the background, and not to everyone’s taste. However, what the two of us who spent some time with this piece can say based on our experience over that time is that the silver-dialled one is an entirely different proposition and may just change your mind about the windows, if that has been your concern. It had been ours.

For us, silver dial > blue dial. The IWC blue is one for which it is known and has many admirers. A few years ago I met an American collector whose special focus is blue-dialled IWCs, and I know there is a great deal of affection for it. However, for this replica watch at least, the silver-dialled version just seems that little bit more ‘clean’ and thus perhaps that little bit more elegant, essentially because the apertures blend in.

Sizing. For those who are familiar with the classic Portugieser 7 Days, to compare with a popular model that many of you are most likely to have seen, it is not too big a leap in terms of comfort on the wrist. Slightly more heft, but not enough to worry about it being a ding magnet. In terms of the ‘overall build’, as they say, it is solid, the case and dial nicely finished.

Where is an Annual Calendar most at home? With a sundial, of course.

This Armillary sphere sundial is situated in the Herb Garden of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney. Cast from silicon bronze, is is 2.4m high, 1.8m in diametre and weighs 1.5 tonnes. The four cardinal points of the compass are marked at the four feet that support the meridional, equatorial and horizontal rings of the sphere.

Cast in 1993 by Margaret Folkard and John Ward of Sundails Australia, the hours from 6am to 6 pm are marked with 10 minute divisions on the inside of the equatorial ring. The most charming thing about it is its nod to its placement in the herb garden

As to the accuracy of the sundial…

CONCLUSION

With looks that are quintessentially Portugieser, an annual calendar is a nice addition into that family’s mix for those who want a calendar complication from IWC but for whom a perpetual is either not what they want or more likely, not within budget. However, the looks of the two different dials are that marked that we would encourage you to look at both the blue and silvered dials.

For those whose response to the new annual calendars has been somewhat ambivalent based on the photographs that they’ve seen of it, this is a replica watch that may just surprise you ‘in the metal’. On the flipside, some have found it sitting bigger than they had anticipated, so as always our advice is to go to an AD or boutique and try one on for size.

The Australian RRP for thie Ref: IW503501 (stainless case/ silver-plated dial)is $29,100.

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IWC Replica

PHOTOS : a 1970s Replica IWC YachtClub

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Although it is a name that has perhaps become less known to contemporary replica watch enthusiasts, the ‘Yacht Club’ moniker forms an important part of IWC’s history.

The original Yacht Club Automatic was launched at the Baselworld 1967. With its focus on precision, utility, and durability as well as its design, it has endured as an example of sports-dressy case design from the period. One of its best-selling features was a shock system involving spring suspension with rubber bumpers for the movement, thus ‘isolating’ it, a major innovation for the brand. The Yacht Club also became its most popular line during that time, and for modern collectors and enthusiasts who are keen on emblematic replica watches from that period, it is a popular and price-accessible choice.

Inside the original Yacht Club was the Calibre 8541 with date display and Pellaton bi-directional winding system. The stainless steel Yacht Club was water resistant to 100m and 60m for the gold version, via a crown mechanism that automatically tightened the seals as water pressure increased.

There were a variety of Yacht Club models – automatic with no date, a few manual-wind models with the Calibre 89 amongst others, covering all price points, and in 1977 IWC introduced the 38mm Yacht Club II, which was mostly quartz (in keeping with the period) and had a screw-down crown that wasn’t present in its predecessors. The Yacht Club II was retired in 1985 and then other collections became more of a priority for IWC until SIHH 2010 when they brought the Yacht Club name back but in the Portuguese line, as a flyback chronograph which has the IWC Calibre 89360 with its 68-hour power reserve and 600m water resistance.

Today’s example dates from c.1973 and has an anti-magnetic inner case. In a stainless steel case with silver dial and applied baton markers, it has the automatic Calibre 8541 movement. The case is 36mm and has a domed plexi atop. What is special about this piece is that it still has the original strap and IWC buckle. Not only this, but it was a gift, presented to its owner in 1973 in recognition of 25 years at Schafenhausers Strickmaschinenfabrik. For a replica watch of this age it has been kept in remarkable condition, its edges still sharp and nary a mark.

This is a lovely example of the solid no-nonsense replica watches for which that period was known. As its owner points out, vintage Yacht Clubs are collectible and desirable, but seen as less so than vintage Ingenieurs, which have had a more glamorous lineage. This is reflected in its pricing, but it also makes them what he calls “a relative bargain” and something worth considering for those who wish to get into vintage IWCs and are on a tighter budget. For those without a particular interest in the movement aspects, they are also good looking replica watches that are evocative of the design codes of that period.

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IWC Replica

HANDS-ON :Replica IWC’s Deep Three divewatch

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Horologium was recently invited by IWC to attend the Australian launch of this year’s Aquatimer collection, whose worldwide launch was at SIHH 2014 in January. As I am covering the event for another publication, I’ll not be covering it on the blog, although you will find some photos from the day on the Horologium instagram account.

The first part of the Sydney launch was a ‘scuba diving experience’, during which participants were given an Aquatimer to wear. I ended up with an Aquatimer Automatic, but today’s post is about the replica watch that I’d fantasised about the possibility of wearing for the occasion but which, due to its rather limited production status, unfortunately was not available for us to even play with as a desk diver– the Deep Three.

The Deep Three is, as the name indicates, the third of series of mechanical depth gauge diver’s replica watches. The first was the GST Deep One (1999) and the second, the Aquatimer Deep Two (2009). Like the internal/ external ‘Safe Dive’ bezel system in the Aquatimer collection, the depth gauge on the Deep Three is the latest chapter of IWC’s dive replica watch development. During a dive, the blue depth indicator moves to show current dive depth, whilst the red  indicator remains at the maximum depth attained, down to a maximum of 50 meters.

The Deep Three’s case is made of titanium, measuring 46mm x 16.5mm. Apart from the depth gauge, the basic features of the Deep Three are a date display, hacking seconds, two-tone SuperLuminova luminescent hands (depth, dive time, minute and seconds displays in green, hour hand and indices are blue), screw-in crown, the SafeDive system of course, engraved caseback, and IWC’s quick-change strap system. Inside is the automatic IWC calibre 30120 with a forty-two hour power reserve.

The pressure metering system of the depth gauge is housed in a pressure converter/ crown case at 9 o’clock. There are micro holes in the convertor’s cover, so that when water pressure acts on the membrane it pushes a pin towards the interior of the case. This moves the gauge’s two indicators – as mentioned, the blue depth indicator moves to show current dive depth, the red maximum depth indicator remains at the maximum depth attained during the course of the dive.

The reset button for the maximum depth indicator is at 2 o’clock. The titanium cover at 4 o’clock conceals the sliding clutch mechanism for the new rotating bezel system. The internal rotating bezel, which engages in precise one-minute intervals, can only be moved anticlockwise.

Oh and of course we must not forget the water resistance – 10 bar.

Thanks to its titanium case, the 46mm Aquatimer Deep Three feels far less bulky than its size would indicate, and it feels like somewhere between a 44-46mm on the wrist.

It was the centre of IWC attention in Geneva, and it’s obvious why. It’s a funky, legible and practical piece of high-end dive replica watchmaking.

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IWC Replica

A look at replica IWC’s Calibre83

Having blogged about IWC’s classic Calibre 89, today I go a step back from that and look at an example of their Calibre 83, introduced in 1939 and generally understood to be a transitional calibre between pocket replica watches and wrist replica watches.

IWC’s manual winding calibre 83 was produced in the 1930s to 1940s, and layout closely resembled the IWC pocket replica watch calibres of the same era, Cal.95 and Cal.98. One of the major alterations that was made to it during its life was the addition of Incabloc shock resistance when it was redesigned for use in the Mark X military replica watch.

Although not as popular as the Calibre 89, and certainly less readily available, it forms an important part of this collector’s vintage IWC collection.

In comparing the Calibre 89 with the Caliber 83, the most obvious difference is the seconds display. For me, I probably tend towards the 89, aesthetically. For some who collect these calibres, they prefer them in their military issued form of Mark XI for the Cal.89 and W.W.W. for the Cal.83.

Both movements were utilised for many dress replica watches. This example is a 35mm 18ct gold replica watch from c.1945. It is in pretty good condition but is showing its age just a bit on the dial’s patina, though this is pretty much inevitable in a replica watch of this age, and part of its charm.

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IWC Replica

Replica IWC’s classic movement – the Calibre89

A lot happened at IWC in 1944. An American squadron bombed them on April 1 during an air raid on Schaffhausen, there was the appearance of IWC’s first W.W.W. (Watch. Wrist. Waterproof) replica watches for the British Army, and also the arrival of Albert Pellaton from Vacheron Constantin as Technical Director.

Somehow, amidst this and the ruins of post war Europe, Pellaton worked on his first design, the manual winding calibre 89 movement, which was launched two years later. Simple, robust and reliable, it proved to be representative of the times and a success because of its no-nonsense durability.

The genesis of the Calibre 89 was IWC’s calibre 83, introduced in 1939 and generally understood to be a transitional calibre between pocket replica watches and wrist replica watches. It proved to be one of the brand’s stalwarts, used  through to the early 1990s. It found its way into replica watches such as the Mark XI (1947) and the Yacht Club, but today’s examples of this calibre are very much civilian. The Cal.89 found its way into a huge variety of cases and designs.

At 35mm and 36mm respectively, these replica watches may seem small to those used to contemporary sizes that are closer to the 40mm mark, but their designs are very classical and arguably s a perfect dress replica watch size on the wrist. My personal preference is for the 1960s rose gold version, which is just stunning, especially those lugs.  I was told by a replica watchmaker that in Portugal, it’s referred to  as a ‘biscuit case’. The stainless steel one is from a decade later and, because of the metal, perhaps more in the workmanlike spirit of the first post war Calibre 89s.

One of the reasons that the owner of these replica watches so values this calibre is that its centre second movement was designed from ground up rather than adding an extra wheel to convert from a small seconds to centre second, which is not uncommon for cost efficiency reasons.

If you are interested in getting an example of this important IWC calibre, it’s worthwhile taking the time to look around and do some research. The sheer breadth of the styles means that it’s worth the wait to get exactly the right one for you.

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IWC Replica

IWC 2012 Pilot’s replica watches : hands-on with the Miramar Worldtimer

At SIHH 2012, IWC’s presence was the most talked about, the rather humbly named ‘booth’ a no-cost-spared (partial) reproduction of an aircraft carrier, complete with flight deck, officers’ briefing room, pilots’ locker room, and even a flight deck control room.

Their booth represented their focus of this year’s releases, IWC’s highly successful 70 year old Pilots’ Collection, with a reworking of existing models and a focus on the five new TOP GUN models, especially two ‘Miramar’ models : the Big Pilot TOP GUN Miramar, and the Chronograph TOP GUN Miramar.

Marine Corps Air Station Miramar (MCAS Miramar) is a United States Marine Corps installation that is home to the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing located in Miramar, San Diego. The air station is best known as the former location of the United States Navy Fighter Weapons School (NFWS) and its TOPGUN training program, which relocated to Naval Air Station Fallon in western Nevada and merged into the Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center (NSAWC).

Last week, I was given the opportunity to take a look at some of these new IWC models, and two of them stood out for me.

First up is the Pilot’s Replica Watch Chronograph TOP GUN Miramar has (Ref. IWC501902).

At 48mm and with a height of 15mm, this is not a small replica watch. The dark grey ceramic case is polished, with a titanium caseback, which is matched in the buckle for the strap. With their largest in-house calibre the 51111 inside, there is a 7-day power reserve, with the display at 3 o’clock.

When the two MIRAMAR models were launched, people seem to be quite divided about how they felt about them. One of the things that has been mentioned has been the size. A 48mm replica watch sounds far too large for most people but to me, this one seemed to sit smaller than a 48mm, feeling almost like a 46mm.

The polished case gives it quite a noticeable sheen which perhaps to some degree, is at odds with the rest of the replica watch; I would probably prefer a matte case, as has been used before by IWC. Another issue that people have been talking about has been the colour scheme on the dial. I found the military-styled dial and colouring of this replica watch quite different ‘in the metal’ to photos. In fact the colouring you see in this photo looks a bit different to how it looks in natural light. What did surprise me about this model is that I felt more positively disposed to it after seeing it.  It looks better than it does in photos, but it’s not a discreet replica watch, in terms of size and colouring. Of the two MIRAMAR models, I prefer this one, as the date window on the chronograph is of the three-dates-visible type, which I’m not that keen on.

Next up is the Pilot Worldtimer (Ref. IWC326201) with its 24-hour ring and featuring 23 locations on the outer ring. It is housed in a 45mm (13.5mm high) stainless steel case inside which is the automatic Cal. 30750 movement, which has a power-reserve of 42 hours. The seconds are hacking and there is a 6 bar water resistance.

In the photo below, the UTC (current Universal Time Coordinate) is set for London. For cities which are on daylight saving time, the time can be read below the dot linked to the city name with a line. If local time is changed on the dial, the time shown by the 24-hour ring remains unaffected and the movement continues to tick along during the change.

This is a good solid functional world timer. There are no unnecessary bells and whistles, you get exactly what the name states. As I mentioned above, the ‘three date’ style of window is not my preference, especially for a dial that’s already quite busy, but the use of a red marker does the date easy to see at a glance.

I often mention how a luxury replica watch sits on the wrist, as many of us will read a size and mentally make a decision as to whether it’s excluded from consideration because it’s too big/ small. It’s not always that easy. I’ve seen replica watches that are 45mm sit more comfortably than ones that are 42mm, for example. This 45mm Worldtimer is one of those 45mm replica watches that seems to sit smaller than its size. If you’re looking for a world timer and like the look of IWC’s one but are unaccustomed to wearing such a large replica watch, I’d suggest that you test it at a retailer, you might be surprised.

This final replica watch wasn’t in the SIHH 2012 pilots’ releases, but here it is, because it’s an attractive replica watch, and part of the current collection. The Portofino Chronograph Laureaus Sport for Good Foundation edition (Ref. IWC391019) is IWC’s sixth Laureus collaboration, with the dial the Laureaus blue, representing hope.

A classic Portofino chronograph designwise, it’s a comfortable 42mm and 13.5mm high, with the Cal. 75320 and a 44-hour power reserve. As well as the blue dial and matching blue alligator strap, the other distinguishing feature is the engraved caseback relating to the Laureaus Foundation. It’s produced in a limited edition of 2,500 and not a bad looking attractive replica watch; the blue is quite deep and discreet and for its size, it feels almost like a 40mm replica watch.

Here are some final shots of some of the other 2012 IWC releases.


Many thanks to Ching and The Hour Glass in Sydney for the opportunity to have a look at these new models.