Now I want you to visualize what I am about to tell you. You are driving in a big old V8 from Las Vegas to Grand Canyon. 70s music is playing on the radio. While the V8’s hum mixes with the sound of the wind, your eye catches the watch on your left arm hanging out of the window. On the one hand, the vast desert landscape, on the other hand, IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Top Gun Edition “Mojave Desert” (Ref. IW389103) trying to camouflage itself in this fascinating landscape.
The Mojave Desert, which is named after the local people who lived in the area, is also home to America’s largest open-air museum, Edwards Air Base and China Lake Air Guns Station.
The Replica IWC Top Gun version we have here, which takes the color theme from the beige tone that dominates the Mojave Desert, also benefits from the technical advantages of the ceramic case. Measuring 44.5mm x 15.7mm, the case is equipped with an anti-glare treated domed sapphire crystal on the front face and a solid titanium case back at the rear face. As it is an aviation-themed model, water resistance is limited to 60 meters only, while additional resistance to sudden pressure drops is provided. Thanks to the miniature Faraday Cage around the movement, the model is anti-magnetic.
The dial is made in dark brown tones, which are highly compatible with the case. The dial, which offers optimum legibility under every condition thanks to the Super LumiNOVA coated indexes and hands, provides a sporty image with the Tri-Compax chronograph layout and day/date windows. The crown and chronograph pushers are made of titanium, such as the back cover.
IWC uses the in-house automatic Caliber 69380 in Top Gun chronograph models. In fact, I think this move is strategic for a brand in the upper segment. Offering a manufacture movement with various upgrades instead of the good old ETA Valjoux 7750 will surely attract most of the watch enthusiasts. The downside of the model may be its solid case back, which prevents the beautifully finished movement to be enjoyed. 33 jewels movement beats at a frequency of 4Hz (28.800vph) and offers a power reserve of 46 hours when fully wound. Functions are hours, minutes, seconds, day date and a 12-hour chronograph.
The dimensions and features of the watch are so carefully arranged that you suddenly assign a meaning to that object on your wrist. In today’s city life, the big V8s, the vastly desert roads and even that freedom are very difficult to find. Perhaps IWC wanted to capture all those in a wristwatch for its user to experience them.
IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Replica Top Gun Edition “Mojave Desert” comes on a 21mm lug-width beige synthetic fabric strap that is secured by an IWC signed titanium folding clasp. I believe it would be perfect with NATO or Zulu style straps as well. Let me add that the model is limited to a span of 500 units only and is going to be available at IWC boutiques.
The original IWC Fliegerchronograph Keramik Ref. 3705 performed like a true stealthy pilot’s watch: It flew right under the radar of watch enthusiasts the world over. After a few years of just 1,000 examples navigating the IWC catalogs, the 3705 disappeared on the horizons, only to now re-appear in the form of the IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Edition “Tribute To 3705.” And that’s the watch we have in for review for you today.
The IWC Reference 3705 was IWC’s first Pilot’s Watch in black zirconium oxide ceramic. That novel and early use of black ceramic, and the fact that it has gone under without anyone really recognizing it for what it was, renders it quite a fascinating watch. Its stainless steel equivalent, the IWC Ref. 3706 (to which our Bilal Khan addressed a beautiful obituary here) and its subsequent iterations have carried on the compact pilot’s watch theme, but there had not been a true continuation of the black Fliegerchronograph until just now, with the launch of IWC reference IW387905. Yeah, this one is going to be heavy with reference numbers.
That said, why it’s limited to just 1,000 pieces is, frankly, beyond me. It’s such a solid package, I expect for there to be much greater demand than that. Brands in the magnitude of IWC should, in my opinion, stop resorting to producing such unnecessarily strictly limited runs, especially when they have every reason to expect these will be in great demand. This only provokes resentment from potential IWC customers who will inevitably miss out. The Tribute To 3705 should be a proudly ubiquitous staple of IWC, worn around the world, and not something most watch lovers will never ever get to see in the wild, let alone be able to own, because it’s so unnecessarily rare. Replica IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Military