Words: Josh Lee
By and large, IWC Schaffhausen is celebrated throughout horology circles for its legibility and universally appealing styles. Its Portugieser Automatic 42 feels like an elegant study in blue; the Ingenieur line’s only burst of elaboration is in its textured dials. Rather notably, its pilot’s watches often emphasise the pared-down feel, for obvious reasons, and the Mark – which has roots stretching back to the late 1940s – is one of the most iconic models within the category.
Mark XII was the first in the range to be available to the public, and the current style is Mark XX, often considered IWC’s easiest offering to style. In the past days, this specific design has been given a few tweaks – we take a quick look into the updates…
IWC Pilot’s Watch Mark XX Patrouille Suisse, £6,300, iwc.com
A new material is introduced
Since its 2022 debut, the Mark XX has been made with a stainless-steel case – however, with this update, the watch draws upon titanium, known for its lightweight properties. It is also slightly thinner than its predecessor (10.6mm vs 10.8mm).
Its design language and the main tribute
The new Mark XX has also been given a really serious, no-nonsense look with its matte, sunburst-grey dial (this is slightly offset by the seconds hand, which has a discreet red tip). Moreover, the whole piece is the label’s fifth paean to the Patrouille Suisse (the official aerobatic team of the Swiss Army, which celebrates its 60th anniversary this year) – the caseback, rather notably, has an engraving of three aircraft flying in formation and has the accompanying words: Tribute to Patrouille Suisse.
Additionally, each one has an individual limitation number, and, of course, the rather sober aesthetic – complemented by a black fabric strap – gives it an instrument-of-the-skies feel, ideal for this particular homage.
The power
Keeping things ticking over is the 32111 caliber – manufactured by IWC – which has a pretty impressive power reserve of 120 hours (roughly five days).
Availability
The new Mark XX is limited to 250 pieces – so you better move fast.
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