It should come as no surprise that IWC are the masters of the Swiss-made Flieger-style chronograph, given that they were one of the archetypal manufacturers of those watches back in the ’40s, but their ability to adapt to modern military specifications and expectations is undoubtedly an achievement. Based on an exclusive model made for the Navy Fighter Weapons School (aka TOPGUN) in 2018, this “civilian” version of the watch has been released, limited to 1500 pieces. With its matte-black tactical utility, mixture of stealth and legibility, and tasteful hints of red dropped in, the IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Top Gun Edition “SFTI” (which stands for Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor) is just a beast of a watch. The dial When it comes to Flieger styles, legibility is the name of the game. IWC haven’t broken any moulds here, but their subtle touches really help the watch stand out. The sunburst sub-dials are arranged well, as to neatly replace and not cut off any of the Arabic numerals. The miniature sword-hands are so quick to read at a glance, and the running seconds hand in red at 6 o’clock means that the watch isn’t too asymmetrical in its moving parts. The jet-shaped…
The post HANDS-ON: Aggressive, unrelenting and tactical, the IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Top Gun Edition “SFTI” is a tool watch lover’s dream appeared first on Time and Tide Watches.