When it comes to pilot watches, IWC must not be mentioned, and vice versa. For more than a century, the two have deep roots and are closely linked. A long time ago, IWC started manufacturing watches for pilots, and the Mark XI military pilot watch released by the brand in 1948 laid the foundation for today’s pilot series. The new Mark XVIII watch is inspired by the Mark XI watch and reflects the uninterrupted historical heritage.

   The new watch is called Pilot’s Watch Mark XVIII Edition ‘Tribute to Mark XI’. In other words, the watch is inspired by Mark XI, but it is an uncompromising Unbuttoned modern Mark XVIII pilot watch. The case is made of stainless steel, with a diameter of 40 mm and a thickness of 10.8 mm. It is equipped with Caliber 35111 (based on Sellita SW300-1) and equipped with an antimagnetic soft iron inner case. Central seconds hand with stop mechanism, date display window at 3 o’clock.

Close observation, you can find the difference between the hour and minute hand shape and the 12 o’clock position scale
   This watch is special in that the dial and hands have been modified to recall the appearance of the original Mark XI watch from the mid-20th century. The dial is in matte black, with the fluorescent rectangular hour markers at the corresponding positions at 3, 6, 9, and 12 o’clock, and an extra fluorescent triangle pattern at 12 o’clock (no dots on both sides, and the dots are IWC modern Universal characteristics of pilot watches). If you look closely, you can also find that all the marks on the edge of the dial are thinner and more discrete than in the 2016 standard Mark XVIII watch.

   In addition, the regular hands have also been replaced with retro styles, including flat, regular bar-shaped hour hands. The dial and pointer fluorescent materials are cream-colored, reminiscent of aging puppets. The watch is paired with a green nylon NATO strap rather than a metal bracelet or leather strap. Compared to the former, it is definitely more suitable for this watch that pays tribute to the military legend.
   The IWC Mark XVIII Pilot’s Watch Tribute to Mark XI is limited to 1,948 pieces, commemorating the year in which the Mark XI was born. The watch will be available on July 1st. It will be sold exclusively by Harrods in London for the first three months, with a list price of 3,790 pounds, equivalent to about 33,000 yuan.