Miramar Blue IWC Pilot 41 TOP GUN Miramar

IWC's iconic "TOP GUN Naval Combat Force Colors" collection, featuring a rich palette of hues on high-tech zirconium oxide ceramic cases—including jet black, Lake Tahoe white, woodland green, Mojave desert beige, and ocean blue—is inspired by the famous U.S. Navy's "TOP GUN" flight school. Now, the collection welcomes a new member: Miramar blue. Note that this new color name differs from that of the 2016 Mark XVIII TOP GUN Miramar watch; more notably, this is the first time a TOP GUN exclusive color has been applied to a stainless steel case. The best IWC Pilot replica watches at captainthewatch.is.

 Both the Miramar blue ceramic and stainless steel models are based on the classic Pilot Chronograph 41 design. They are 41.9 mm in diameter and 15.5 mm thick, featuring the iconic 6-9-12 three-register layout and a day/date window at 3 o'clock, which maintains the visual balance of the dial while ensuring excellent legibility. 

The unique charm of the IW389409 ceramic model: The heart of this timepiece lies in its Miramar blue ceramic case. This distinctive blue is inspired by the color of the T-shirts worn by TOP GUN instructors under their flight suits; it falls into the mid-blue category, neither a cool icy blue nor a deep ocean blue. The matte finish gives the overall tone a more understated and soft feel. The dial and hands are also in the same Miramar blue, with white hour markers, indices, numerals, and Super-LumiNova® luminescent coating providing a striking contrast and ensuring excellent legibility, crucial for a pilot's watch. Snail-patterned subdials are located at 12 o'clock (30-minute chronograph), 6 o'clock (12-hour chronograph), and 9 o'clock (small seconds). A date and day window at 3 o'clock further enhances the display. The crystal is anti-reflective sapphire and barometric pressure protection. The case back is made of titanium and engraved with the TOP GUN naval air combat unit insignia. Inside is IWC's in-house Calibre 69380 automatic column-wheel chronograph movement. This movement vibrates at 28,800 vibrations per hour, provides a 46-hour power reserve, and is protected against magnetism by a soft iron inner case.

The key highlights of the IW388117 stainless steel model: This timepiece features a stainless steel case, crown, and chronograph pushers. Its groundbreaking significance lies in the fact that the TOP GUN series' exclusive color scheme is being used for the first time on a non-ceramic case. This means it uses the same Miramar blue dial as the all-ceramic version, the only difference being the hands; all hands are rhodium-plated instead of blue. All other design elements remain consistent. It features the IWC 69385 movement (with the same technical specifications as the 69380 movement, but without the soft iron inner case), and the movement can be admired through the sapphire crystal case back. In terms of water resistance, it is comparable to the all-ceramic IW389409.