At every watch fair where releases upon releases are unveiled to the public in a day, one question tends to stand out among collectors and fans – are brands tied to just their icons? It’s an important point to note.

We, as part of the media, understand and know a brand’s heritage all the way through, remembering references from a time that has past. More often than not, however, the public tends to not share the same sentiment. For a larger demographic that appreciates watches and not the watch industry as a whole, a brand like IWC Schaffhausen tends to only signal “pilot’s watches” in their head. The same folk that would have never understood why Rolex would create the Cellini, or that Audemars Piguet has any other reference than Royal Oak and its larger counterparts.

IW371815_Pilot’s Watch Double Chronograph TOP GUN Ceratanium_Lifestyle

While that may have been the online response from IWC’s Da Vinci campaign in 2017 (that did well, mind you), 2019 sees IWC pushing what some have called the brand’s icon back to the forefront. It’s a win-win situation for all, of course. The people who love IWC timepieces for the one collection have plenty to celebrate, and the media itself has a fantastic collection to review.

IWC Pilot’s Watch Double Chronograph TOP GUN Ceratanium

While much of the fanfare at IWC’s SIHH booth has been about the seven-watch collection for the Pilot’s Watch Spitfire range, we’re going to have to give a mention to the Top Gun timepieces from this year. With four pieces in total, the Pilot’s Watch Double Chronograph Top Gun Ceratanium leads the pack.

The all-black stealth piece sees IWC’s titanium and ceramic alloy used in a 44mm case, as well as all case components, including the push-buttons and pin buckle. The 79420 calibre is an automatic double chronograph that lets its user record intermediate times.

IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Top Gun Edition Mojave Desert

If the all black look isn’t quite your thing, there’s IWC’s new Mojave Desert variant of the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Top Gun. The colour, derived from a combination of zirconium and other metallic oxides according to the brand, matches the flying suits of the US Navy’s pilots based in the China Lake Naval Air Weapons Station in the Mojave Desert.

The watch is a limited edition though, with just 500 pieces available worldwide once it’s released.