Review: IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph TOP GUN “Lake Tahoe” and "Woodland" Editions

Hands-on review of the IWC Pilot's Watch Chronograph TOP GUN Lake Tahoe IW389105 and Woodland IW389106. Price: €10,100 and 11,100. 2022 IWC novelties

Recently presented by IWC at the Watches and Wonders 2022 exhibition held in Geneva from March 30 to April 5, the new Pilot’s Watch Chronograph TOP GUN “Lake Tahoe” and "Woodland" Editions offer a unique look thanks to the combined use of advanced materials and newly added colours to the existing range.

Part of the Pilot’s Watches family, the TOP GUN line was launched by IWC in 2007 taking its name from a special training course offered by the United States Navy Fighter Weapons School, the "Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor", better known by the legendary accolade "Top Gun".

We had the opportunity to wear and test the two new TOP GUN models for a few days and we are now glad to share our live pictures and impressions with our readers. 

Both models are housed in imposing 44.5 mm x 15.7 mm round cases with the typical push buttons at 2 o'clock and 4 o'clock to activate the chronograph start/stop and reset chronograph functions, respectively. Water resistance is ensured up to a pressure of 6 ATM (approximately 60 metres / 200 feet).

The dials are characterised by a 6-9-12 layout: the chronograph hours and minutes are positioned at 9 and 12 o'clock while the running seconds are displayed at 6 o'clock. The day and date apertures at 3 o’clock, just below the brand logo, complete the indications. 

Since pilot watches should not have reflective surfaces, cases and dials have a matte aspect. For the same reason, the sapphire crystal received an antireflective coating on both sides. This glass is also secured against sudden drops in air pressure in the cockpit. 

Used for the ceramic case and the dial, the “Woodland Green” colour of the first model - the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph TOP GUN Edition “Woodland” (ref. IW389106) - takes inspiration from the flight suits of naval aviators. 

The numerals and the hour markers are printed in a lighter green hue. 

Screw-in crown, chronograph pushers and caseback are made of matte black Ceratanium, an alloy that combines the advantages of titanium and ceramic in a new blend: lightweight and unbreakable as titanium and at the same time as hard and scratch-resistant as ceramic.

The caseback is engraved with the famous Top GUN logo. 

A matching green rubber strap with textile inlay and pin buckle completes the design.

The second model, the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph TOP GUN Edition “Lake Tahoe” (ref. IW389105), is inspired to a freshwater lake, and the winter landscape around it, located in western Nevada, not far from Naval Air Station Fallon, home to the US Navy’s TOPGUN school. 

In this case, screw-in crown, chronograph pushers and caseback are made of stainless steel.

The pitch-black dial is completed by black hands that, like the hour markers, are coated with luminescent material, a feature of both models.

The strap is made of white rubber with a distinctive embossing and secured to the wrist by a stainless steel folding clasp.

Both timepieces are driven by the IWC-manufactured Calibre 69380. Characterized by a classic column wheel design, this self-winding chronograph movement beats at the frequency of 4 Hz (28,800 vibrations per hour) and guarantees a power reserve of 46 hours thanks to a reliable bi-directional pawl winding system. The movement is protected by a soft-iron case for protection against magnetic fields. 

An aspect worth mentioning, and not at all obvious, is how IWC was able to adapt the newly developed ceramic shades to the other components made of different materials – each with unique properties and a specific manufacturing process – such as the dial, the hands, the rubber straps and textile inlays, and even luminescent paint. 

Offering a bold appearance, flawless quality and excellent performances, the new Pilot’s Watch Chronograph TOP GUN Edition “Lake Tahoe” (ref. IW389105) and Pilot’s Watch Chronograph TOP GUN Edition “Woodland” (ref. IW389106) from IWC have retail prices of Euro 10,100 and Euro 11,100, respectively. Each edition will be produced in limited runs of 1,000 pieces per year, making these models pretty rare and even more desirable. iwc.com