IWC is continuing to flesh out their portfolio of colored ceramic cases on tap this week with the release of a new Colors of Top Gun Chronograph 41 in a light blue colorway dubbed Miramar. A steel cased variation is also in the mix, with a Miramar blue dial. If that name sounds familiar, it’s likely because it’s based on the real Marine Corps Air Station in San Diego, at which parts of the 1986 Tony Scott movie Top Gun were filmed. It also happens to host the actual United States Navy Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor program (SFTI program) popularly known as Top Gun. With that in mind, you could call this latest IWC Chronograph a bit meta in nature, as far as semantics are concerned. All that aside, it’s a welcome new shade of the Pilot’s Chronograph 41 just in time for what’s left of summer.
The new Miramar ceramic colorway joins the likes of the Oceana, Woodland, and Mojave Desert in serving as a departure from the black and white ceramic cases on offer from IWC, and this is the most vibrant example yet to be produced. As such, you could argue that it breaks from the typically somber executions that fall in-line thematically with what Top Gun represents, but in reality, these are watches for civilians, and working in a broader palette opens the collection to a potentially new set of enthusiasts (and potential customers).
The watch itself is the well known Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41, though it actually measures closer to 42mm in diameter, but that’s easy to set aside when rendered in ceramic. The Miramar color is a light blue that sits adjacent to something like teal, but doesn’t quite cross that line. It’s found in the case, the rubber strap, and the dial itself. The information on the dial is uniformly represented in clean white, creating a very strong sense of contrast and focus on the color itself. There are no other accent colors at work, much like the previous colorways within this collection, and that’s all for the better.
That strap, by the way, uses the brand’s quick release mechanism (called the EasX-CHANGE® system), allowing for swaps to be made on the fly. IWC now offers an impressive range of strap options that use this system, and will fit the watch, so you could create some rather wild combinations should you desire, and since it uses a standard(ish) spring bar, you can also use any straps you already own, other other third party straps.
Inside, you’ll find the IWC in-house caliber 69380 automatic chronograph movement that provides the day and date on the dial. It sits behind a closed caseback that gets the Top Gun branding, which feels appropriate for the watch. The movement’s 46 hours of reserve feels slightly dated these days, as does the total thickness of 15.5mm. The lightweight material helps, but I think it’s high time for IWC to refine this platform with a slightly thinner architecture. Especially at a $13,500 price point without a bracelet.
Overall, this is a sharp addition to the now expansive Pilot’s Chronograph range offered with ceramic cases. The brighter color brings a welcome new personality to the table, and keeps the platform relevant for a bit longer. IWC