Credits: Article and images by @ Quill & Pad. See the original article here - https://quillandpad.com/2023/08/11/iwc-pilots-watch-mark-xviii-complex-simplicity/
Raman Kalra is the founder of The Watch Muse blog and has kindly agreed to share some of his articles with us here on Quill & Pad.
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IWC is one of the most recognizable names in the luxury watch market. They have multiple iconic models – one of them being the Pilot’s Watch Mark collection. The Mark series began with the Mark X in 1944 and has remained somewhat constant since then.
IWC Pilot’s Watch Mark XVIII
The Mark XVIII was released in 2016 and went out of production in early 2023 and was replaced in July 2023 by the Mark XX.
Given the respect of the brand, it is a clear contender for any watch enthusiast to have on their wish list – whether as a first watch or an addition to the collection.
Despite this, The IWC Pilot’s Watch is often looked over. And there are three questions about the Mark XVIII that I will try to answer:
First, is the Mark XVIII the ultimate tool watch?
Second, does it question the definition of what a luxury watch is today?
And finally, is it desirable enough in its current form?
Quick Background
Despite the brand being established in 1868, the “Special Pilot’s Watch” (also known as Mark IX) was born in 1936, making the brand what it is today. At the time, it followed the growing trend of aviation-inspired watches, with IWC wanting to create a watch that would improve pilot’s lives. It featured shatterproof crystal, non-magnetic properties and a rotating bezel, providing pilots with a timing functionality.
The original IWC Big Pilot’s Watch from 1940
A few years later in 1939, the Portugieser was released, followed closely by the Big Pilot’s watch in 1940. Shortly after, in 1944, the Mark X was introduced for use by the British Armed Forces. The Mark X closely resembled the earlier Mark IX with a visible dial and a non-magnetic Faraday cage, while also being waterproof.
“W. W. W” was engraved the back of the watches, standing for Watch, Wrist, Waterproof. Through the years, IWC has updated the Mark series, but only after the Mark XI had been on the market for four decades, from 1949-1993! With each iteration since, the core formula has been maintained – aviation inspired, legible, simple, and timeless.
All of this can be seen in the latest Mark XVIII, and in addition, you are getting a watch with heritage and versatility at a reasonable price point (in the context of high-end watch prices).
The Ultimate Tool Watch?
A “tool watch” has no formal definition, but if it did, it would loosely resemble the following: A watch created with a specific purpose or functionality in mind, serving as the primary apparatus for a calculation intended (even if just telling the time!). Tool watches have been created for pilots, divers, racing drivers, and scientists to name a few, leading to complications including the GMT, diving bezel and chronograph.
IWC Pilot’s Watch Mark XVIII on the wrist
In the modern world we are lucky to have accurate technology meaning the need for tool watches is no longer what it used to be. The lust and desire remain, but the need, except in rare cases, doesn’t.
So where does the Mark XVIII fit in all of this, and why could it be the ultimate tool watch even today?
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Credits: Article and images by @ Quill & Pad. See the original article here - https://quillandpad.com/2023/08/11/iwc-pilots-watch-mark-xviii-complex-simplicity/
