IWC produced its first specially-made pilot's watch in 1936. In order to weather the various magnetic fields generated by the large plane engines, IWC fitted its new offering with an antimagnetic escapement, then a first for the Swiss manufacture. Throughout World War II, IWC produced a series of pilot's watches, perhaps the most iconic of which was the Reference 52T S.C., also known as the 'Big Pilot,' a watch that established one of the brand's most recognizable designs.
Today, IWC still draws inspiration from the purpose-driven military watches of the era, expressing their historical design-language in the popular Fliegeruhr (literally 'Pilot's watch) line.
The Fliegeruhr Chronograph, Reference 3777, was introduced in 2010. It's a sturdy 43mm (larger than its predecessor the Reference 3717 by one millimeter), with brushed finish and sharp, polished edges. To make the watch antimagnetic, IWC employed an iron casing, a measure necessary to take with sensitive instruments that will be exposed to magnetic fields inside an aircraft. The applied anti-reflective coating on the crystal greatly reduces glare in high-light conditions.
IWC followed up the Fliegeruhr with the Top Gun Miramar, named for the USN Fighter Weapons School in California where Marine pilots learn to be as edgy as Maverick and Iceman among other things. At an impressive (or infuriatingly-large, for some) 46mm, its size is at least in keeping with the trend for larger pilot's watches. After all, they're meant to be legible at night in a darkened cockpit, so the numerals are large and the design of the dial is almost austere. The color scheme is instead brown, red (for the hours), and cream in the hands. Only the 3, 6, and 9 registers and the hands are luminescent.
Another departure from the previous Fliegeruhr is the case--a ceramic finish in a not-quite-black hue. While, IWC released their first ceramic chronograph, the ref. 3705, in the mid-90s, the Top Gun represents the most recent application of this unique case style. Powered by the IWC caliber 3705 (based on the venerable Valjoux 7750), it ran for only three years and has gained a cult following. Like its predecessor, the Top Gun is powered by an in-house IWC caliber, the 8365, with an ever-convenient flyback mechanism. The Top Gun is in many ways the successor to the ceramic chronographs of yore, but with an eye for modern trends, making it a worthy addition to the pantheon of IWC chronographs.
In excellent, like-new condition and coming with its original box and papers, this modern chrono is about as sharp as they come. To quote the operating instructions, when you buy this watch you enter "a small circle of individuals who... demand slightly more of a watch than absolute precision." We can't sum it up better than that.
