The Pilot’s Watch Mark XX celebrates the 75th anniversary of IWC’s Mark series, which began as the Mark 11, a professional pilot’s watch developed for the British Air Force in 1948. At the time, radar screens used in the cockpits generated strong magnetic fields, which could harm the accuracy of the watches. The Mark 11 therefore had a soft- iron inner case to protect the movement from magnetic fields. Another essential requirement was exceptional legibility, so it featured a high-contrast dial with luminescence on the hands and markers. There have been several evolutions of the Mark since then, with many improvements added over the years. The 75th anniversary edition, the Mark XX, is stainless steel. The movement has a silicon escapement, which resists magnetic fields, and it has hacking seconds, so it can be set for perfect accuracy. Like the original, the hands and markers are coated in a luminescent material for easy reading at night. The Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 has all of the benefits of the Mark XX plus the added function of a chronograph for accurate timing of short durations, starting with seconds, up to 12 hours. It has been issued in the past with blue and green dials but is now available in a much sought-after black- dial edition. It comes with a steel bracelet or a black strap. Both these professional-grade pilot’s watches are water resistant to 100 meters, because pilots must be prepared for all adventures, in the sky or the sea.
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