New additions to IWC Schaffhausen’s Top Gun chronograph line have landed

With designs inspired by the US navy’s elite fighter jet pilots, the limited-edition ‘Lake Tahoe’ and ‘Woodland’ timepieces make a bold style statement

01 April 2022 - 08:12

Watch collectors won’t be able to resist the two striking new additions to IWC Schaffhausen’s Top Gun line.

Part of the premium brand’s expansive family of Pilot’s Watches, the first timepiece created under the Top Gun banner landed in 2007, and there have been several additions to the range over the years.

As to be expected from a range that takes design inspiration from requirements of elite jet pilots, and which was named after the US Navy’s famed Strike Fighter Tactics instructor programme, Top Gun watches are made from robust materials such as titanium, ceramic and Ceratanium — an innovation that combines the best attributes of the two.

Ceramic plays a starring role in the pair of newly-launched Top Gun chronographs: “Lake Tahoe” and “Woodland”. To create these covetable timepieces, IWC Schaffhausen had to engineer two completely new ceramic colours — a highly technical and demanding process.

“The white and green ceramic used for the cases illustrates the current evolution of Top Gun from a collection primarily focused on performance to a bold style statement and an expression of a distinct way of life,” says Christoph Grainger-Herr, CEO of IWC Schaffhausen.

Named after the freshwater lake located near the US naval base that’s home to the Top Gun programme, Lake Tahoe’s design pays tribute to the white uniforms sported by the US Navy.

This chronograph features a 44.5mm “Lake Tahoe White” ceramic case, a pitch-black dial, and black hands coated with luminescent material. The pushers and crown are made of stainless steel, the case back of titanium. The matching white rubber strap with a distinctive embossing accentuates the eye-catching design.

Woodland gives a nod to the distinctive colour of the flight suits worn by naval aviators. The newly developed shade “Woodland Green” has been used for the ceramic case and the dial, while the numerals and hour markers are printed in a lighter hue. The pushers and the case back are made of matt black Ceratanium. A matching green rubber strap with textile inlay completes the design.

Both timepieces are powered by the IWC-manufactured 69380 calibre movement and have soft-iron inner cases that protect this movement from the effects of magnetic fields. The front glasses are specially secured to withstand sudden drops in air pressure.

Both watches are water-resistant to 6 bar and feature the iconic Top Gun logo as an engraving on the case back.

If you’re keen to add a Lake Tahoe or Woodland chronograph to your collection, best act quick: annual production of these new models will be limited to 1,000 pieces each.

To find your nearest stockist, visit the IWC Schaffhausen website.

This article was paid for by IWC Schaffhausen.