Danger Zone: SIHH 2012 IWC Collection for Top Guns

To those of you born in my era, I can almost hear the collective grown at the obvious “Danger Zone” pun. To you I say- HUSH. I’m referring to the Danger Zone only in terms of how close I am to spend money set aside for the mortgage on one of the new IWC Pilot Watches launched at SIHH 2012.

I can think of no place more fitting than Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie in Geneva to launch this collection- A locale worthy for the Top Gun of pilot watches unleashed today- the Top Gun Miramar Chronograph Automatic (I can almost hear Hondo yelling at Maverick).

Quite frankly, I’m a late convert to IWC. I was never a fan of the Big Pilot (the giant crown and that awkward triangle on the dial) and my love affair for IWC only began after the Portofino Handwound Eight Days caught my eye (love at first sight I assure you) and though my first real watches were a Rolex and Omega, the heart aches as I mourn the long wait before I can finally own the Top Gun Automatic Chronograph.

The Monsieur’s Brief: The giant crown was a vintage hallmark specially made for propeller plane pilots who used to wear gloves at higher altitudes and thus unable to find the right motor skills to grasp the smaller regular watch crowns. This new Top Gun in ceramic is the latest modern twist to a timepiece rich with tradition and history.