IWC Top Gun Edition SFTI Pilot Watch

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There are two ways you can get a SFTI pilot watch from Swiss watchmaker IWC. The first is to join the Navy, move up to flight officer, and graduate from the Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor program. The other way is to buy the just-released civilian edition. (One method is easier). Since making their Pilot’s Watch Chronograph, Edition “SFTI” for Top Gun grads in 2018, the demand has been high for one not reserved for A-list fighter pilots.

But that doesn’t mean there’s a IWC Top Gun Edition SFTI Pilot Watch for everyone. Only 1500 will be made. The bombproof watchcase is entirely matte black, made from black zirconium oxide and IWC’s own black Ceratanium (light and tough like titanium, scratch resistant like ceramic). The blacked-out look continues with the black dial and black hands, made readable (even in the dark) via a coating of luminescent material. 

Inside the case is IWC’s own automatic, self-winding movement, protected from accuracy glitches from magnetic fields by a soft inner case. There are three inset dials and one of them, the small seconds dial, has a red hand. Along with the tiny red jet on the back of the chronograph seconds hand, the two pops of red manage to subtly shake up the black and white color scheme. 

At 44 millimeters, it’s a substantial pilot’s watch. Finished off with an eye-catching olive green NATO strap, this Top Gun looks good enough to take flight. 

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