A Valued Pilot

Consider that Pilots watches have been made for some time now. They all look the same, like cheap imitations of the originator IWC. For years IWC has made the very respected Fleigher Chrono Ref 3706 which became a standard for collectors and watch enthusiasts alike to aspire for. This being 38 mm was very reminiscent of the early Pilots watch from the WW2 era that IWC made. This Chrono was stainless steel, grayish black dial, sapphire crystal, solid caseback and had the day/date function rolled out at the three o'clock position written very much like the instrumentation in airplane cockpits. This watch came alive with the very reliable work horse that is the Valjoux 7750 movement which was highly modified to IWC specs and for years it stabilized around $4,000.

There was only one problem in my opinion the 3706 was way to small and not really that masculine and to be honest looked a lot like a Hamilton Kaki Automatic Chrono which you could buy for a couple hundred dollars, but then two years ago the ultimate surgery was performed when the watch got the much needed face lift it deserved. IWC reinvented their Pilots line replacing this Classic pilot 3706 with the new 3717 which in my opinion should have been watch of the year for 2006.

This watch was redefined with a bigger 42 mm stainless steel case, and amazing dial with a subtle but cool red second hand at 9 o'clock broke up the starkness of the dial, the day/date was inverted with white writing with black background instead of black writing with white background ensuring much better visibility, the hands were sword shaped and better finished and the German military symbol of the triangle at the 12 o'clock was finished with a dot on either side.

The most astonishing part was that IWC was so smart, that they kept the price the same at $4,000, upgraded their image completely and at the same time kept their integrity which built a demand, that would have people cuing up to buy this watch for months making this watch a valued pilot, and my favorite daily wearer of all time!

pics courtesy of www.iwc.ch