Even though IWC didn’t hit the ball out of the park with the new Aqautimer Family, I feel that the show wasn’t a complete disappointment for them at this years SIHH 2009. You can now go to http://www.iwc.com and see all the novelties without going to they’re oh so exclusive members section where you have to give up personal information like your sock size to have access to photos. You can now see all the novelties in their entirety that they have presented at the show this year. There was nothing of extreme innovation, but nonetheless there was product.
The Vintage collection released last year in Platinum and Stainless steel is now available in rose gold and white gold, finishing the chapter of this collection. I have to say it wasn’t overly impressive but at least there are now full options of that line. To be honest, to give the brand credit, all the other brands that should be making bigger cases in dress watches have been scared little bitches not wanting to play with the big boys, but IWC has taken these risks and have made successes out of them and for that I commend them.
The DaVinci went modern retro with a perpetual calender with digital display, wow! how Casio of them.
The Big 46 mm Ingenieurs were modified by giving them a Chrono function available in stainless steel, rose gold, and platinum on croco straps while the time only function available in stainless steel on a bracelet and rubber strap was not as offensive, which to be honest has given some spotlight to the unique case. Although there is something really incomplete, uncomfortable looking and lifeless about them, because it still sort of looks like if you mated and AP and a Concord from the nineties they’re love child would be this ridiculous thing.
I really had bigger expectations from the brand after they destroyed the Aqautimer line. The Big Pilot went Saint Exuperi and the only question I had was why? To put a turd brown dial on the Big Pilot is like taking a massive dump on the dial, I thought they were proud of this legendary icon, not ashamed. I mean the numbers and that A at the nine o’clock position would drive me absolutely nuts. The whole point of reproducing a vintage piece is not to mess with the variation, but stay as true as possible without compromising the ideals and the integrity that made it so legendary to begin with. They need to grow some balls and make this watch the original size from the fiftees to give collectors and enthusiasts something to talk about and desire again, and I know they can. Thank the lord they had the good sense not to make a mother and daughter pilot series this year.
All they would need to do is add steel blue hands, seven day power reserve to showcase the modernity of the brands evolution of where the brand is today, and make a strap reminiscent of that time. Please, for the love of god stop wankifying the BIG PILOT, because it cheapens the original and collectors hate it. To cap it all of the Portuguiser minute repeater has been cleaned up and modified, but who really cares because no one has the sweet scratch to afford this watch right now!
Pics courtesy of http://www.iwc.com
JOHNNY FLYBACK 