Review: IWC Big Pilot's Watch Top Gun Miramar
It took me a while to work out what on Earth a Miramar was, but a little digging into the eighties excellence that is the Top Gun movie revealed that it is in fact the town the hallowed Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor program is based in. Under the hot Californian sun, the best pilots in the world gather to fly, flirt and play slow-motion volleyball, exchanging witty retorts and wearing mirror-finish Ray-Bans. Despite the temperature, it’s the coolest place in the known universe.
IWC—pilot’s watch manufacturer since 1936—is coincidentally one of the coolest Swiss horologers out there; nevertheless they have chosen this time around to leave the Top Gun paraphernalia to the case back, which is probably for the best. That aside, it's hard not to be taken in by this watch—from the drab olive green canvas strap to the deep shine of the ceramic case, the whole aura lends itself to the devil-may-care thrill-seeker attitude portrayed by Mr. Cruise, and you can well imagine it strapped to his wrist as it wrenches the control column of his F-14 to haul it over for a screaming, full afterburner flypast.
The choice of finishes and materials makes the Miramar feel like the right tool for the job, meticulous and functional, even if it is in reality the last thing you're likely to see on a pilot's wrist. The polished sheen on the ceramic case is almost grey in some lights, giving it the well-worn radiance you might see on the controls of a frontline jet fighter, and the mix of yellows, greens and reds used elsewhere on the watch compliment that nicely.
The Miramar scores an extra point for the date, which, on its chronograph cousin, has an extended window that displays the date before and after in a sort of mock altimeter kind of way—a gimmick too far for some. It loses the point back, unfortunately, for its size; yes, the clue's in the name, 'Big Pilot,' but compared to the previous generation it is the bigger Big Pilot, gaining two millimetres across its diameter to the point of being noticeably bulky to wear, even with the bonus of lightweight materials. Whether this is actually a problem depends on the wrist it sits on, of course.
In terms of design, this is an excellent Top Gun edition, kitted out in its full flight suit and ready to go. With regards to the size, well, maybe the IWC bods will have a think about making an XVII Miramar too...
Watch Spec | IWC Big Pilot's Watch Top Gun Miramar IW501902
Case: Ceramic and titanium Dimensions: 48mm dia, 15mm thick Crystal: Antireflective coated synthetic sapphire Water Resistance: 60m Movement: Calibre 51111, automatic Frequency: 21,600 vph Power Reserve: 7 days Strap: Green textile Functions: Time, date, 7 day power reserve
