The new Pilot's Watch Automatic 41 Black Aces by IWC draws its inspiration from the company's collaboration with U.S. Navy squadrons. This new Pilot is characterised mainly by the adoption of a totally luminescent dial. The latter is in fact made up of a compact disc of SuperLuminova, and emits a green light in the dark.
As part of its Professional Pilot's Watches Program, which grew out of its collaboration with the U.S. Navy, IWC develops watches designed especially for jet pilots. The Pilot's Watch Automatic 41 Black Aces (Ref. IW326905) is inspired by the aviation watch made by IWC for members of Strike Fighter Squadron 41 (VFA-41), also known as the "Black Aces".
As mentioned, the watch has a totally luminescent Lumicast white dial. Developed in collaboration with the pilots of the 'Black Aces' squadron, this dial is the result of a complex manufacturing process. In the first step, high-quality SuperLuminova pigments are mixed with a binder, cast in a circular mould and hardened by a polymerisation process to give the material a resistance equal to that of ceramic. 
The result is a compact disc that is then fixed to the soft iron blank. Finally, the dial is stamped with black numerals and indices and the 'Black Aces' logo (at 6 o'clock), similar to the ace of spades. In darkroom tests, this dial emitted a brilliant green light for over 23 hours.
The watch has a 41-mm case made of zirconium oxide ceramic (with a soft iron inner case to protect the movement from the negative influences of magnetic fields), a material that IWC was the first to use in watchmaking, back in the 1980s. With a value on the Vickers scale second only to diamond, ceramic is one of the hardest materials in the world. Lightness, hardness and unscratchability make ceramic ideal for everyday use within the confined space of a fighter's cockpit. In addition, its matt black colour prevents pilots from being distracted by reflected sunlight from the watch.
The titanium back is engraved with the twin-engine jet of the Black Aces against a background of pikes. The Pilot's Watch Automatic 41 Black Aces is powered by the new IWC-manufactured 32100 calibre (21 jewels, 28,800 vibrations per hour, 72-hour power reserve, silicon escapement). The black fabric strap has a sandblasted steel pin buckle. Water resistance is guaranteed up to 6 atmospheres. Finally, the new IWC Pilot's Watch Automatic 41 Black Aces is only available online, at IWC.com.
Price7,750 euro.
