IWC UTC

INTRODUCTION

The first time I noticed the IWC Mark XII in an advertisement, I thought to myself, how can a watch that looks so simple cost so much? I knew very little of fine craftsmanship. At the time, multi-function chronographs fascinated me and the thought of wearing a simple “time only” wristwatch was unappealing to me. Many years and watches later, I now crave that simple, timeless design; what once was boring to me is now just perfect. Since the Mark XII, IWC has created the Mark XV and the UTC, the latter being the test subject for this review; it is a dual time zone wristwatch with a special twist.

Over 70 years ago, IWC took on the endeavor of creating a wristwatch that could withstand the vibrations, extreme temperatures, constantly varying lighting conditions and not to mention, the extraordinary magnetic forces that one is subjected to while piloting the modern day flying machine. Launched in the mid 30’s, the Mark IX was the first wristwatch specially designed for pilots. Since then, there has been a Mark X, of which 6000 units were supplied to the Royal Air Force during the 40’s, in 1948 a Mark XI which remained in production up until 1984, and then in 1993 amid the rebirth of the pilot’s watch, the Mark XII. Today, with the introduction of the UTC, IWC once again shows its prowess by developing the first Universal Time Coordinated timepiece with a 24hr display aperture.

 

THE CASE OF THE ANTIMAGNETIC PERSONALITY

The IWC UTC measures a respectable 39mm in diameter, 47mm from lug to lug and 13.5mm thick, not bad considering there’s an extra module lying on top of the movement for the second time zone. The entire case is made of brushed stainless steel, except for the edges along the lugs, they seem to have been beveled and then polished, a very subtle refinement. I’ve found that even though the lugs do not curve much, it is still very comfortable to wear. The crown measures 6mm in diameter and protrudes 3mm from the case; there are no crown guards and it screws down to assure its 60m water resistance rating. Due to its sheer size, the crown is very easy to operate and makes winding & setting a joy.  It is also signed with the usual IWC fish, a marking they put on all their water-resistant watches. The screw-down case back is finished in brushed stainless steel with a polished outer perimeter; it is deeply engraved in German “DIE FLIEGERUHR UTC”, which loosely translates to “The Flyers Watch UTC”. The level of finish on this watch is very difficult to express in writing and in photography, it must be seen in person to fully appreciate.

Developed for the IWC Ingenieur over 45 years ago, the “soft-iron” inner jacket that surrounds the movement is what gives the UTC its antimagnetic properties. Here is what IWC has to say about this innovation: “The movements used for IWC’s pilot’s watches are placed inside a soft-iron inner jacket consisting of a back plate, a ring surrounding the movement and the dial. The ring grasps the movement firmly and ensures that it sits inside the outer case. The individual parts of this inner case are made of antimagnetic soft iron. This special alloy, reinforced by the shape of the outer case, prevent magnetic fields from penetrating as far as the movement and have no adverse effect on its accuracy.”

 

CRYSTAL CLEAR 

The UTC’s crystal has a diameter of 32mm, it is slightly dome and sits a tad higher than the bezel. Though the crystal is not coated for reflections, it remains highly legible at all angles - this is probably the single most important criterion for an aviator’s watch - a pilot must be able to read his back-up instrument at a glance. The mat black dial is as clean as can be with a classic triangle at 12 o’clock, Arabic numerals and “baton” markers all around which are coated with luminescent Tritium that lasts all night. The date window at 3 o’clock consists of black writing on white background, usually one of my pet peeves, but this watch pulls it off quite nicely, if the colors had been reversed the entire dial would have been off balance. The tasteful sword style hands are atypical for this category of watch where conservative designs are usually found, in my opinion, they are perfect for this new innovative UTC technology, an ideal blend of modern and vintage. The hands are also coated with Tritium, but do not seem to glow as bright as the markers, though they are still very legible and last all night. The special aperture at 12 o’clock displays your “home time” in 24hrs and remains constant while you change from time zone to time zone, thus allowing you to be reminded of what time it is back home.

 

WHEN THE ORDINARY BECOMES “EXTRA”ORDINAIRY

The IWC Caliber 37526 is what powers the UTC, it is based on the ETA 2892-A2, a tried and tested rugged ultra-thin movement, which is found in many remarkable watches such as the Ulysse Nardin 1846 Marine Chronometer and the Omega Seamaster, though IWC confirms that only the basic components are ETA and that the vital clockworks are really their own. 

The caliber 37526 has a diameter of 25.8mm; it is 4.1mm thick and has 21 jewels. It vibrates at a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour (4 hertz) and has a power reserve of 42 hours. It displays a second time zone, has an Incabloc shock absorption system, a Navirox hairspring and its ball-borne rotor winds in both directions via a click wheel. Even though it is not possible to view the movement from the outside, it is impeccably finished with gold plating, circular graining and the famous Geneva wave pattern. It is also regulated in five positions to assure its incredible accuracy. Like many of the other wristwatches that house this ETA caliber, it has performed well within chronometer specifications, just as expected.

Adjusting this Universal Time Coordinated timepiece is very simple - pull out the crown as if to set the date and then rotate, you will immediately notice that the hour hand can be independently adjusted, that is how you move back and forth from time zone to time zone. You will also notice that the date will follow the time zone changes and that the 24hr display continues to inform you of your local “Home Time”.

 

INNOVATION AT ITS BEST!

The brushed stainless steel Bracelet is very solid, yet extremely supple; it feels like you are not even wearing a watch. The end pieces that attach to the case are solid and incorporate the same design as the bracelet, it gives it a very uniform look. The sides are all polished and if needed every link can be removed, a nice touch, if ever you damage one, you can replace it with another instead of replacing the entire bracelet. The signed push button clasp is tastefully incorporated into the bracelet design and is remarkably easy to operate. Once opened, you will notice that there is even circular graining on the deployant part of the clasp, a very impressive detail, something that is completely unnecessary, yet dramatically enhances the look of the clasp - this just goes to show you how much attention to detail IWC puts into their watches.

Unfortunately a bracelet-sizing tool was not provided with our sample, nor was the manual, so when I received it I was quite puzzled as to how I was going to adjust it, so I asked the question on TimeZone.com. Within five minutes, I got an answer: Find two toothpicks, with one of the toothpicks depress the button found on the underside of the link you would like to remove, and then simply push the pin out from the side with the other toothpick, it will simply slide out. I have to admit I was quite skeptic of the advice, but it worked like a charm! No excessive force needed and no pin extractors, it’s incredibly effortless! I’ve owned many watches and none have been this easy to adjust, a wonderful feature for those whose wrists contract and expand with the weather.

 

FINAL ANALYSIS

I have to admit, it will be very difficult to return this watch, I’ve grown somewhat fond of it and I can see it easily becoming my everyday watch. It has everything needed to be a perfect Pilot’s watch, a clean legible dial, a solid antimagnetic case, a second time zone and a rugged trustworthy movement. Speaking of the movement, while I admire all the modifications that have been done to this familiar caliber, one has to wonder if IWC is considering replacing this ETA movement with their NEW In-House Cal 5000 movement. It would add an astonishing 5 days to its power reserve and would also cater to many die-hard watch collectors who yearn to once again see IWC create a pilot’s watch with an In-House movement. The craftsmanship is simply phenomenal, it is true what they say about IWC watches, first own everything else, then purchase an IWC, you will appreciate it that much more!

 

Thank you for reading,

Marc