{"id":9108,"date":"2024-04-30T11:30:00","date_gmt":"2024-04-30T06:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kapoorwatch.com\/blogs\/?p=9108"},"modified":"2024-05-01T11:42:38","modified_gmt":"2024-05-01T06:12:38","slug":"iwcs-chief-design-officer-christian-knoop-on-investing-in-pilot-watches","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kapoorwatch.com\/blogs\/iwcs-chief-design-officer-christian-knoop-on-investing-in-pilot-watches\/","title":{"rendered":"IWC\u2019s Chief Design Officer, Christian Knoop On Investing In Pilot Watches"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading Time: <\/span> 5<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>\n

\u201cCaptain, the runway and skies are yours.\u201d

With the scent of kerosene in the air and the runway glimmering in a heaty mirage – \u201cRoger that\u201d, replies the man in the box to Tower Control, as he cautiously runs through his pre-flight checklist.

Every flight to the skies tests the bond between a pilot and his aircraft. After all, when you\u2019re manoeuvring at Mach 1, 15,000 feet up-top – man and machine become one. During these critical moments, every pilot relies on accuracy, mechanical reliability, and visibility, delivered to him by the aircraft and his flight gear. Right from the cockpit\u2019s button-flooded instrument panel to the wire-mazed electrical bay underneath or agile ailerons and rudder fins that enable pilots to jet through the clouds – up there, a pilot is only as good as his gear.

Throughout the history of military aviation, pilots have looked to their mechanical timepieces as reliable, precise in-flight navigational tools. And for the last 85 years, Swiss maison, IWC Schaffhausen has pioneered the field of manufacturing functionality-focused, robust, and distinctly elegant Pilot\u2019s Watches. We speak with IWC\u2019s Chief Design Officer – Christian Knoop on the modern appeal behind these novelties and how a collector must approach them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why should one invest in a Pilot\u2019s Watch?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

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\"Pilot<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Pilot watches were traditionally designed and built to serve a cause – wrist-worn instruments assisting pilots with cockpit and navigational tasks. Take, for example, tracking engine operating hours, measuring fuel consumption, or even performing high-altitude celestial navigation. Watch collectors are drawn towards Pilot Watches for its utility-centred build and historical use in aviation. More so, its robustness, functional design, and easy-to-read, high-contrast dials – making it a professional cockpit tool above being a premium, well-manufactured timepiece. Today, Pilot Watches<\/a> exude an archetype purist design, making them a choice for style-conscious customers, working also as a canvas for artistic interpretations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are the best complications that complement a Pilot Watch?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

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\"IWC\u2019s<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Well, there\u2019s a fleet of complications worth mentioning. First, and quintessentially, is a chronograph – a professional feat suitable even for everyday use. While pilots are geographically capricious, complications that indicate two or more zones certainly fit here. IWC\u2019s patented Timezoner\u00ae mechanism, which allows you to change the time zone simply by pressing down and turning the bezel is an example of such. Finally, I believe the legendary perpetual calendar would up the ante with its mechanical mastery, demanding a high watch value too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What about build?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Watchmaking shares an intertwined heritage with aviation for the same reason it does with motorsports, diving, and exploring – robust micro engineering and build quality. I believe a modern Pilot Watch should meet the criteria you look for in watches that cater to the aforementioned fields. A highly robust case construction built to withstand the extremities of nature and high-performance endeavours\/adventures. Easy legibility even under difficult lighting conditions is another key factor, and luminescent elements ensure that time can be read also at night. I also believe the convenience of versatility is an interesting aspect to consider. Being able to swap straps to suit the endeavour at hand is crucial. IWC\u2019s Pilot\u2019s Watches feature the EasX-CHANGE\u00ae quick-change system, which allows you to change the strap at the touch of a button and without any tools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"Before<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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Before investing in a Pilot\u2019s Watch, what questions must a collector ask themselves?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

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