IWC Mark XVI Pilot's Watch

The Ultimate Tool Watch

IWC have just launched their new Pilot range at the SIHH last month. The most simple piece, the Mark XVII supersedes the outgoing Mark XVI. Perfect time for me to pick up the outgoing XVI for myself as I like to buy watches that have been discontinued so I know there was a cut-off point for production. I won't kid myself though, this is far from being a limited watch.

'Ultimate Tool Watch' is quite a claim, and I guess before any reviewing happens we'll have to start here. The best way would be for me to bullet point all the essential tool watch qualities and how the Mark XVI ticks the box on every single one of them:

* Waterproof
* Shock protection
* Bracelet
* Robust movement
* Easy, cheap & fast servicing

Being anti-magnetic also helps in this genre, but not essential. The modified ETA 2892-A2 which powers the watch is a perfect choice IMHO, especially since it addresses the last two bullet points shown above. A lot of people are put off by the lack of refinement in the movement, but on a tool watch, I favour dependable long-term reliability over horological beauty. In any case, the movement is wrapped in a soft iron Faraday cage, so its workings will never be seen by most owners.

The Mark XVI is an evolutionary update from its Mark XV predecessor which was 1mm smaller in diameter, had a slightly different dial and had the date wheel with black numbers on white as opposed to the subtler white numbers on black used on the Mark XVI. Superluminova is present at 12, 3, 6 and 9 - I would argue that all the markers should have been lumed, but I am rarely looking at the time in pitch black. The date complication is extremely subtle, with the background in black and numbers in white, it really blends in with the matt black dial.

The bracelet is arguably one of the best in the industry. It is 20mm wide throughout (with no taper), and has the patented IWC link system on every single link, allowing for very precise bracelet sizing (particularly handy for small wrists), and can be done with the provided tools or even two toothpicks. The clasp has a beautiful hand finished circular graining which can only be seen when the clasp is open. I can really see why the bracelet option costs about a grand more than the strap version.

I later purchased a brown croc strap with rivets - the one from the 'Son' watch from the 'Father & Son' pilot watch collection. It basically looks like a mini big-pilot strap, and it totally changes the feel of the watch - it has vintage features, presented in a modern way. The strap is thick and robust - it looks like it could probably outlive me.

Not only do I think this is the Ultimate Tool Watch, I also believe it is the Ultimate Pilot's Watch. It has all the classic B-Uhr features (especially on this rivet strap) and delivers them under the IWC badge, which is the only 'real' watch company still making essentially the same Pilot's Watch.