IWC Spitfire

Homer

Saw this over on TZ. Clever video from IWC for the Pilot Spitfire

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJQEFQTJzKo

peasant

It might be worth mentioning that the lady flies a Junkers Ju 52 (or "Iron Annie").

You can get the watch of that name without the John Malkovich price tag

Wibbs

Peasant to the rescue!

Plus if you want a watch that could have been worn by an actual Spitfire pilot you could get one of these for under 900 euro

The Omega versions are about a quarter more expensive. For no good reason IMH. Though it seems most wore a personal watch, so any late 30's watch would do.

The German pilots were more likely to have an "issued" watch or a more consistent watch choice for the fighter pilots*. Usually Hanhart or Glashutte chronographs with earlier guys going for Omega and Zenith oversized black dial types with rotating bezels.





*Aside* I've been blessed in my life to sit in a Spitfire, a Junkers 52(though the civilian version IIRC) and an ME109(Spanish version with a Merlin engine no less). The JU 52 was a lovely aircraft in the inside. Felt safe. The Spitfire was gorgeous to look at, but much smaller than you'd think and looking out of the cockpit you didn't see much beyond wing and engine. The ME109 was very claustrophobic. Bear in mind I was a skinny 14 year old at the time. Never mind fighting in one they were brave buggers to even fly in one.:eek:



*EDIT for very good operational reasons. The German pilots were used to operating well forward of the lines. All part of the Blitzkrieg innovation. So they needed watches, not for navigation as such, but mostly for watching fuel. Those early war piston engined planes were not economical on petrol. They were organised leaks with wings. IIRC Spits had a range of 90 miles, the Me109 had on average 15 minutes of fighting time over southern England, so they had to be very aware of fuel and time available. Doubly so when the decision was made higher up to make them stay with the bombers. That really drank the fuel. The British on the other hand were operating from their own backyard, so had much more leeway. Plus they were vectored onto targets by their ground control so navigation wasn't as much of an issue.

Bullseye1

That Junkers is very nice. What sort of price tag?

Flashwatches

I really like IWC watches and specially their pilots, but the hyprocricy of calling it the Spitfire really annoys me:mad:. IWC was one of five companies manufacturing pilot watches for the German Luftwaffe during the war.

The closest the pilots who wore IWC watches in the war got to a spitfire was at the end of a hail of bullets:eek:, and I think it is in very bad taste for IWC to change or alter their heritage and make people believe they made watches for Spitfire pilots.

Sorry for the rant, I do like IWC but that really gets my goat up every time.

Bullseye1

That's interesting. Why didn't they just call them Messerschmitt?

Wibbs

Flashwatches wrote: »

I really like IWC watches and specially their pilots, but the hyprocricy of calling it the Spitfire really annoys me:mad:. IWC was one of five companies manufacturing pilot watches for the German Luftwaffe during the war.

True, more for bomber navigators rather than pilots though. Pilots tended to wear chronos. They never mention the German Luftwaffe connection, or very rarely and couched in vague terms.

The closest the pilots who wore IWC watches in the war got to a spitfire was at the end of a hail of bullets:eek:, and I think it is in very bad taste for IWC to change or alter their heritage and make people believe they made watches for Spitfire pilots.

Indeed. They could argue that their first pilots watch the so called Mark IX was used by pilots on both sides, but they seem to have been again more aimed at German/European tastes(The British taste was generally more conservative. You can find so called "trench watches" well into the thirties, a design from the first world war). They're basically a smaller version of the so called Luftwaffe pattern made by Omega, Helvetia and Zenith among others.

They're also crazily rare, so never produced in much numbers. Then again well into the 30's IWC weren't known as a wristwatch company, more like a small scale(if quality) pocket watch company. They came late to the wrist watch game, never mind the pilots watch game, though you'd never believe it if you read their PR stuff.

Bullseye1 wrote:

That's interesting. Why didn't they just call them Messerschmitt?

Political correctness, mixed with distancing themselves from that "unfortunate" regime. They have to think about many markets who would shy away from such a connection. Product recognition too. A huge chunk of people will know what a Spitfire is, but a lot fewer would know what a Messerschmitt is. It's a more positively emotive word.

Flashwatches

Bullseye1 wrote: »

That's interesting. Why didn't they just call them Messerschmitt?

They are distancing themselves like Wibbs said, but not do much for the customer but for the large population of Jewish people who are involved and control alot of the jewelry trade.

peasant

If you want a "Messerschmitt" you'll have to go to Aristo



They now market a whole range of Messerschmitts without the Aristo bit ...check the bay


As for the price of that Junkers ...they have so many versions ...quartz, manual chrono, auto chrono ...from 200 to > 1000

Eoin

Bullseye1 wrote: »

That Junkers is very nice. What sort of price tag?

$275 according to the first result on google. Didn't look at any other sites.

Edit, as peasant says, there is a range of prices.

artomur

Bullseye1 wrote: »

That Junkers is very nice. What sort of price tag?

http://www.junkers-shop.de/Junkers-Watch-6218-2-Automatic-Watch-ETA-Valjoux-Chronograph-with-Day-Date this is the junkers for me .anyone got any experience on one of th



ese ??

peasant

artomur wrote: »

this is the junkers for me .anyone got any experience on one of these ??

I have one Junkers made mechanical chrono (with a Russian movement, not the auto Valjoux that you're looking at) that originally retailed in the mid 300's.

Build quality is superb, above its pricetag, no complaints whatsoever.

Bullseye1

Interesting that they are selling some with the 3133 movement. Very nice looking mechanical watches for less than €400.
http://www.junkers-shop.de/Junkers-Watch-6206M-2-Mechanical-Watch-Poljot-3133-Chronograph-with-Date

Bullseye1

I like this one alot.
http://www.junkers-shop.de/Junkers-Watch-6350-2-Automatic-Watch-ETA-2824-2-with-Date

Wibbs

I like this one. Basically a lookalike of the Hanhart chronos of WW2 that ME109 jockeys wore. For 299? :eek: no wonder it's outa stock. The modern hanhart homages are in the thousands mark and for an original add at least a zero to the Junkers price for a ropey one with springs hanging out of the dial.

peasant

If you find a 3133 (Poljot) powered one that you like and that's in stock ...you'd better buy it now.
As mentioned elsewhere, the 3133 chrono movement is no longer. The company Maktime that made them stopped production and is apparently bust. Also it seems that the tooling has reached the end of its life and no buyer has come forward to resurrect it.

So get 'em while they're hot

Bullseye1

This one is also very nice but out of stock.
http://www.junkers-shop.de/Junkers-Watch-6702-5-Mechanical-Watch-Poljot-3133-Chronograph-with-Date

What are the chances taking P's post above of these being back in stock?

peasant

There still is a stockpile of 3133 movements floating about ...but as to who will buy them and what watches they will end up in ...who knows?