IWC Pays Homage to the Original Mark XI Pilot Watch From 1948

Swiss luxury watch manufacturer IWC Schaffhausen has tapped back to the very beginning of its aviator watch lineage to bring back the Mark XI military pilot watch from 1948. This time, the historic model will be fused with the modern Mark XVIII model, forming a new timepiece officially known as the Pilot’s Watch Mark XVIII Edition “Tribute to Mark XI.” The “Tribute to Mark XI” watch features a stainless steel case measuring 40mm across and 10.8mm thick, IWC Caliber 35111 movement inside, a soft iron inner case for anti-magnetic protection and a date window at three o’clock. Although the watch features updated inner workings, the design pays tribute to the original design by featuring mid-century style dial and hands, which comes in matte black with luminous poles and an inset luminous accent at twelve o’clock.

Adding to the aged look is a vintage-effect handset that features a flat baton hour hand, as well as an off-white color that looks like aged tritium. And finally, an olive nylon NATO strap rounds out the military-inspired look.

The “Tribute to Mark XI” watch is limited to just 1,948 models, which references the year the original Mark XI debuted. The watch will be exclusive to London’s Harrods for the first three months starting from July 1 for a retail price of £3,790 GBP (approximately $4,900 USD, including tax.) It will see a U.S. release later this year at a retail price of $4,150 USD.