[Watch House Brand News] IWC has always been known for its recognizable pilot timepieces, and the brand drew inspiration from the original Mark XI to launch the Mark collection, which is sought after by watch fans around the world. Today, IWC has launched the new Mark Twenty. The new watch, evolved from Mark XVIII, has a diameter of 40 mm and is equipped with a homemade movement, which has been improved and upgraded for the specifications of the case and the design of the dial, and is available in black (model: IW328201) and blue (model: IW328203).
The new watch is made of stainless steel, which is strong and corrosion resistant. The case is brushed and fitted with a polished bezel, a double-sided anti-glare sapphire crystal mirror, a screw-down crown and an airtight caseback engraved with an airplane motif. Compared with Mark XVIII, the case of the new watch has two main improvements: one is that the thickness has dropped from 11 mm to 10.8 mm, but it is still equipped with a soft iron inner shell that protects the movement from magnetic interference; the other is that the waterproof performance has been increased from 60 meters to 100 meters.
Mark XVIII (left); Mark TWENTY (right)
The dial is matte black or sunburst blue with white markings for contrast and legible readability. Compared to Mark XVIII, the dial design of the new watch has undergone several adjustments. First, the date window is changed from white on a black background to black on a white background, and the relative position is shifted to the right. Second, the words "MARK XVIII" (Mark XVIII) above the 6 o'clock position were changed to "MARK XX" (Mark XX). Third, the "IWC" at 12 o'clock moves upwards, closer to the classic triangle marker. In addition, the Arabic numerals move closer to the center of the dial, which is more visually cohesive, while the hour markers at 3, 6, 9 and 12 o'clock also change from "thick square" to rectangle, and the hand retouching changes from matte to rhodium plating. Overall, although the dimensions of the dial itself have not changed, it gives a new subtle look.
The new watch is powered by IWC's in-house automatic movement 32111, which is assembled from 164 parts, contains 21 precious stones, vibrates at a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour (4 Hz), offers a power reserve of up to 120 hours, and is beautifully decorated with Geneva and fish scales.
IWC's new Mark 240 mm in-house movement is paired with a black calfskin strap with pin buckle or a blue calfskin strap. With the EasyX-CHANGE® strap quick change system, straps can be easily changed without any tools. It is reported that the new watch is priced at US$5,250, equivalent to about 35,500 yuan. (Photo/Text Watch House Xu Chaoyang)