IWC Mark XX Gets Titanium Patrouille Suisse Edition

The most sensible IWC Pilot’s Watch, the Mark XX, got a sneaky addition this week with a new Patrouille Suisse Edition that boasts a titanium case. This watch marks the fifth in a series dedicated to the Swiss Air Force’s aerobatic team, and it’s given us a glimpse at a near perfect Mark XX in the process. A more sober, lightweight take on the Mark XX sounds exactly like the kind of thing IWC could use right now, hot off the release of exotic perpetual calendar references earlier in the year. A watch for the rest of us, so to speak, and especially those of us who feel a connection to the tool-ish roots of the brand. With the ‘80s and ‘90s making a comeback in watch design trends, a clean-slate variation of the basic Pilot’s Watch feels more relevant than ever. Unfortunately, it’s not that simple.

This new titanium Mark XX is limited to a mere 200 examples, and will be offered to the Swiss market only. A titanium Mark XX makes a lot of sense, and is indicative of the direction I’d like to see IWC pursue a bit more often. As the broader Pilot Watch collection has swelled to a dizzying 73 distinct references (at the time of writing), focus has become slightly fuzzy. There are a huge array of materials, complications, and naming conventions at work within the collection, but it’s the simple time-only or time-and date examples that present the most compelling connection to the brand’s heritage in the genre, if you ask me.

IWC has a knack for creating some truly great limited-edition watches that, for one reason or another, never seem to exert influence within regular-production references. Special releases such as the “Tribute” models are few and far between, while sub-collections like the Spitfire and Top Gun enjoy regular production. Perhaps a permanent place within the stable would allow for more classic design cues to be represented with consistency. For instance, the idea of a regular-production, titanium Pilot’s Watch with a squared-off hour hand would align rather nicely with the historic aims of the collection. I suspect it would also render a new cohort of buyers and enthusiasts to the brand. 

Keeping materials like titanium, and design details like square hands relegated to such limited appearances creates a frustrating tension with longtime brand enthusiasts, who don’t find much of a connection with the modern direction of the brand, which embraces a more premium, luxurious segment. That said, there’s no denying that the brand is creating some beautiful watches, and when it comes to a collection like the Ingenieur (reviewed here), there are well considered design decisions being made. When it comes to the sprawling Pilot’s Watch collection, things get a bit more muddled. 

This brings us back to the new Mark XX Titanium Patrouille Suisse Édition, which offers another tantalizing view of an aesthetic not quite fully embraced by IWC. The watch uses a 40mm titanium case that measures just 10.6mm in thickness, and holds the brand's Caliber 32111. It uses the EasX-CHANGE strap system that allows for quick swaps between IWC straps, but also uses a regular spring bar, so you can use your existing strap collection as well. The gray dial gets a sunray finish, which I could do without, if I’m being honest, but the neutral monotone nature is a welcome look. The price is $6,500, which feels strangely reasonable in the current atmosphere of luxury brand pricing. 

This article is a roundabout way of asking why this watch isn’t a regular-production reference within the collection. The takeaway is that a titanium Mark XX case does indeed exist, and will hopefully see broader usage moving forward.