There is nothing more thrilling than watching six red and white supersonic combat jets roar through the Swiss skies. This is the Swiss Patrol, or “Patrouille Suisse” as it is called in French. It is the official aerobatic team of the Swiss Army, which has been thrilling spectators on both its home soil and abroad for over 60 years. The Patrouille Suisse is a veritable ambassador for the country as it showcases the performance, operational readiness, and precision of the Swiss Army. The pilots originally come from one of the F/A-18 Hornet frontline squadrons and carry out their role as display pilots as a secondary activity to their role in maintaining air sovereignty and ensuring air policing over Switzerland.
It is no wonder that such an organisation would catch the attention of IWC Schaffhausen as timing and precision are at the core of aerobatic formation flying. Philippe Franke, IWC’s Brand Director Switzerland explains: “Formation flying is pure manual work that requires utmost precision and technical perfection, qualities that are also essential in watchmaking. IWC Schaffhausen has followed the achievements of the Patrouille Suisse for many decades. This new special edition watch pays tribute to the excellence, history, and legacy of the Swiss Air Force’s aerobatic team”.
This 5th edition Pilot’s Watch Mark XX Patrouille Suisse is limited to 250 pieces and follows four other special editions: the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Edition “Patrouille Suisse” unveiled in 2011, the Double Chronograph Pilot “Patrouille Suisse” released in 2014, the Big Pilot Watch Edition “Patrouille Suisse” launched in 2015, and the Pilot Spitfire Chronograph “Patrouille Suisse” presented in 2016.
In terms of design, this 5th limited edition comes in a 40mm grade five titanium case that has been sand-blasted to give it a matte grey finish. Titanium has the highest strength-to-density ratio of any metal, making it exceptionally robust. It also weighs about one-third less than steel, making it particularly suitable for extreme flying. In addition to its stealthy look, the case’s matte finish avoids any highly polished surfaces reflecting the sun into the pilots’ eyes when they are in the middle of a high-speed loop-the-loop! IWC has paid particular attention to the case back which is adorned with an engraving of three F-5E Tiger jets in formation with their contrails behind them.
The dial comes in a harmonious dark grey tone and features white luminescent hands and numerals for heightened legibility. The watch is fitted with a black textile strap and comes with IWC’s EasX-CHANGE system so it can be easily switched for other strap options without the use of any tools. The functions include hours, minutes, central seconds, and a date at three o’clock, all of which are powered by IWC’s manufacture automatic Caliber 32111 which comes with an impressive 120-hour power reserve.
This year marks the 60th anniversary of the Patrouille Suisse and what better way to celebrate this exceptional organisation, and the numerous pilots who have been in its service for the last six decades, than with a brand-new IWC Special Edition.
