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Sharp, substantial, and sophisticated: that’s the IWC Pilot’s Chronograph 3777-04.
Since the first IWC aviation watch of the 1930s, the Schaffhausen watchmaker has focused on delivering machines that do the job, look the part, and honor the history of the brand. As the latest-reference IWC Pilot’s Chronograph, the post-flight debriefing of the 3777-04 reads, “Mission Accomplished” on all counts.
As an IWC Pilot’s Chronograph, the 3777-04 is a visual homage to both the cockpit instrument-inspired “Big Pilot” series and the non-nonsense utility watches of the 1946-present “Mark” lineup. Dial legibility is outstanding, and IWC aces the balancing act of artfully amassing so much information in such a confined space.
The 43mm 3777-04 (vs its 42mm 3717 predecessor) maintained a clear distinction between the chronograph, civil time, and day-date readouts of its matte black dial. Speaking of the old 3717, the 3777 features a second departure from its forbearer in the altimeter-style date window. Fashioned to resemble the altitude readout of a traditional analog cockpit, the date window of the IWC Pilot’s Chronograph 3777 reveal three dates while indicating the present one with a red triangular index.
While the size of this Pilot’s Chronograph is contemporary, the aesthetic is discrete. Finely brushed stainless steel preserves the utility-inspired look and feel while complementing the matte finish of the dial. Small polished accents on the case and bracelet flanks act as supporting elements, not the main event.
An outstanding deployant bracelet is a highlight of the IWC Pilot’s Chronograph 3777-04. The twin-trigger release system ensures a degree of failsafe security that is unobtainable with friction-fit and single-trigger clasps.
Within the full-milled billet steel clasp, a clever micro-adjustment system ensures subtle fit adjustments can be made with a push of the release button (it’s the polished “IWC” insignia on the clasp exterior). Up to 5mm of tool-free adjustments can be made 1mm at a time.
For added convenience, IWC equips the Pilot’s Chronograph 3777-04 with a fully-modular bracelet. All links are removable, and thanks to the inclusion of IWC link removal tools with the 100% original factory equipment, even the most radical bracelet resizing can be done by the owner with no need for jeweler assistance.
Inside the brushed case sits an automatic IWC caliber 79320 movement. Based on the Valjoux 7750 chronograph movement, the IWC caliber features the same rugged nature, day-date, hacking seconds, and 44-hour power reserve as the classic 7750, but IWC adds two special measures to protect the watch from the ravages of aviation.
A soft iron “Faraday cage” completely encircles the movement in order to shield the sensitive metallic hairspring (heartbeat) from the fields created by powerful home and office electronics. Not only is the watch safe from sub-woofers and computer flux, but a special crystal retainer ensures that this pilot’s special can survive explosive decompression without suffering a crystal blowout.
See this IWC Pilot’s Chronograph 3777-04 in high-resolution images with all original IWC factory boxes, manuals, documentation, and accessories on www.thewatchbox.com Video and content by Tim Mosso
