IWC expands top gun collection with mojave desert ceramic pilot watch

Desert inspiration: IWC's sand-colored ceramic pilot watch honors naval aviation heritage

By Andrew McGrotty Published June 4, 2025

IWC Pilot’s Watch Automatic 41 TOP GUN Mojave Desert — iwc

IWC Schaffhausen is expanding its military aviation collection with the Pilot’s Watch Automatic 41 TOP GUN Mojave Desert, the latest addition to the brand’s “Colors of TOP GUN” series. This watch features ceramic construction that pairs desert-inspired aesthetics with Swiss precision, drawing inspiration from navy flight suits and the rugged terrain surrounding the China Lake air base in California’s Western Mojave Desert.

The 41mm case showcases IWC’s forty years of ceramic expertise, rendered in their proprietary “Mojave Desert” color—a muted earth tone blending beige and khaki. This distinctive shade does more than look good; it directly references the flight suits worn by navy pilots and the arid landscape where US Navy aviators train at China Lake.

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IWC’s ceramic process highlights how complex achieving this subtle color actually is. Artisans form ceramic from powdered raw materials into “green body” shapes, machine them closer to their final form, and then fire them in a kiln. This high-temperature process makes the ceramic exceptionally hard and scratch-resistant. The Mojave Desert color is achieved by carefully mixing zirconium oxide with metallic oxides.

The challenge increases because the color changes during firing, requiring extensive testing to achieve the exact tone. This meticulous approach reflects IWC’s long-standing dedication to advanced materials—a legacy dating back over 150 years, making them pioneers in both titanium and ceramic watchmaking.

The watch’s design maintains a unified color scheme. The brown dial features understated minute scales and numerals that glow with Super-LumiNova for legibility in low light, matching the ceramic case. A beige rubber strap with a fabric inlay and a titanium pin buckle completes the look, adding both durability and comfort.

Technical excellence is evident in the IWC-manufactured 32112 caliber. This automatic movement uses a pawl winding system to deliver a 120-hour power reserve. Its 4Hz frequency ensures precise timekeeping, and the bi-directional rotor efficiently stores energy from even the smallest wrist movements.

The titanium case back is engraved with the TOP GUN logo, underscoring the watch’s connection to naval aviation while also reducing weight. The choice of titanium further demonstrates IWC’s expertise in working with advanced metals, complementing their mastery of ceramics.

This watch joins a growing Mojave Desert collection, which includes the Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar TOP GUN Edition, the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41, and the Big Pilot’s Watch TOP GUN Edition. All feature the signature sand-colored ceramic, but offer different functionalities and case sizes.

IWC’s commitment to sustainable luxury is evident in their careful sourcing of materials and efforts to minimize environmental impact, ensuring these watches embody both technical mastery and responsible craftsmanship. The brand’s focus on transparency, reuse, and care results in timepieces built to last for generations.

The Pilot’s Watch Automatic 41 TOP GUN Mojave Desert demonstrates how military inspiration can be transformed into civilian luxury, blending professional tool heritage with contemporary design through advanced materials and renowned Swiss watchmaking expertise.

Andrew McGrotty

Andrew is a full-time freelance writer with expertise in the luxury sector. His content is informative and always on trend.

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Fashion & Style

anOrdain launches handcrafted porcelain watches

From fire to clay: anOrdain's porcelain revolution brings accessible artistry

anOrdain launches handcrafted porcelain watches

AnOrdain, a Glasgow-based company, built a loyal following—it made excellent hand-enameled watch dials and offered clear customer service. The Scottish maker then moved into a new material: porcelain. The company introduced its Model 2 Porcelain collection after three years of focused study. This collection gives customers a way to experience anOrdain's handmade dial art.
Work with porcelain began in 2022. At that time, anOrdain saw a need to broaden its selection. The company also wanted to keep its standards for handmade products high. Instead of buying porcelain dials from others, the company chose to learn this old art itself. AnOrdain's team spent three years with master potters from Stoke-on-Trent—a town known as a center for English pottery—learning how to make watch dials from English clay.
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The Model 2 Porcelain keeps the well-liked size and look of anOrdain’s enamel collection, but with some updates. The 39.5mm steel case holds the La Joux-Perret G101 automatic movement, which performs well. The hands have been significantly improved. White glowing material now fills loops that were previously empty, finished with fine gold frames. The seconds hand is more striking, with a bright red outer coat and a white tip.
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Fashion & Style

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Breitling scott carpenter platinum watch

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Fashion & Style

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Man with watch and brown strap

Watch straps can be an affordable way to expand a smaller watch collection. A good quality strap can be found for under $20, and will give a timepiece a completely different look. For example, I have a brown leather strap on the vintage Oyster Perpetual I use as a daily driver, but a quick switch to a black strap makes it look like a completely different timepiece.

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The short side of the strap points north