Hampshire England 2006

The armored planes and the enormous cluster of reflectors with anti-aircraft canons that we saw at the entrance of the camp were hard to forget and forcefully reminded us that only a privileged few would be privy to the secret guarded within the Goodword aerodrome in Hampshire, England.

Though we gathered from every corner of the planet we were all equipped with the same flight suit, which erased flags and dissolved nationalities. An embroidered section on the shoulder and a plaque with details of the mission hanging around our necks reminded us that, for the moment, we belonged to the IWC Aviator Squadron.

 

 

Part of the training included flying over London onboard a pair of Junkers 52 and when we landed and left the plane we noticed that all those on the ground were searching for something in the sky. Suddenly, flying so low that we could see it appear from behind the trees, a Spitfire materialized, on its side and so close to us that we saw the pilot pushing the throttle to the maximum. Several of us had to cover our ears. After the demonstration, and inside a well-guarded hangar, Commander Kern lucia said, “If you think that was spectacular, you haven’t seen anything yet.”

And then he placed before us that which had made us travel to the other side of the sea. It is called Pilot’s Watch Double Chronograph and features 28,800 vibrations per hour, an automatic system that has a 44-hour power reserve and a rattrapante mechanism that, for the first time, is presented in a high tech ceramic case. This timepiece concentrates totally masculine elements within its 44 millimeters of diameter and, when the owner adjusts the canvas strap, it literally installs a cockpit on his wrist.     

 

 

Text: Tonatiuh ± Photo: IWC.