IWC is one of the watch brands that stands out for its exquisite craftsmanship. This watch house enjoys a long and rich history during which it has accumulated enough experience to be proud of the status of a “Swiss brand”. In its vast horological heritage, the Pilot watches make their place, which never ceases to generate admiration among the loyal audience. The most recent iteration came up with 3 chronographs. Their distinctive element is the abundance of ceramics.
The iteration came about as a result of the IWC program in collaboration with the US Navy squadrons. The 3 new models of the Pilot collection bear the distinctive names of Tophatters, Royal Maces, and Blue Angels. The common feature of these models is the squadron patch on the front of the cases, as well as the extraordinary color details that cannot leave anyone indifferent.
Sadly, we don’t have the new models in their replica versions yet. Still, I will review the previous model released in 2019. So, I will explore the Blue Angels replica watches with the reference number 389008. Of all the 3 lines, the Blue Angels line seems the most attractive to my taste. I will come back soon with reviews of the new models. For now, let’s see what was the previous iteration all about. With that in mind, I propose to get down to business.
A brief retrospective
In addition to focusing on creating perfect watches, IWC is used to collaborating with different organizations to bring their sport to different fields. Thus, this watch house was officially licensed to create watches for none other than the aviation units of the Marine Corps and U.S. Navy. The initiation of the collaboration took place in 2018 and since then, IWC has produced dozens of special editions created with and for members who are directly targeted by these units.
With the launch of the new 3 versions of chronographs, they are the first to become available to the general public, and not only to those in the Navy. The company announced that it will launch no more than 500 units annually. Now imagine how difficult it would be for a loyal IWC customer to get hold of one, considering the limited quantity. The good part of things is that in the replica industry, these watches will be available in sufficient quantities to satisfy the desire to benefit from one. Let’s see the advantages and disadvantages of the 389008 replica models.
The Case and Dial of the IWC Blue Angel 389008 replica watch
The beauty of this replica watch begins with its ceramic case. IWC decided on the colors blue and yellow to associate the watch with the specific colors of the U.S. Navy squadrons. The first thing that stands out to me about the replica watch is that it is as abundant in colors as the original model of the watch. So, the basic shade of the case is a vivid blue, with contrasting elements of yellow.
The Blue Angel replica watch is not exactly a small one. On the contrary, it has generous proportions of 44.5mm in diameter and 15.7mm in height. These proportions are identical to the original watch.
If I look at the back of the case, I see a solid caseback with an anti-magnetic shield that protects the internal mechanism of the watch. I’m not sure what material this solid caseback is made of, I assume it could be stainless steel. Unlike this one, the original model has a titanium caseback.
Inside the ceramic case of the replica watch, the dial plate is also blue. This dial hosts a multitude of aesthetic and functional details. These include the chronographs, the date window, the hour/minute/second hands, as well as the hour markers.
Differences and similarities between the original dial and the replica dial
The good part of things is that the color matches 100 to 100 between the authentic model and the imitated one. At the same time, I can still observe small differences if I look at these 2 watches under the “microscope”.
The watch h design involves a circular yellow line in the center of the dial. If you look closely, you will notice that it is a bit thicker in the replica than in the original.
Another difference is the texture of the dial. The replica model has it a bit more glossy. In contrast, the dial is a bit more matte in the authentic watch.
The date aperture in both watches has an identical shape, font, and size. The date of the replica watch is extremely easy to read thanks to the yellow color that contrasts strongly against the blue background of the dial.
A gratifying aspect of the Blue Angels replica watch is that the Arabic markers indicating the minutes from 5 to 5 are applied identically to the authentic model, keeping the same shape and the same size.
Like the original watch, the Blue Angels replica comes equipped with a sapphire crystal. The manufacturers have also offered an additional bonus to this crystal, namely a double-layer antireflective coating.
This means that the crystal of the replica watch is “dressed” both on the outside and on the inside with an anti-reflective layer, which substantially improves the clarity of its visibility.
Technical specifications
If we specifically refer to the original model, the brand equipped it with a Caliber 89361. Consequently, this flyback chronograph movement supplies the watch with 28,800 vph. Respectively, the model resists working for up to 68 hours in conditions where the owner winds it fully.
As far as I can see, the Blue Angles replica watch (I allowed myself to disassemble the caseback) works on the basis of a genuine Swiss 7753 mechanism. And this is a more than gratifying feature because this mechanism withstands very well the challenges of a chronograph watch and it lasts for quite a long time. These mechanisms are not the cheapest. For this reason, the replica watch will probably seem a bit more expensive than other replica watches. Instead, be sure that the quality of operation is guaranteed.
The strap of the IWC Blue Angel 389008 replica watches
Unlike the original IWC which comes with a blue calfskin strap, the replica version is accompanied by a blue canvas and leather hybrid strap. This comes with a brushed steel deployant buckle in which I notice the same engravings and markers as on the original watch. I put the replica watch on my wrist to understand how it feels. All I can say is that I feel comfortable with it. The width of the strap is ideally wide so that it doesn’t bother me when I move my arm in different positions.
Pros and cons of the Blue Angel IWC replica watch
If the quality of the replica watch is the number one priority in a replica watch, I can say with certainty that this imitation will meet your expectations. The Blue Angels replica watch strictly respects the original design and has very few aesthetic differences. At the same time, the most favorable advantage of the imitation lies in its viable mechanism which is strong enough to maintain a chronograph to its full potential.
Another advantageous aspect of this imitation is its expressiveness. The blue color in combination with yellow accents makes it visible, imposing, and attractive. The dial looks very good, full of captivating details that make it not boring at all. In addition, the watch is extremely easy to read thanks to the suggestive chromatics.
The downside of this imitation consists of its generous dimensions. Not every watch lover feels comfortable with a diameter of 44.5mm. When I put the imitation on my wrist, I did not notice that its proportions affected me in any way in terms of comfort. Regardless of how I move my arm, the watch remains steady and firm on the wrist. Respectively, the large proportions do not impact the sense of comfort. However, the watch looks too massive visually, at least for the size of my wrist. I have a slightly narrow wrist. And with a 44.5mm watch on it, an impression of disproportionality is created.