====== IWC Pilot's Watch Mark XV ======
The **Mark XIV** is a [[pilot's watch]] produced by [[IWC]] from [[1999]] through [[2006]].

===== Overview =====
The legendary [[IWC Mark XI]] aviator's watch was a "cult watch". Produced from [[1948]] until the early eighties, the Mark XI was never available to the public. Sensing an opportunity in the 1990s, IWC introduced a civilian version in [[1993]], the [[IWC Pilot's Watch Mark XII|Mark XII]]. This remained in production until the replacement **Mark XV** was introduced in [[1999]]. XIII was skipped because it is an unlucky number in Western countries, as is XIV in Asian cultures.

The Mark XV is designed to be simple to read, with little superfluous decoration. The dial is very similar to the Mark XII, with numerals from 1 to 11 inside the marked [[chapter ring]]. Luminous markers are placed at 3, 6, 9, and 12, with a large triangular marker at 12. A white background date window replaces the marker at 3 00, contrasting with the matte black dial. The case was enlarged from 36 mm to 38 mm for the Mark XV, with longer lugs to fit modern tastes.

A **Spitfire** version of the Mark XV has a "pie pan" silver dial and [[hand|sword hands]] or [[hand|cathedral hands]]. The original version, with cathedral hands, was limited to 1,000 examples for the British market. This was produced from [[2001]] through [[2003]]. The following Spitfire model, an unlimited version, had sword hands and was produced from [[2003]] through [[2005]].

The Mark XV uses an [[ETA]] [[IWC 37524|Cal. 37524]] movement rather than the high-end [[Jaeger-LeCoultre]] calibre. This [[ETA 2892/A2]] is reworked by IWC and tested in 5 positions and at 2 temperatures. It is gold plated, with upgraded components throughout.

The successor, [[IWC Pilot's Watch Mark XVI|Mark XVI]] was introduced in [[2006]] with an even larger 39 mm case.


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**References:**
  * IW3253-01 (1999-2005) [[Stainless steel]] case, black dial, black leather strap
  * IW3253-05 "Spitfire" (2001-2003) [[Stainless steel]] case, black dial, cathedral hands, brown leather strap, limited edition of 1,000
  * IW3253-01 (1999-2005) [[Stainless steel]] case, white dial, brown buffalo strap
  * IW3253-11 "Spitfire" (2003-2005) [[Stainless steel]] case, black dial, sword hands, brown leather strap

**Movement: **
  * [[Automatic winding]] calibre [[IWC 37524]] ([[ETA 2892/A2]] base)

**Case: **
  * [[Stainless steel]], [[satinated]]
  * Ø 38 mm
  * Screw-down caseback in [[stainless steel]]

**Dial:**
  * Black with [[luminous]] indexes (triangle at 12 o'clock)
  * White numerals
  * Steel hours and minutes hand, coated with [[luminous color]]
  * White seconds hand

**Functions: **
  * Hours, minutes, [[central seconds]] with [[hacking seconds]]
  * Date window at 3 00

**Bracelet: **
  * Metal bracelet or leather strap

**Production: **
  * Production [[1999]] - [[2006]]
  * Predecessor [[IWC Pilot's Watch Mark XII]]
  * Successor [[IWC Pilot's Watch Mark XVI]]
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{{tag>Watch_models IWC_Pilot's_Watch_models}}