Tested For You: The IWC Pilot’s Chronograph 41 Is At Home In Downtown Manhattan

The first thing I noticed after receiving the watch wasn’t its vibrant brushed blue dial. It was the box, er, I mean, leather case, in which the watch arrived. As part of the brand’s sustainability initiatives, IWC has downsized the packaging for its watches. Gone are the oversized presentation cases. In their place are soft, supple leather cases with plush interiors perfect for storing your watches away in a safe.
 

After I unclasped the magnetic button that secures the leather cover of the case, I was delighted to see the new Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 shining in all its glory. Its brushed sloping lugs feature a slight beveling, but unlike other chronographs at this price point, the IWC Chronograph 41 is built to be a robust tool watch.
 

The 41mm case is enhanced further by a thin polished bezel that surrounds the sapphire crystal cover on the dial side of the watch. Speaking of sapphire crystal, I am pleased to report that IWC has abandoned the solid casebacks it used for years on its Pilot's Watches, and in their place are sapphire crystals. All the better to admire the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41’s calibre 69385.
 

For all of its tool watch vibes, the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 feels remarkably refined in person. The proportions of its predecessor, the IWC Pilot's Watch Chronograph 43, have been slimmed and downsized, making the new 41mm version downright comfortable.
 

Measuring 14.5mm thick, it is almost 1mm thinner than the 15.4mm thickness of the 43mm variant. And while this slight reduction in thickness may not seem like a lot, when coupled with a reduction in case size, it gives the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 all the right proportions.
 

Moreover, now that IWC is implementing its EasX-CHANGE strap system across most of its collection, the brand has also taken the opportunity to upgrade the materials attached to these proprietary connectors. Having owned numerous IWC watches over the years, I can attest that previous models had rigid leather straps that required a lot of break-in time. That's not the case with the new Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41, and its calfskin leather strap is soft, supple, and wears well right out of the box.
 

The new IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 is a compelling buy for reasons well beyond what I have already mentioned. As you may have read in my article, How Does IWC Continue To Make Relevant Pilot’s Watches?, the brand continues to produce compelling Pilot’s at nearly all price points.
 

Plus, with the added accessibility and transparency of CEO Christoph Grainger-Herr, the brand appeals to collectors, new and old. IWC, over the past 18 months, has rapidly transformed itself into becoming more accessible, not only in terms of price but also personality. And who doesn't want to purchase a watch from a brand that you can have a connection with? You worry less about spending your hard earned money when you feel like you’re a part of something greater, and that’s just what IWC is setting out to become.