Greetings, Welcome to the world of IWC. Today I'll be your guide to the proper usage and care of the IWC Big Pilot's Watch Spitfire, reference 500917. It's important to note that this automatic winding watch can nevertheless be manually wound by turning the crown in a counterclockwise action until it pops out of its position flush to the case. At this point, simply turn the crown a minimum of 20 times in a clockwise direction to energize the timepiece and start the balance. You'll note the advance of the seconds hand at center when the watch begins to tick. At this point, the watch can be placed on the wrist. Thanks to the automatic winding rotor, the natural course of action on the wrist will continue to wind the timepiece until its power reserve is fully replenished.
Should you wish to wind the timepiece to its maximum rated power reserve of seven days, simply continue turning the crown, and you'll note the advance of the power reserve indicator at three o'clock. Nevertheless, it's important to note that you cannot overwind this timepiece. As you approach maximum capacity, simply continue winding until the reserve indicator ceases to advance. The bridle style mainspring will slip and relieve any excess pressure. This watch cannot be accidentally overwound. At this point, there are two additional refinements that can be used to more precisely set the time of the watch and advance the date to the correct one.
Note the seconds hands as it ticks and note the position of the crown. In its outermost position, the crown stops the balance. This function known as stop seconds or hacking allows the watch to be set precisely to the second against a known accurate reference time such as an autonomic or a radio clock. Now the second important function to note is accessed in an intermediate crown position just outside of the first but inboard of the hacking position. This intermediate crown position allows the watch to have its date quick set or rapidly corrected should it run down or encounter an irregular length month.
It's important to note that the quick set function must never be used between the hours of 9pm and 3am, as this is the period during which the watch's automatic date jumper is engaged. Attempting to use the quick set while the date jumper is engaged will damage the movement. Once the watch has been set and the date corrected, press the crown to the case and turn it in clockwise direction until it is secure and comes to a stop. This is the position that's required for the watch to maintain durability and water-tight hermiticity as rated from the factory. With respect to water resistance, there are several important notes for owners. The first is that a leather strap is a natural and porous material. It should never be exposed to moisture or submerged.
Place the watch on a bracelet or textile strap for the sake of submergence and aquatic activity. IWC rates this watch at six atm or 60 meters of water resistance thanks to the screw on case back and screw down crown. IWC expresses that this is sufficient for swimming and snorkeling.
It's also important to note that magnetism poses certain risks with respect to watch handling. It's important to keep the watch removed from refrigerator doors, from high-powered speakers, and subwoofers and professional magnetic resonance imaging equipment although this watch has elevated resistance due to its aviation nature and a soft iron inner case. Nevertheless, it can be vulnerable against the most extreme magnetic flux densities. Should you suspect your watch has been magnetized, take it to an IWC boutique or independent authorized retailer where equipment is available to quickly and easily demagnetize your watch. With respect to water resistance maintenance in the long-term, IWC advises having the timepiece tested once a year because rated hermiticity is not a static feature of a watch. Over time, seals age, lubricants dry. Only by testing for water-tight hermiticity on an annual basis can you be assured of protecting your watch and assured of the performance six atm water resistance as rated by the factory.
With respect to service of a mechanical nature, IWC recommends taking the watch for a full overhaul every two to five years. Now it's important to use only authorized agencies as these alone, namely factory boutiques and independent authorized retailers have the trained personnel, specialized equipment and original IWC factory replacement parts to protect both the performance and integrity of your investment.