This replica Pilots IW389105 is a 44.5mm Top Gun chronograph rendered entirely in matte ceramic with a focus on low-visibility tactical design. The brand reserves the Top Gun designation for its most rugged pilot chronographs, and the IW389105 reflects that standard through an all-dark palette where even the chronograph pushers and crown blend into the case profile. Zirconium oxide ceramic for the case and titanium for internal components create a watch that handles daily wear without showing the surface marks that polished steel accumulates over time.

Case & Movement Specs

• Case diameter: 44.5mm
• Case material: white ceramic (zirconium oxide)
• Dial: black with black hands and white luminescence
• Crystal: sapphire with double anti-reflective coating
• Chronograph: automatic, column-wheel
• Functions: hours, minutes, small seconds, chronograph, date
• Water resistance: 60 meters

The ceramic case achieves a uniform matte texture that resists UV fading and chemical exposure, maintaining its appearance without the periodic polishing that steel requires.

Caliber Breakdown

Inside the IW389105, the automatic chronograph movement drives three subdials in the standard 6-9-12 configuration. The column-wheel design provides tactile pusher engagement that cam-operated chronographs cannot match: the start-stop-reset sequence feels deliberate rather than mushy. IWC pairs this with a bi-directional pawl winding system for efficient rotor energy capture. The soft-iron inner cage provides anti-magnetic shielding, protecting accuracy around laptops, phone speakers, and bag clasps. For those comparing iwc pilot chronograph top gun references, the IW389105 sits alongside the IW389109 in ceramic-titanium, though the IW377729 Blue Captain edition offers a steel alternative. Browse the full Pilots range for every available configuration.

How It Compares

Stacking the IW389105 against other Top Gun chronographs reveals a consistent 44.5mm platform with material variations driving the differences. Where the IW389109 mixes ceramic with titanium components, the IW389105 commits to a near-total ceramic build for maximum scratch resistance. Both share the same chronograph movement and layout, so the choice comes down to finish and weight distribution. The all-ceramic build places mass more evenly across the case, while the titanium-backed variant shifts weight toward the caseback. This replica Pilots IW389105 represents the purest ceramic expression in the Top Gun chronograph lineup.

FL Factory Build Quality

White ceramic is the hardest colour to fire. Zirconium oxide picks up any impurity in the mix as a grey or cream cast, and the tone has to stay consistent across the case, bezel and caseback ring or the parts read as mismatched under daylight. The Lake Tahoe takes its name from the snow around the Nevada lake where US Navy pilots train, and a white that drifts warm loses that reference entirely. FL Factory handles the Top Gun ceramic chronographs, keeping the white cold and even, with the titanium caseback and steel crown and pushers in their correct contrasting finishes. Our Pilot’s Watch guide sets out where Top Gun sits in the collection.

White Case, Black Dial

The contrast is the design. A matte black dial inside a white ceramic case gives the highest possible legibility — black hands would disappear, so IWC uses white print and luminescence against the dial and lets the case carry the colour. Nothing else in the Top Gun line inverts the palette this way.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does white ceramic discolour over time?

No. Zirconium oxide is chemically stable and UV-resistant, so it does not yellow the way white coatings and polymers do. The risk is in manufacturing rather than ownership — an uneven firing shows as a cast from day one.

Why is the Lake Tahoe called that?

After the lake on the California-Nevada border near where US Navy aviators train, and the snow around it. IWC uses the name for its white ceramic Top Gun references.

Which factory makes the best white ceramic Top Gun?

FL Factory for this chronograph. White ceramic consistency across case, bezel and caseback ring is the whole build, and a warm or uneven white is the usual failure point.

Are the crown and pushers also ceramic?

No. IWC uses stainless steel for the crown and pushers and titanium for the caseback on this reference. The contrast against white ceramic is intentional and part of the design.