IWC Mark XVIII Miramar

[denvercenturion]

Tried on the Mark XVIII Miramar a few weeks ago and can't get it out of my head, I really like the way it sits on the wrist and I like that it looks very different from my collection.

Curious if anyone owns one and can speak to how they enjoy ownership after a little while and if anyone has experience with IWC ceramic? I have seen on here threads saying the ceramic is incredibly brittle and if you drop the watch it is game over, and other people saying it is fine and durable enough.

Any info is greatly appreciated!

[Lol-x]

I have an IWC Ceramic Top Gun.
It is a great watch, very light weight considering its size. However, some people want some heft in a watch and so this can be a plus or a minus.
The strap you use can have a significant effect upon its comfort level.
I have not dropped my watch but I don't want to test it out.
Ceramic is known to be a brittle material under impact. But look how many people complain about a broken ceramic bezel on a Rolex...
I don't think it is a problem.
However, for some reason ceramic is not a popular casing material, and that is reflected in used prices, as the demand is not as high as stainless steel for these ceramic case IWC watches.
If you love the watch and its at the right price, why not go for it.

I really like the XVIII model but for me I would choose the SS with the matching SS bracelet.

[meganfox17]

The fully ceramic original Speedy Dark Side of the Moon is at a featherweight 91 g only. I read somewhere somebody actually calculated the failure rate or broken / chipped watches incidence rate is about 1-2 per 10000 ceramic watches per year! Most of the pictures on the internet are recycled photos so just ignore the naysayers, ok ?
There is a way of reducing the incidence of the ceramic watch slipping off your wrist or fingers. Practice Speed unbuckling and Speed fastening the watch on your wrist in bed or on the sofa repeatedly - With Your Eyes Closed - until the act becomes second nature to you. The shorter time you take, the odds of the watch accidently slipping off your fingers/wrist are extremely low. If you're in the shower still wearing the watch ( You forgot to take it off ), do not attempt anything silly , make it a habit to continue showering with the watch...You can wipe dry the watch later....

[1William]

I have owned several ceramic Omega watches and have never had a issue. They can be a lot of fun in a larger collection.

[denvercenturion]

Excellent, thank y'all for the thoughts regarding ceramic, and I totally forgot about the DSOTM having ceramic cases as well. Truth be told I wasn't too concerned about the fragility of the piece, I mean if you drop a complicated piece it doesn't matter what it is made of the internals can get all messed up.

I am just lurking waiting to see if one pops up used or if my AD can get me a decent deal on it. I would love to add it to the collection

[Lol-x]

It is a fine looking watch for sure:

IWC-Pilot-Mark-XVIII-Top-Gun-Miramar-SIHH-2016.jpg

The bezel is nice and narrow which gives the dial a wider appearance.

I'm not sure what the lume is like. I guess the minute markers of 5, 10, 15 are intended to convey a more military style than 1,2, 3..etc.

Have you tried this on your wrist?

To me the black dial stainless steel MK. XVIII is very military in style and has the option of the steel bracelet or a strap of your choice. The price is lower too and more people will buy stainless steel than ceramic. Its a tough choice.

One thing to note is while higher end IWC watches are powered by their engineered in-house movements, the Mark XVIII is equipped with the calibre 30110, which is actually the ETA 2892. I suspect IWC has the movement slightly modified to its specifications.

Although reliable, the ETA 2892 is a low cost unit but it is functional.

As the movement is relatively small, the date sits unusually far from the edge of the dial, looking somewhat displaced.

[denvercenturion]

I tried it on and it looks great on my wrist, definitely help push the appeal for me, sits nicely on the wrist and looks good.

Challenge is yeah the ETA movement, and I Know that they have enhanced it so that it runs significantly smoother but at $5400 (retail) and $4500 (discount) it still ends up being about $1000-1500 more than the non ceramic Mark XVIII models and I think that is causing me pause as well.

Ultimately I like it and if I found the right deal secondhand I think I would get it, but going to stay away for now.

[bondtoys]

I am a sucker for black watches in general and am having a S/S Mark XVI which I love.

While I still fancy a Fliegerchronograph Top Gun, I'd never get the normal Mark XYs other than steel. It's just not right in my opinion.

As for the ETA, you have said it already.
IWC has been doing a great job improving it.

[tyler1980]

i like all of the ceramic IWC pilots. I just can't get over the top gun branding. Without it, they are home runs.

[karmatp]

The movement is a non issue. My Mark keeps perfect time. Seriously, I just got home from a week vacation, I wore my Mark XVIII LPP the whole time. I checked the time when I got back in town and it was perfect. I have high end inhouse movements that don't keep time like my ETA powered Mark.

[denvercenturion]

Oh yeah most ETA movements are workhorses and are great and easier to maintain than in house. But so much of watch collecting is perceived value as well and ETA movements just knock perceived value of a watch so much which is unfortunate.

Ultimately I should say that I don't get this watch it is purely because I don't love it. I really like it and the way it likes but it doesn't inspire me too much beyond that. Still think it is a fantastic piece and I am a big fan of IWC/Mark XVIII, but just not for me lol.