IWC Pilot's Venturer Vertical Drive Review

IWC’s history in aviation watches goes back 90 years, all the way to the introduction of its first “Special Watch for Pilots”’ in 1936. Given that lengthy history, it’s somewhat surprising the brand didn't really get into space watches until 2021, when they built custom-built chronographs for the Inspiration4 private space program, the world's first all-civilian orbital space flight. This new age of privatized space travel is more of an extension of commercial aviation than government sponsored NASA-style exploration, so it makes perfect sense for a brand that is affiliated with aviation to get on board with this new age of space travel.

In 2026, IWC released their next space-focused watch, the Pilot’s Venturer Vertical Drive. Historically, most space watches are modified versions of pre-existing terrestrial timepieces, but IWC built this piece from the ground up to withstand the rigors of modern space exploration. 

The innovation starts with the 44.3mm case, which is made of white zirconium oxide ceramic, with a rotating bezel and case back made of IWC-developed Ceratanium®. Together, these space-age materials offer extreme durability and immunity to temperature fluctuations, an essential feature in the brutal conditions of space.  

The second and most noticeable innovation on display is the eponymous Vertical Drive. The winding, time-setting, and GMT-setting functions are all operated using the rotating bezel, and there is a rocker switch on the side of the case that toggles back and forth between which of those functions the bezel is controlling. It’s a rather ingenious way to get around the traditional crown design, which would be impossible to operate wearing thick spacesuit gloves, and would also present a considerable risk of snagging and tearing a space suit, which could result in a life-threatening situation. 

The Pilot’s Venturer Vertical Drive has chosen to forego the expected chronograph functionality of a space watch, and instead has a 24-hour GMT complication. This may seem counterintuitive at first (are there time zones in space?), but when you consider that astronauts on a space station will see approximately 16 sunrises and sunsets per “day”, you can see why this is an invaluable addition. Not entirely sure how previous astronauts got by without it actually! 

We are in a brave new era of space exploration, and considering the idea of a “space watch” hasn't really been updated in 60 years, this ground-up rethink was long overdue. While there are no moon landings currently planned for IWC, the Pilot’s Venturer Vertical Drive is one giant leap for the space watch.