Although ceramic watchmaking is decidedly a symbol of modernity, the material has been used as a case material in some capacity ever since the 1960s when brands like IWC, Rado, and Omega attempted to find a way to make models lighter and more durable than steel. Initial attempts saw the material blended with steel (by Omega) but in 1986, IWC debuted the first watch with a fully ceramic case with the Da Vinci ref. 3755. From there, ceramic watches have seen surprisingly large amounts of innovation with new colors and construction methods (e.g., bio-ceramics). Today, IWC makes arguably the biggest leap in ceramic progress in years with the introduction of Ceralume — the first-ever fully-lumed ceramic material.
Who Turned on All the Lights?
We’ve been pleasantly surprised with the amount of fully-lumed watches that have come out in recent months. From Bell & Ross’ bright green case on the BR-X5 LUM to Sinn’s glowing dial on the latest U50 diver, loads of lume isn’t necessarily a new invention. Brands like A. Lange & Söhne have been doing a version of full lume for nearly a decade and a half, lighting up subdials and major elements of its haute horology luxury pieces.
While it’s experiencing a bit of a moment right now, these timepieces, which are intended for nighttime visibility but also just look really cool, popped up as early as the ‘80s and was even worn on the wrist of Timothy Dalton as James Bond during an opening sequence of 1987’s The Living Daylights. Reissued in 2021, this may have jump-started the newfound love for full lume in sports watches. Since then, everyone from Zodiac to Squale have hopped on the proverbial bandwagon. In fact, back in August, IWC presented its first-ever fully-lumed dial with a Black Aces collaboration version of its iconic Pilot’s Watch.
IWC Ceralume Pilot’s Chronograph Basics
In terms of fully-lumed cases, IWC’s new Ceralume Pilot’s Chronograph is the first to use a non-composite material like resin or fiberglass (much like the aforementioned Bell & Ross piece, which is also layered with titanium underneath). Developed by the Swiss brand’s experimental engineering division, XPL, Ceralume is a blend of ceramic powder and Super-LumiNova, which is the most common lume coating on dials. When tested, Ceralume stayed glowing blue for 24 hours in the dark, whereas typical Super-LumiNova will only last around 8 hours max.
Colored white when not in the dark, the case surrounds an all-white dial and is adorned with a white rubber strap, also featuring plenty of Super-LumiNova pigment. Debuting on racer and brand ambassador Lewis Hamilton as a prototype during the Monaco Grand Prix F1 event, the Ceralume Pilot’s Chronograph sported a 41mm case diameter but not much is known about the commercialization of the Ceralume just yet, although you can expect it to be available to the public eventually.
Spec Sheet
Case Size: 41mm
Case Material: Ceralume ceramic
Water Resistance: Unspecified
Movement: Unspecified
Band: White rubber dial with Super-LumiNova lume
Pricing & Availability
Again, the Ceralume Pilot’s Chronograph is merely a concept that’s debuted on Lewis Hamilton’s wrist as a means to preview what’s to come from IWC. However, you can read all about the innovative proprietary material over at the brand’s website.
Recap
IWC Ceralume Pilot’s Chronograph
IWC debuted the first-ever fully-lumed ceramic case with its proprietary new material that blends ceramic powder with Super-LumiNova pigment. As of now, this is just a concept but should be available to the public eventually.
