Watch Paparazzi

Television presenter Jan Fredrik Karlsen spotted wearing IWC

Jan Fredrik Karlsen, Norwegian television presenter and artist manager best known for his work across Scandinavian entertainment media, was recently photographed wearing an IWC Pilot's Watch Chronograph Top Gun — a timepiece that signals serious horological intent beneath any dress code. The sighting shows the watch clearly on his left wrist, its matte black ceramic case and textile strap unmistakable even at a glance.

The IWC Pilot's Watch Chronograph Top Gun reference IW389101 is built around a 44.5mm case crafted from IWC's proprietary Ceratanium material — a composite that combines the hardness and scratch resistance of ceramic with the lightness and toughness of titanium. The dial is pure instrument: matte black, with oversized white Arabic numerals, luminous baton indices, and three sub-dials governing the flyback chronograph function. A day-date window sits at 3 o'clock, and the crown at 3 is flanked by two pushers for the chronograph. The movement inside is the in-house calibre 89365, a flyback chronograph with 68 hours of power reserve — a technically accomplished calibre by any standard.

The Top Gun name entered the IWC catalogue in 2007 as a tribute to the United States Navy Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor program, and the Chronograph variant has since become a cornerstone of the line. The ceramic-cased versions replaced earlier stainless steel references and are widely regarded among collectors as the definitive expression of the model — darker, more legible, and more resistant to daily wear than their predecessors.

From a collector standpoint, the Top Gun Chronograph occupies a credible position in the pilot watch segment. It competes with the Breitling Navitimer and Zenith El Primero on heritage, while offering a more modern, tool-watch aesthetic. The flyback function and in-house movement give it genuine technical merit beyond the military branding.

At a retail price of approximately $9,500 USD, the IWC Pilot's Watch Chronograph Top Gun IW389101 sits at the upper end of accessible luxury. Grey market values have remained close to retail, reflecting steady demand. For Karlsen, it is a choice that speaks to function-first taste — a working professional's watch worn without ceremony.