The Big Pilot’s Heritage Watch 48 is limited to 1,000 pieces
So…what about them new Pilot’s watches from IWC, eh? Yeah, you have probably already liked hundreds of Instagram pictures posted by the few lucky journalists and retailers that attended SIHH this yeah. And your double tapping on the images of the 2016 IWC Pilot’s Watches are all justified. Because IWC did well this year. As in very well.
Big Pilot ref. 5009
One of the lesser discussed novelties, the Big Pilot ref. 5009, was actually a staff favourite. And it was one tiny detail that had all our eyes on it: the “9” marker. You see, the Big Pilot ref. 5002 that was launched in 2002 being the first relaunch of the original B-Uhr from 1940 had a near perfect dial layout. And when it was taken over by the updated ref. 5004 in 2006, the “9” was missing creating not only a weird gap. Not in a cute-gap-between-your-teeth, but in a rather puzzling way.
Big Pilot ref. 5009
But I have good news, folks: 9 is back! And it looks like the good folks in the design department of IWC took a good look at the ref. 5002 and the ref. 5006 and agreed that sometimes old works better.
Besides from nine’ing the black dial of the Big Pilot ref. 5009, this new version also offers a new black calfskin strap from the Italian shoemaker Santoni. Also the caseback now offers an engraving of an airplane, adding novelty to an otherwise well-known model.
Spitfire
Big Pilot’s Watch Spitfire ref. 5009
The Big Pilot’s Watch ref. 5009 is also offered in the Spitfire line and this in a version of red gold, slate-coloured dial with metallic finish and brown Santoni strap. The grey dial equals Spitfire – a collection introduced in 2003 honouring the grey fuselage of its namesake, the legendary single-engine Spitfire fighter airplane. This line also offers a 46 mm Perpetual Calendar Digital Date-Month Spitfire of steel. A model that impresses with not only it’s perpetual calendar, but also by it’s digital aperture showing date and month and leap year indicator above “6”.
Powered by the IWC-manufactured caliber 89801, the Perpetual Calendar Digital Date-Month Spitfire offers a look to the movement and the Spitfire-shaped rotor from the see-through sapphire glass caseback.
The 43 mm Chronograph Spitfire my look somewhat unchanged in layman eyes, but the 2016 version of this popular model offers an updated satin finish of not only the middle case, but also the matching bracelet. Also, the dial layout is different as it offers single day and date window at “3”. This model of course is also available with calfskin leather strap or the new IWC NATO strap.
Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Spitfire
Big Pilot’s Heritage Watch
Staying with the larger end of the Pilot’s Watch collection IWC also introduced two models of titanium. A material reserved to only boutique pieces and other limited edition Big Pilot’s.. But then again, the brown dial Big Pilot’s Heritage Watch 48 (limited to 1000 pieces) and 55 (limited to 100 pieces) are not your average Big Pilot’s Watches. They are both inspired by the original B-Uhr from 1940, offering hand-wound movements, caliber 59125 with eight days of power reserve and caliber 98300 with 46 hours of power reserve respectively. The Big Pilot’s Heritage Watch 48 offers a small window in the caseback offering not only a look into the movement, but also using this for the power reserve indicator. I know what you are thinking: “Why offer this when the watch is supposed to be protected against magnetism?” I too asked that question during the presentation and was met with an explanation proving that IWC was prepared with that question. The kind presenter told me that IWC opted for a soft metal ring that sits around the movement instead of underneath. Supposedly this construction should be enough to protect the movement from magnetic fields, i.e. from the instruments in the cockpit of an airplane.
Big Pilot’s Heritage Watch 48
The larger version, Big Pilot’s Heritage Watch 55, offers the same diameter of the original 1940 B-Uhr. This larger version differs from the 48 mm version as it does not offer a date, nor a look to the movement from the caseback. In that perspective it is more true to the original, but both the 48 and 55 mm versions offer their modern twist to the B-Uhr with small seconds above “6”. Had it been true to the original B-Uhr both should have offered central seconds hand.
Big Pilot’s Heritage Watch 48 and 55 are both offered with a brown calfskin strap with a double-layered “anti-loss” construction that prevents accidental dropping off the wrist as it is never completely unattached to the clasp. And if it is good for pilots, it is good for you too.
“Le Petit Prince” novelties
In 2015 IWC introduced their Portugieser Annual Calendar and this year a Big Pilot’s Watch is introduced with this complication, adding yet another function to the aviation inspired collection. This complication however is only offered in the blue dial, 18-carat red gold Big Pilot’s Watch Annual Calendar Edition “Le Petit Prince”, which pays tribute to the popular children’s book about the little prince and his mini put planet.
Big Pilot’s Watch Annual Calendar Edition “Le Petit Prince”
This “World Literature Watch” as IWC has named it is limited to only 250 pieces and offers a rather spectacular caseback. Through the sapphire glass you can see the little prince standing on his planet which in its entirety forms as the rotor of the automatic movement (caliber 52850 with seven days of power reserve. If you are fan of only Antoine Saint-Exupéry’s little prince and blue dials, but not into gold or limited pieces then there are good news for you. IWC presented a blue dial version of the normal Big Pilot ref. 5009 with a special caseback engraving of the little prince. This model is a regular production piece.
Besides from the Annual Calendar of red gold and blue dial Big Pilots’ Watch, IWC presented three other novelties that all honour the little prince. One is the stainless steel Double Chronograph Edition “Le Petit Prince”. Function aside this watch offers a captivating and innovative central star shaped day display. Every day, one of the seven stars on the inner circle of the dial is illuminated in gold to symbolize the visit of the little prince to another planet. The 44 mm Double Chronograph Edition “Le Petit Prince” is powered by an automatic rattrapante chronograph movement and is limited to 1000 pieces.
The two other blue dial “Le Petit Prince” novelties are the 43 mm Chronograph with day/date display and the 40 mm Mark XVIII. The latter offers a single date window as opposed to earlier models that offered a triple window, meaning the next day/today/tomorrow date were all visible. Admittedly the single date window works a lot better and so does the revamped 40 mm case compared to the former model, Mark XVII, that offered a diameter of 41 mm. Both blue dial novelties are fitted on a calfskin strap from Santoni or a metal bracelet that has also been updated with new satin finishing. But if neither the Santoni strap nor the bracelet is your thing, IWC presented for the first time very nice NATO straps that will look really good on the Mark XVIII and other models from the Swiss manufacturer.
Black, white and 36 mm
Pilot’s Watch Automatic 36
The 43 mm Chronograph and the Mark XVIII are also offered with black dials and the Mark XVIII also with a new white dial. And if you like the discreet look of the Mark XVIII but has a slender wrist (or if you are woman), IWC has something good for your; the Pilot’s Watch Automatic 36 that is four mm smaller that the Mark XVIII.
The Pilot’s Watch Automatic 36 offers an automatic movement with 42-hour power reserve which is protected against magnetic fields with a soft metal inner case. No matter if you go for the silver-plated or slate grey dial version, a Santoni strap or a bracelet can be fitted to your watch.
Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar and Double Chronograph Edition “Antoine de Saint Exupéry”
Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Edition “Antoine de Saint Exupéry”
A Big Pilot with perpetual calendar is not new per se. But the 46 mm Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Edition “Antoine de Saint Exupéry” of steel with a tobacco brown dial is a novelty for this year. It features the distinct Arabic hour markers as fitted on all St. Exupéry models. The brown dial matches the brown Santoni calfskin strap with creamy white ornamental seams.
This colorscheme is also used on the 44 mm Double Chronograph Edition “Antoine de Saint Exupéry” of steel. The automatic chronograph movement offers split seconds which is activated by the upper left corner of the case making it possible for the wearer to measure two separate events. The Double Chronograph Edition “Antoine de Saint Exupéry” also offers single day and date windows at “3”.
Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Edition “Antoine de Saint Exupéry” and Pilot’s Watch Double Chronograph Edition “Antoine de Saint Exupéry” are limited to 750 and 1000 pieces respectively.
Pilot’s Watch Double Chronograph Edition “Antoine de Saint Exupéry”
IWC Pilot’s watches in ceramic
IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Top Gun Miramar
IWC has a long history with the use of ceramic and pioneered the use of this material in 1986. The Pilot’s collection using the material is not only the Top Gun models, represented with the 48 mm Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar, the 46 mm Big Pilot’s Watch and the 44 mm Pilot’s Watch Chronograph, all offering IWC-manufactured movements and the Top Gun logo shown only on the caseback
The ceramic Top Gun collection also offer the Miramar models that are named after the San Diego training grounds once used by the American fighter pilots from the United States Marine Corps. This line offers a 44 mm Chronograph and a 41 mm Mark XVIII with a dial layout inspired by the historic observers watches.
Both the Top Gun and Top Gun Miramar models are fitted with an embossed black or green calfskin strap.
Pilot’s Watch Timezoner Chronograph
Pilot’s Watch Timezoner Chronograph
One of the biggest news at this year’s IWC presentation was the all new 45 mm Pilot’s Watch Timezoner Chronograph. Jumping out of the line-up with it’s very distinct look, primarily due to the turnable city ring, this novelty is the very first of it’s kind making it possible to set the time in a different city with a single rotation of the bezel.
By pressing on the spring-mounted bezel (inspired by the Ocean 2000 diver’s watch from 1980 and the current Aquatimer) you turn to your desired city and the hour hand, 24 hour day/night display and date move automatically in sync.
The automatic caliber 89760 powered Pilot’s Watch Timezoner Chronograph also offers a flyback chronograph and is fitted with a black calfskin strap from Santoni.
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