Building upon the release of its Big Pilot's collection in 2016 which saw the release of a wide, balanced range of timepieces ranging from the Big Pilot’s Heritage Watch, the Mark XVIII, the Pilot's Watch Automatic 36 as well as the new Timezoner Chronograph, IWC Schaffhausen has added three new exciting pieces to delight enthusiasts of its iconic line-up.
Big Pilot's Watch Annual Calendar Edition "Antoine de Saint Exupéry"
Following a tradition every year, we see the latest special edition of the Big Pilot's Watch Annual Calendar Edition "Antoine de Saint Exupéry" created in honour of the French pilot and author.
With a tobacco brown dial and the brown calfskin strap with decorative white stitching are reminiscent of the pilot suits from the era of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. The annual calendar displays the month, date and day in three separate windows and only requires adjustment once a year, at the end of February.
The IWC-manufactured calibre 52850 boasts a Pellaton winding system with components in virtually wear-free ceramic and generates a 7-day power reserve in two barrels. A special feature of this watch is the rotor in solid 18-carat red gold in the form of a Lightning P-38: it was in this particular model of aircraft that Saint-Exupéry took off on a reconnaissance flight across the Mediterranean from which he never returned.
This watch is just the latest in a series of timepieces created by IWC to highlight its long-standing partnership with the Antoine de Saint-Exupéry Foundation.
The Big Pilot's Watch Annual Calendar Edition "Antoine de Saint Exupéry" is limited to 250 pieces.
Big Pilot's Watch Heritage
The Big Pilot's Watch Heritage takes its retro inspiration from the historical Big Pilot's Watch from the 1940s.
Its case is made from durable and light Titanium and weighs less than 150 grams. As on the famous original model, the chapter ring, the Arabic numerals and propeller-like hands are all beige.
Available in two different models: in titanium with a black dial and blue hands coated with luminescent material (IW501004) and in bronze with a black dial and blue hands coated with luminescent material (Ref. IW501005).
The edition in bronze is limited to 1,500 pieces.
Both watches are driven by the IWC-manufactured calibre 52110 with a Pellaton winding system and a 7-day power reserve. A power reserve display at “3 o’clock” indicates the charging level at all times.
Pilot's Watch Mark XVIII Heritage
Finally the Pilot's Watch Mark XVIII Heritage, IWC has recreated the iconic Pilot’s Watch Mark XVIII in a titanium case for the first time: in titanium with a black dial and blue hands coated with luminescent material (Ref. IW327006).
All three watches feature a soft-iron inner case keeping the movements safe from magnetic fields and the sapphire glass on all models is specially designed to be protected against sudden drops in pressure in the cockpit.
These new models are available now in IWC boutiques and from authorised IWC retailers.
