Hands On with the IWC Big Pilot’s Green IW501015 Watch

Over the last twelve months, we’ve seen dial colour trends switch from blue to green in the luxury watch industry. When it comes to the Big Pilot’s watch collection by IWC Schaffhausen, you can choose between the classic black dial with white numerals or something a little more striking from the Le Petit Prince collection with its signature blue hue. Now you can also choose this vivid green IWC Big Pilot’s Watch, which came as an unexpected addition to the line last year.  Its dramatic deep green hues, paired with a classic brown-coloured calfskin leather strap are a match made in heaven for any pilot’s watch lover. The IW501015 model measures a very confident 46.2mm diameter and is powered by an in-house developed automatic movement for reliable timekeeping. 

Green is supreme

This alluring shade of green, presenting the time clearly and legibly for this IWC Big Pilot’s Watch ref. IW501015 differs from the military green dial colour of the IWC Spitfire watch, for example, with a bronze case. This metallic deep green dial is inspired by the “racing green” colour used to paint British racing cars in 1903. Harking back to a time when racing on public roads was illegal in Great Britain, the 1903 Gordon Bennett Cup, held in Ireland, saw shamrock-green painted British Napier cars take part in the race – a colour that is now known as British Racing Green. In 2000, Jaguar Racing in Formula One revived the famous racing green colour and more recently, we’ve seen Aston Martin F1 cars looking very distinguished in this popular colour. Whilst this Big Pilot’s Watch is not directly linked to racing cars as such, it certainly calls to mind the flashes of green seen on the racetrack of a bygone era. It also showcases all the same vintage-inspired elements that have made the Big Pilot’s Watch such a collectable wristwatch over the years.

And so, it seems that green is the on-trend colour in the luxury watch industry right now. If you’re looking to take your first plunge into the green dial watch craze, you may as well do it with an oversized pilot’s watch to well and truly make your statement seen. The model is the green variant of the black Big Pilot’s Watch ref. IW501001. Aside from its entrancing green aesthetic, there are no new features to note about this already-popular luxury pilot’s watch.

The IWC Pilot’s Watch ref. IW501015 with green dial

What’s nice about this new green dial addition to the IWC Schaffhausen Big Pilot’s watch collection is how its metallic green surface catches the light and appears a different hue depending on the angle it is admired from. There are shades of black present across its surface, whilst brown notes from the vintage calfskin strap make for a very unique and nice mix of shades indeed.

For some, the green Big Pilot’s watch could be a touch too adventurous, but given the company’s recent experimentation with dial colours, including the beige ceramic “Mojave Desert” (which we covered here) – my guess would be that loyal IWC fans are going to be wearing this British Racing Green dial for quite some time. The watch features the 1940s conical crown at 3 o’clock – oversized and knurled, just like the original observation watches for the perfect grip under pilot gloves. The surface of the green dial is equipped with white Arabic numerals, the familiar triangular indication and two dots at 12 o’clock, and luminescent material on its central minute and hour hands, as well as the cardinal points around the dial (including the 12 o’clock triangle). The date aperture can be found at 6 o’clock whilst at the 3 o’clock location, a power reserve indicator can be found.

Under the green bonnet of this 46.2mm stainless steel IWC Big Pilot’s watch is the IWC-manufactured 52110 calibre with a Pellaton winding system that uses each small component of the movement in both directions for great efficiency. Its two barrels enable an impressive 7-day power reserve to build up. The movement is shielded from damage caused by magnetic fields thanks to a soft-iron inner case. IWC Schaffhausen experts have carefully secured the top of the anti-reflective sapphire crystal glass front against any sudden drop in air pressure, ensuring that the most vulnerable and delicate components of the watch remain intact and undisrupted from damage whilst soaring thousands of feet in the sky.

Other additional details of this green dial IWC Big Pilot’s Watch include a 60-meter water resistance and a screw-down solid stainless steel caseback engraved with the “IWC Big Pilot’s Watch” lettering. The brown calfskin leather strap fitted to this luxury pilot’s watch is adorned with cream contrast stitching running down the sides of the band to give the design a vintage-inspired look and feel. The stainless steel fastening that secures the leather band to the wrist is engraved with the IWC lettering, symbolising a token of authenticity and craftsmanship. As with all IWC Watches, the Big Pilot’s Watch comes complete with full paperwork, a warranty of five years and a genuine IWC presentation box. For more information on the model, you can call our Jura Watches sales team today on 01335 453453

Technical Specifications of the IWC Big Pilot’s Watch with green dial

• Case: 46.2mm – stainless steel – anti-reflective sapphire crystal glass front secured against drops in air pressure – conical easy-grip crown – 60-meter water-resistant – closed caseback
• Dial: Deep green – metallic sheen – white Arabic numerals and hands treated with luminescent material - date window at 6 o’clock – power reserve indicator at 3 o’clock
• Movement: IWC-manufactured - 52110 calibre – automatic Pellaton winding system – 7-day power reserve – 257 hand-assembled components- soft-iron inner case for protection against magnetism – 31-jewels – 7-day power reserve
• Strap: Brown – calfskin leather – cream contrast stitching - stainless steel fastening
• Reference: IW501015
• Price: £10,900