Introducing the new IWC Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar

IWC Schaffhausen welcomes another Perpetual Calendar complication into its iconic Big Pilot’s Watch collection – a 46.2mm steel case and blue dial model powered by the trusty Calibre 52615 with Pellaton winding system.

Very few luxury pilot’s watches have the same purely utilitarian, highly functional design as the Big Pilot’s Watch from IWC Schaffhausen. The iconic model became a success at the turn of the millennium and has since undergone a host of modifications – some little some large. It has also been reformed into various special editions. Still, the story and heritage behind the design of the IWC Big Pilot’s watch are as influential as ever. The Schaffhausen-based Maison releases another Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar that automatically recognises the turn of the months and each leap year. Several innovative features set this new Big Pilot’s Watch apart from other tool watches on the market such as its ceramic components used for IWC’s Pellaton Winding system and the watch’s distinct design based on a 1940s military observation watch. Meet the new IWC Schaffhausen Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Ref: IW503605.

The IWC Big Pilot’s Watch collection has seen 37 versions of the perpetual calendar since it launched in 2002. The watchmaker’s legendary complication was designed by Kurt Klaus in the 1980s and first featured in a Big Pilot’s Watch in 2006 – a limited edition platinum 25-piece set. The new model ref: IW503605 continues IWC’s story of the perpetual calendar with a large stainless steel model and a stunning blue dial. The innovative mechanism at the heart of the watch will not need adjusting until the year 2100 when an exception to the rule of the Gregorian Calendar occurs and a leap year is omitted. The numerals referring to the year, however, will run right up until 2499 inside the watch’s four-digit display, since an additional century slider is integrated into the case. What makes the IWC Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar remarkably user-friendly is its crown, which is easy to facilitate when setting the calendar feature.

Dial:

Lending itself especially well to the perpetual calendar complication is the large dial of the new IWC Big Pilot’s Watch. A dark blue metallic sunburst display acts as a beautiful backdrop for a set of white printed minutes. Matching this shade of blue is the four-digit year display nestled in between the 7 and 8 o’clock locations. The calendar counters are slightly recessed into the surface of the dial, playing with depth and texture thanks to an azurage pattern. A hit of colour is added to the dial in the form of the red arrow-tipped calendar hands. This colour scheme has been used recently by IWC Schaffhausen with the 2019 Rodeo Drive Edition – a white-on-blue dial with red accents. The rectangular-shaped hour indexes add a new dimension to the Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar and the triangular index at 12 o’clock is a rhodium applique, completing the watch’s multi-level dial effect. At the 3 o’clock location the date and power reserve can be accessed, balanced by a small seconds and weekday display at 9. The 6 o’clock location features the month display while the 12 o’clock location holds the moonphase display.

Case:

As mentioned, the Big Pilot’s Watch measures its typically large 46.2mm diameter and has been crafted from brushed stainless steel with polished finishes seen on the conical bezel and caseback. The case is also integrated with 60-meter water resistance and features a knurled and oversized onion-shaped crown, designed to be easily accessible through thick quilted pilot’s gloves. The crown is also engraved with the IWC logo. The front of the watch is sealed with an anti-reflective sapphire crystal glass lens secured against displacement caused by drops in air pressure – a feature that ensures the glass won’t come loose once exposed to extreme temperature fluctuations. The back of the case also features an exhibition caseback crafted from sapphire crystal, granting a clear view into the Big Pilot’s beating heart.

Movement:

A single nightly switching impulse is the key to the efficiency of the watch’s perpetual calendar complication. The Calibre 52615 is responsible for this – an in-house IWC manufactured movement with a 386-part construction. The movement is equipped with the Pellaton Winding system, which gives the watch its useful 7-day power reserve courtesy of two barrels. Virtually wear-free ceramic parts also resist stresses, prolonging the performance of the engine. The IWC Calibre beats at 28,800 vibrations per hour and features; date, day, month, year in four digits, perpetual moonphase for both Northern and Southern hemispheres and small hacking seconds.

The new IWC Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar is finished on a blue calfskin leather strap with a stainless steel folding clasp. More information can be found here or you can call our Jura Watches sales team on 01335 453453 to secure an order today.

Technical specifications for the new IWC Schaffhausen Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar

• Case: Diameter: 46.2mm – height: 15.4mm – brushed stainless steel with polished bezel and caseback – 60-meter water resistance – conical bezel – screw-in crown – anti-reflective sapphire crystal glass front secured against displacement caused by drops in air pressure – sapphire crystal glass caseback
• Dial: Sunray-brushed blue dial – painted white minute track – rectangular-shaped luminous hour batons – rhodium-plated hands with Super-LumiNova – weekday and small seconds at 9H – moonphase at 12H – date and power reserve at 3H – month at 6H – four-digit year display at 7:30
• Movement: IWC-Manufactured Calibre 52615 – Pellaton Winding system – 7-day power reserve - 28,800 v.h.p – 54 jewels, hours, minutes, small seconds, year, month, day, date, moonphase, power reserve
• Strap: Deep blue calfskin leather strap – stainless steel folding clasp
• Reference: IW503605
• Price: £25,400