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IWCPILOT’S WATCHES GETMORE VERSATILE
T H E N E W P U R E 4 3 M M B I G P I L O T A N D T H E 4 1 M M P I L O T ’ S W A T C H C H R O N O G R A P H
No other model by IWC is as well- known or instantly recognizable as the Big Pilot’sWatch. It was originally introduced in 1936 and then relaunched in 2002 to reflect the company’s heritage in the production of robust, reliable instruments for the cockpit and to modernize the pilot’s watch. In particular, it was inspired by a 1940 model, with its easy-to-read dial and onion crown. As a modern aviator watch, it retained the design elements that dictated the pilot’s watch’s traditional function in the cockpit:
large proportions for optimum legibility, with large numerals and hands and plenty of luminescent coating.A large crown is also a common feature, a nod to the days when pilots wore padded flight gloves. IWC took the large dimensions very seriously, initially using a large movement that was inspired by a pocket watch movement for the release of the Big Pilot’s Watch. It was introduced in 2002 at a case width of 46.2 mm. The oversized crown was another detail the modern Big Pilot’s
Watch shared with its historic ancestor. The watch has only undergone small changes since 2002, but this year, IWC wanted to make an even purer interpretation of the iconic design, with a 43 mm case. The dial has been pared down and stripped of its date window and power reserve display, but the proportions of the case, horns, and cone-shaped crown have been retained, so the new 43 mm version feels just as big on the wrist as the original larger version.
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