Not all images were able to load for printing. Please close the print window and try again. The IWC Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Edition Racing Green (Live Pics & Price)
One of IWC’s most complex Big Pilot’s watches dressed in black and green
IWC Schaffhausen’s emblematic Big Pilot’s Watch collection is of great historical relevance and has evolved from a purely functional piece to more of a statement watch if there ever as one. The very idea of legibility and oversized cases is still very much alive and serves the BP collection well. This year alone, several new models have been released already, including a smaller time-only model, the Big Pilot 43, a rather cool Top Gun “Mojave Desert” edition and the incredible Schock Absorber XPL. The latest in line, adding complexity and colours in the process, is the IWC Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Edition Racing Green IW503005.
When it comes to the Big Pilot’s Watch, a few things are established; an oversized case with a large diamond-shaped crown and a dial as clean and legible as possible. After all, the original Big Pilot’s Watch 52 S.C. served a very clear purpose and that spirit hasn’t changed much ever since. However, as the very necessity for such a watch has evolved, so have the materials and complications. The current Big Pilot’s Watch collection is available in steel, gold or high-tech (coloured) ceramic and comes with everything from time-only to seriously complex constant-force tourbillon movements.
While presented in steel and blue earlier this year as part of the permanent collection, a new limited edition Perpetual Calendar is launched today in a matte-black 46.2mm diameter ceramic case with a vibrant racing green dial. IWC has quite some experience with this high-tech and scratch-resistant material over the years. The company has created numerous full ceramic watches, in various colours and even uses ceramic components inside the movement (other than ball-bearings). We’ve recently done an in-depth review of the IWC Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar TOP GUN “Mojave Desert” showing the use of ceramic by IWC, if you’re interested in finding out more.
The racing green dial features contrasting, white markings combined with gold-plated hands and moonphase disc. The hands for the timing indications are filled with Super-LumiNova while the hands for the calendar indications all have a red tip. Despite the additional displays for the Perpetual Calendar, the large dial has space enough to evenly spread the subdials for the perpetual calendar and still remain somewhat balanced – this was one of the main advantages of the QP module developed by Kurt Klaus. The legibility isn’t compromised too much with all the extra information on display.
Powering the Racing Green Big Pilot’s Watch QP is the in-house 52615 movement. The movement comprises 386 components and can be admired through the sapphire crystal caseback. It is equipped with the Pellaton automatic winding system, an efficient bi-directional pawl-based winding system made in ceramic to reduce wear. The movement delivers a hefty 168 hours, or 7-day power reserve, driven by the signature skeletonized rotor.
Next to central hours, minutes and seconds, it indicates the day of the week, the date, the month of the year, the year and the moonphase on both the northern and southern hemispheres. An important factor to know is that all the calendar indications can be adjusted via the crown, and in sync with each other. So if the watch runs out of energy, there’s no stressing about setting all the displays. Something very convenient for such a complication.
The IWC Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Edition Racing Green IW503005 comes on a black calfskin leather strap with a textile embossed pattern and is secured by a pin buckle. It is limited to 250 pieces and retails for EUR 36,100 or CHF 37,000.
For more information, please visit IWC.com.
