The true star of IWC's line-up in 2012 has to be the IWC Big Pilot's Watch. This watch, which took its inspiration from watches designed for the German Air Force (Luftwaffe) in World War II, has emerged from the re-design of the IWC's Pilots Watch family unchanged. Nothing highlights success as well as that.
The Big Pilots watch has a large 46 mm case which made it current given the trend to favor large watches. It's self winding movement with a 7 day power reserve made it interesting enough for aficionados.
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| The original... |
Instead of being redesign, the Big Pilot inspired two new designs.
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| ... the contemporary Air Force inspired edition... |
IWC Big Pilot's Watch TOP GUN Ref. 5019. The IWC Big Pilot's Watch TOP GUN is a modern re-interpretation of the Big Pilot's Watch. Instead of stainless steel and leather, you have a black zirconium oxide and strap made of synthetic soft material. The case is an even larger 48 mm than the 46 mm IWC Big Pilot's Watch.
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| ... and one for the Marine Aviators. |
IWC Big Pilot's Watch TOP GUN Miramar Ref. 5019. If the stark black of the IWC Big Pilot's Watch TOP GUN is the contemporary air force inspired version of the Big Pilot's Watch, the IWC Big Pilot's Watch TOP GUN Miramar is the Marine Aviators variant with its green textile strap and grey ceramic and titanium case. This watch also is 48 mm in diameter.
More than skin deep. The appeal of these watches extends beyond the massive case and beautiful design. The IWC Big Pilots watch belongs to IWC's 50000 series, being powered by built-by-IWC Calibre 51111 movement. This self-winding movement produces 21,600 vibrations per hour and has an 8.5 day power reserve, however the watch will only run for 7 days when fully wound. A mechanism stops the watch when it only has 1.5 days power left. This is because, according to IWC "the torque that drives the movement decreases as the mainspring winds down, leading to a loss of amplitude in the balance and the unacceptable possibility of inaccuracy." I don't think it will matter much if you wear it frequently. A long power reserve is not usually a feature in automatic watches. IWC does have a tendency of doing things a bit differently from everybody else.
The Calibre 51111 movement also features the Pellaton Winding System, which was created by than IWC Technical Director, Albert Pellaton in the 1940's. Unlike the design of other watches, the movement of the rotor is not transmitted to a wheel train via a gear system but through a cam. This supposedly makes the rotor wheel more durable.
About IWC. IWC or the the "International Watch Co. Schaffhausen" was founded by an American engineer from Boston, Florentine Ariosto Jones, in Schaffhausen, Switzerland in the year 1868. IWC Schaffhausen is notable for being the only major Swiss watch factory located in eastern Switzerland, as the majority of the well-known Swiss watch manufacturers are located in western Switzerland.
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