IWC, a Swiss watch manufacturer located in Schaffhausen, Switzerland is set to launch an an all-new line of pilot’s watches with the Big Pilot’s Heritage Watch 48 and 55 leading the pack. This is a pair of limited editions modelled on the oversized aviator’s watches of the Second World War and is to be unveiled at the popular exhibition show; Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie ( SIHH 2016 ). Based on history, the IWC were supplied to airmen of the German Luftwaffe during the Second World War. These pilot watches are getting new traditional looks with debuts starting with an entry level Mark XVIII, a pair of historical remakes in titanium and the Big Pilot’s Heritage Watch 48 and 55.( 48 mm and 55 mm refers to the case size).
Features of the two Big Pilot’s Heritage Watches includes lightweight titanum cases with the 55 mm model weighing less than 150 grammes and the smaller one 120 grammes. The sandblasted matte grey finished titanum case takes the look of the chrome-plated brass cases of the WWII originals. The larger Big Pilot’s Heritage Watch 55 is powered by the hand-wound calibre 98300, also known as the F.A. Jones movement while inside the Big Pilot’s Heritage Watch 48 is the more modern calibre 59215.
Characteristics of the 55mm includes:
- the “9” numeral
- distinctive triangle marker at 12 o’clock
- sub-seconds at six o’clock, instead of a centre seconds
- elongated, needle-like regulator index on the Heritage Watch 55
Characteristics of the 48mm includes:
- the same eight day power reserve movement found in the Portuguse Hand-Wound Eight Days
- power reserve display on the rear, visible through a porthole on the case back
Other pilot watches in the lineup inlcudes:
- Pilot’s Watch Time-zoner Chronograph
- Pilot’s Watch Automatic 36
- Pilot’s Watch Mark XVIII
- Big Pilot’s Watch
- Pilot’s Watch Chronograph
- Big Pilot’s Watch Spitfire
- Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Digital Date-Month Spitfire
- Big Pilot’s Watch Annual Calendar Edition “Le Petit Prince”
- Big Pilot’s Watch Edition “Le Petit Prince”
- Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Edition “Le Petit Prince”
- Pilot’s Watch Mark XVIII Edition “Le Petit Prince”
- Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Edition “Antoine de Saint Exupéry”
- Pilot’s Watch Double Chronograph Edition “Antoine de Saint Exupéry”
- Big Pilot’s Watch TOP GUN
- Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar TOP GUN
- Pilot’s Watch Chronograph TOP GUN
- Pilot’s Watch Chronograph TOP GUN Miramar
- Pilot’s Watch Mark XVIII TOP GUN Miramar
The Big Pilot’s Heritage Watch 55 is a limited edition of 100 watches, each individually numbered on the back while the the Big Pilot’s Heritage Watch 48 is an edition of 1000 watches, each labelled “One Out of 1000”, rather than having a specific number.
