IWC Schaffhausen has once again honored Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s timeless masterpiece, The Little Prince, with the launch of two exclusive Big Pilot’s Watches. Combining intricate complications with elegant design, the Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Tourbillon Le Petit Prince and the Big Pilot’s Watch 43 Tourbillon Le Petit Prince celebrate both aviation heritage and literary charm.
Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Tourbillon Le Petit Prince: A Ceramic Masterpiece
Marking a first for the Le Petit Prince collection, the Ref. IW504901 debuts in a striking 46.5mm blue ceramic case, water-resistant to 100 meters. Limited to just 100 pieces, this model unites a perpetual calendar and a flying minute tourbillon—positioned where the traditional pilot’s triangle would be.
Precision Engineering and Poetic Details
Powered by the IWC-manufactured 51950 caliber, the movement boasts 447 components and a 7-day power reserve. The tourbillon alone consists of 82 meticulously crafted parts, weighing a mere 0.635 grams to counteract gravity’s effect on timekeeping.
The perpetual calendar—perfected by IWC’s Kurt Klaus—accurately tracks leap years, months, and moon phases until 2100. A whimsical touch replaces the moon disc with an engraving of the Little Prince on asteroid B612, visible through the sapphire case back. The blue sunray dial, gold-plated hands, and pink gold accents ensure legibility and luxury.
Paired with a blue rubber strap, this timepiece is priced upon request.
Big Pilot’s Watch 43 Tourbillon Le Petit Prince: Platinum Elegance
The Ref. IW329501 offers a more compact 43mm platinum case, limited to 150 pieces. Its deep blue sunray dial features bold Arabic numerals and a classic pilot’s triangle at 12 o’clock.
Technical Mastery in a Refined Package
The self-winding 82905 caliber includes IWC’s Pellaton winding system with ceramic components for durability, delivering an 80-hour power reserve. The flying minute tourbillon at 6 o’clock incorporates 56 parts and includes a stop function for precise time-setting—a rarity in tourbillon watches.
Like its counterpart, the case back reveals a rotor adorned with the Little Prince, while a brown calfskin strap completes the aviator-inspired aesthetic.
