IWC Big Pilot IW501002 Review
The IWC Big Pilot was originally launched in 2002 and became immediately
iconic. Different. And as the name suggest big.
Redesigned in 2006 with more modern numerals it still kept the original look and feel with an automatic movement with 7 days of power reserve.
Various iterations came throughout the year like the perpetual calendar (introduced in 2006) and an annual calendar in 2016.
The watch reviewed here is the IW501002 “le petit prince” edition launched in 2013 with the 52110 calibre, 7 days power reserve.
The original strap is brown that fits well with the blue dial.
The dial is very well executed . The original big pilot model has a black dial but this iteration has a different character. Perhaps more elegant.
In today’s very concentrated watches landscape where some luxury brands like Rolex, Patek and Audemars play artificial scarcity as a virtue, the big pilot is something different.
Born as a tool watch and still today, in this more refined version, retains the original DNA.
Does the big pilot fits in an office selling ? My answer is yes:
As you can see it fits well with both old and new technology
The caseback is simple and has the “petit prince” consistent with this particular edition.
The generous size of the watch makes it also double as a clock!
In this year IWC launched a smaller version of the big pilot: 43MM vs 46.2MM as you can see side by side in this intagram post (all rights to the original poster)
What I do not like of this new iteration is the missing date and the power reserve. This said, given that 46.2 mm is not for everyone, I think that the new model would be very successful. With 100 Mt water resistance and an easy way to change straps (including bracelet) it is certainly a wiinner.
In conclusions, the Big Pilot IWC501002 le petit prince is bold, big but beatiful. As you can see it can be worn very well in a formal attire too.
If size is a concern, the new 43mm versions might fit better but, even with a modest wrist, I think that the big pilot makes a statement and is (almost) never out of place.
