News: IWC Big Pilot's Annual Calendar Le Petit Prince
French aviator and author Antoine de Saint-Exupéry leaves two legacies in his wake—one of a skilled and fearless pilot, and the other of a heartfelt and talented writer. During his life, he was able to combine two often mutually exclusive qualities, pragmatism and creativity—so it’s no surprise that it’s this man whom IWC has chosen to commemorate in a number of its pilot’s watches, a range of timepieces that also strives to combine utility with artistry.
For this Big Pilot's Annual Calendar Le Petit Prince limited edition, IWC has drawn inspiration from Saint-Exupéry’s famous work of the same name. Not only does the watch feature the deep blue dial that IWC is famous for, but this special edition piece also for the first time features the same distinctive hue for its movement, the in-house twin-barrelled calibre 52850. The movement is put on full display through the sapphire glass caseback, and achieves its colour thanks to a metallic oxide coating.
In a beautiful tribute to ’Le Petit Prince’, the movement’s rotor depicts the Little Prince of the story standing atop his asteroid planet—an intricate design that is based on one of Saint-Exupéry’s own drawings. The asteroid revolves around its own axis, spinning the Little Prince as it goes.
But the blue movement isn’t this piece’s only first: the watch is the first IWC pilot’s watch to boast an annual calendar. The date is displayed via a discrete window at 12 o’clock, while a seven-day power reserve indicator and seconds subdial sit at 3 and 9 o’clock, respectively. The beautifully finished dial is understated and elegant, and enclosed in an 18k white gold case with a diameter of 46mm. The IWC Big Pilot's Annual Calendar Le Petit Prince is a limited edition of 250 pieces.
