Editor’s note: IWC’s Big Pilot is one of the most significant watches of the last 20 years. Its deceptively simple design belied the huge impact this 46mm monster had on the watch scene. But can it go dressy? Well, the IWC Big Pilot Edition “Le Petit Prince” makes a solid argument for the yay camp. When IWC released the original Big Pilot in 2002 it captured imaginations, marking a defining moment in the early noughties trend for ‘big’ watches. It was a brute, with its hulking 46mm case and utilitarian aesthetics. And if the original ref. 5002 Big Pilot had been as pared back as its WWII inspiration, would it have captured the hearts and minds of the watch-loving public quite as much as it did? Probably not. The IWC Big Pilot was, without doubt, a luxury pilot’s watch. It’s a post-modern statement piece that’s the horological equivalent of the Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon. This year, IWC revamped its entire Pilot’s collection, and today we’re taking a closer look at one of them: “Le Petit Prince” edition of the Big Pilot. IWC makes Little Prince versions of their Pilot’s watches across the board, and the defining features are a charming engraving of the…
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