The aviation theme continues with Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, a French writer and aviator who disappeared in 1944 over the Mediterranean, and whose eponymous foundation has been partnered by IWC since 2005. The Schaffhausen-based Manufacture supports the Foundation’s commitment to combating illiteracy and educating children in difficulty, in particular through the auctioning of unique “Le Petit Prince” Pilot’s Watches.
This year, IWC unveils two new “Le Petit Prince” models and is once again demonstrating its capacity for innovation with several firsts. The Big Pilot’s Tourbillon limited edition is the first Pilot’s watch to feature a constant-force tourbillon, as well as the first IWC watch made of “hard gold”, a special 5N gold alloy that is much more resistant than classic 5N gold. Positioned between 12 and 2 o’clock, the moon phase that will remain accurate for the next 577.5 years is adorned with the traditional image of the Little Prince, scarf flying in the wind, standing out against a starry sky of the same deep blue as the dial, the typical color of the “Le Petit Prince” models. Ten of these timepieces are also available in platinum. The Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Chronograph, in 5N gold, is a 250-piece limited edition combining for the first time these two complications within a Pilot’s Watch. The day, month and date are read off in three counters, the year appears in a small window at 8 o’clock, and the moon phase is integrated in the 12 o’clock chronograph counter. The elegance of this timepiece continues on the back, with the 18-carat gold openwork oscillating weight and the carefully decorated IWC 89630 caliber visible through the sapphire crystal.
Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Chronograph Edition “Le Petit Prince”
CASE : 18K 5N gold, sapphire crystal and caseback, water-resistant to 60m
SIZE : 43mm, 15.9mm thick
MOVEMENT : mechanical self-winding IWC Caliber 89630, 28,800 vph, 68h power reserve, red oscillating weight
FUNCTIONS : hours, minutes, seconds, date, day, month, year, moon phases, flyback chronograph
DIAL : blue with luminescent gold-plated hands
STRAP : brown calfskin
250-PIECE LIMITED EDITION
Big Pilot’s Watch Constant-Force Tourbillon Edition “Le Petit Prince”
CASE : hard gold or platinum, sapphire crystal resistant to depressurization, sapphire back, water-resistant to 60m
SIZE : 46.3mm, 13.5mm thick
MOVEMENT : mechanical manual-winding IWC Caliber 94805, 18,000, 96h power reserve, constant-force tourbillon FUNCTIONS : hours, minutes, seconds, moon phases, power reserve, tourbillon
DIAL : blue, luminescent gold-plated or rhodium-plated hands
STRAP : brown calfskin
LIMITED EDITION : 10 in hard gold and 10 in platinum
