IWC’s Newest Big Pilot Watch Shows Off a Tourbillion That Looks Like an Airplane Engine
IWC’s Big Pilot collection represents the purest embodiment of the brand and its aviation roots. While the official collection launched in 2002, the models pay homage to a much longer history of military timekeepers with the same DNA. Over the years, the Big Pilot collection has seen a number of special editions. A particularly notable variation came in 2008 in a limited run of just 12 pieces: the Big Pilot’s Watch Edition Markus Bühler. Now, 15 years later, IWC unveils a long-awaited successor with the Big Pilot’s Watch 43 Tourbillon Markus Bühler.
The Big Pilot’s Watch 43 Tourbillon Markus Bühler has been 20 years in the making. Its origins trace back to 2003 when Markus Bühler—IWC’s current associate director of watch and movement assembly—was in the final year of his watchmaker apprenticeship with the brand. At that time, he refined a pocket watch movement resulting in the unique turbine caliber that would become the focal point of the 2008 Big Pilot’s Watch Edition Markus Bühler. The movement took first prize at the 2003 Prix IFHH de l’Horlogerie (today Concours IHC) competition for apprentices and caught the attention of IWC, which led to the development of the special-edition model to showcase Bühler’s creation.
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The new Big Pilot’s Watch 43 Tourbillon Markus Bühler builds on the original design with an exciting new interpretation of the turbine integrated into the flying minute tourbillon positioned at six o’clock. In the original, the turbine—reminiscent of an aircraft engine—appeared as the watch’s seconds indicator. Adapting this design to the tourbillion mechanism unsurprisingly presented some unique challenges. In a tourbillon, the balance and escapement are housed in a small cage that rotates around its axis once per minute. The higher its mass and inertia, the more energy it takes to keep the mechanism in motion. Therefore, with the Big Pilot’s Watch 43 Tourbillon Markus Bühler, the turbine is made of a lightweight titanium alloy. All in all, this state-of-the-art tourbillon consists of 56 parts and weighs only 0.663 grams.
“When I created my Big Pilot’s Watch with a turbine as an apprentice watchmaker, I would never have imagined I would lead the development of a second edition 15 years later—let alone that I would be responsible for all assembly processes at IWC,” explains Markus Bühler. To meet the high expectations of our collectors, we decided to create something truly exclusive and integrate the signature turbine into a tourbillon. This new edition perfectly embodies IWC’s engineering spirit while showcasing highest levels of detail and craftsmanship.”
While the turbine tourbillon remains the centerpiece of this stunning limited edition, the rest of the build offers the quintessential design language of the Big Pilot with the added elegance of precious metals. The Big Pilot’s Watch 43 Tourbillon Markus Bühler features a 43mm polished platinum case, which extends to the signature, oversized crown. In addition, the glossy black dial creates the perfect canvas for the applied indices and turbine tourbillon to pop. The look is complete with a black Cordovan leather strap. Inside, you’ll find the IWC 82905 caliber with blackened components, which is visible in all its glory through the exhibition caseback.
The all-new Big Pilot’s Watch 43 Tourbillon Markus Bühler is a limited edition of just 51 pieces and is now available to order with price available upon request.
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