IWC is celebrating 140 years of Mercedes-Benz with a new Big Pilot’s Watch, and the connection goes much deeper than a logo on the caseback.
The Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar ProSet “140 Years of Mercedes-Benz” is limited to 140 pieces, with each one representing a year since Carl Benz filed his automobile patent in 1886. IWC created the watch as part of Mercedes-Benz’s wider anniversary celebrations.
A 42mm brushed and polished stainless steel case surrounds the black dial, where solid gold appliqués and gold-plated hands add some warmth. The white minute track keeps things easy to read, and a black rubber strap finishes the relatively understated look.
Turn the watch over and the Mercedes connection becomes much clearer. The sapphire case back carries the historic logo introduced after Daimler Motoren-Gesellschaft and Benz & Cie. merged in 1926, combining Benz’s laurel wreath with Daimler’s three-pointed star.
The real highlight, though, is IWC’s Perpetual Calendar ProSet. Introduced earlier this year, the four-patent mechanism lets you adjust the calendar forwards or backwards using a single crown position. There are no extra pushers or complicated setting steps to worry about.
Four sub-dials handle the date, month, day and moon phase, with a four-digit year display sitting between seven and eight o’clock. The Double Moon display works for both hemispheres and is accurate enough to lose just one day after 1,040 years.
Inside is IWC’s automatic 82665 calibre, which uses a ceramic-reinforced Pellaton winding system and offers a 60-hour power reserve. The EasX-CHANGE system also lets owners swap the strap without reaching for any tools.
Pricing sits at CHF 36,000 or SGD 56,300 (approx. $44,500), according to Deployant. With only 140 examples being made, this is a much more elaborate birthday present than simply putting a Mercedes badge on an existing Big Pilot.