Big Pilot

In Context

At 46.2 mm it is a large watch — well above this catalogue’s 40 mm median, and enough to dominate a narrow wrist. At 15.8 mm it is a tall case, and it will catch on a cuff. The case back is closed, so the movement stays out of sight, and the sapphire crystal will resist everything short of deliberate abuse. 60 m covers rain and hand-washing comfortably; it is not a watch to swim in.

The movement winds itself from the motion of your wrist. 168 hours of reserve puts it well past a weekend — several days off the wrist and it is still going. At 18,000 vph the seconds hand advances 5 times a second, the slower and more audible rate of an older design.

IW5002-01 is one of 3 executions of the IW5002 base reference. Underneath they are the same watch; what separates this one is a black dial and a stainless steel case. Introduced in 2002.

The first of IWC's seven-day Pellaton automatics, built in 2002 and 2003 for the Big Pilot's Watch reference 5002. The barrel actually holds around eight and a half days, but the movement is stopped mechanically at 168 hours so the rate never runs out on weakening torque. A screw balance with sixteen adjusting screws regulates it, and the mainspring turns close to fourteen revolutions fully wound.

2 other watches in the library run the IWC 5011.

IWC

Big Pilot Platinum / Black

IW5002-03 · 46.2 mm

IWC

Big Pilot Platinum / Blue

IW5002-02 · 46.2 mm