BY HARLAN CHAPMAN-GREEN
Following on from our recent coverage of IWC’s attractive blue ceramic Big Pilot’s watch featuring “Le Petit Prince” as the theme, IWC released another version following that story. This new watch is also in the Big Pilot’s watch range, but whether it actually sees any flight time is another matter.
The new Big Pilot’s Watch 43 Tourbillon Le Petit Prince ref IW329501, to give it its full name, is a 150-piece limited edition watch featuring a solid platinum case measuring 43.00mm x 14.58mm. It’s a bit of a hockey puck, for sure, and the platinum will add some heft, but it comes with a wide calfskin leather strap, which should help make it wearable. It’s also 100m water resistant, which is practical.
The oversized case is simple in its finishing, with brushing being applied to most of it; a large pilot’s style crown is also there, making using this watch very easy. The dial is simplistic as well but in a good way. It features a sunray finish to catch the light and large markers filled with lume for easy reading; the hands are also luminescent. The flying tourbillon is on view at 6 O’clock.
Around the back is a better view of the self-winding calibre 82905. It has an 80-hour power reserve and a 4Hz beat rate of the escapement within the tourbillon. The most eye-catching part of the movement is the winding rotor featuring an outline of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s Le Petit Prince apparently vibing on an asteroid which has baobab trees growing on it. The story of Le Petit Prince revolves around said prince visiting several different planets to determine whether adults are as enlightened as children (we adults are definitely not). Apparently, Le Petit Prince is the second most translated book in history after the Bible, having been translated into 505 languages.
IWC’s latest tribute to The Little Prince has a retail price of €95,200 and, as I said, is limited to 150 pieces worldwide.
