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The IWC Big Pilot Perpetual Calendar Limited Edition (ref. 5026-18) is a 1-of-250 limited edition designed in equal deference to heritage and high horology. Its 46mm stainless steel case and “instrument” dial calibrations evoke IWC’s glorious history of pilot’s watches, but the exuberant orange highlights and sophisticated perpetual calendar automatic movement speak to a modern luxury sensibility

With its outrageous combination of an IWC Big Pilot case in 46mm stainless steel, a perpetual calendar, and day-glow orange highlights, this 2010 limited edition “Big Pilot” boasts the credentials to stand tall in a “ready room” - or rec room - near you

A perpetual calendar on an IWC Big Pilot makes perfect sense to a collector who “wants it all” in a qualitative sense but finds sold gold and gems too pretentious for his taste. Vibrant color is the emerging alternative to hackneyed “bling” and “nouveau riche”-chic.

Observers who attended SIHH and Baselworld in 2015 know that expressive colors represent the cutting edge of contemporary style innovation, and the IWC Big Pilot Perpetual Calendar LTD. 2010 was a watch ahead of its time. Modern luxury segues seamlessly into the post-modern, and if Andy Warhol wore an oversized perpetual calendar pilot’s watch, this IWC Big Pilot would be his first choice.

A traditional IWC Big Pilot dial with instrument-inspired calibrations charts the progress of civil time. The departure from tradition is IWC's incorporation of a comprehensive perpetual calendar display. Based on an original IWC mechanism envisioned by legendary watchmaker Kurt Klaus, the IWC perpetual display tracks the day, date, month, year, decade, century, and phase of the moon. Both northern and southern hemisphere moon phases are displayed concurrently.

Best of all, IWC's system is as easy to set as a conventional date window; just turn the crown, and all indications advance in coordinated sequence. The IWC perpetual calendar displays cannot go out-of-synch with each other.

Beneath the intricate flight deck-style dial is a movement to match. IWC's caliber 51614 keeps the beat with a seven-day power reserve, a rugged free-sprung escapement, and a graceful Breguet hairspring to resist positional timing variations.

IWC's Pellaton winding system has benefitted from high-efficiency ceramic rotor bearings, but cal. 51614 enhances the celebrated IWC winding device with new ceramic pawl components. As a result, IWC has declared this movement to be the most durable and low-maintenance variant of the caliber 50000 series since its year 2000 debut.

See this exceptional IWC Big Pilot Perpetual “Orange” 2010 Limited Edition 55026-18 in high-resolution images on www.thewatchbox.com. Video and content by Tim Mosso

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