Watches & Wonders 2026: IWC Schaffhausen adds smaller, more wearable Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendars to the collection in steel, white ceramic & rose gold
At this year’s Watches and Wonders in Geneva, IWC Schaffhausen has placed a strong spotlight on its legendary Pilot’s Watch collection, unveiling a range of new models tied to the brand’s enduring Le Petit Prince theme. Among the highlights, for me at least, are two striking new additions to the Big Pilot’s Watch lineup, presented in stainless steel and white ceramic model – the ProSet.
The Le Petit Prince collection draws inspiration from the famous novella The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint‑Exupéry, whose story of adventure, imagination and aviation has long resonated with IWC’s pilot watch heritage. This year, the brand celebrates 20 years of association with Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s family. The collection is instantly recognisable thanks to its deep midnight-blue dials, a visual signature that unites the range across multiple models.
With these new Big Pilot’s Watch ProSet releases, IWC continues to blend that distinctive aesthetic with the bold design language that has defined the Big Pilot family for decades – and to make it just that little bit better, these are both Perpetual Calendars with a new IWC Perpetual Calendar Calibre inside – and they’re foolproof!
Classic Big Pilot DNA
Both models remain faithful to the core design principles that have made the Big Pilot’s Watch one of the most recognisable aviation watches in modern horology. The watches measure 42 mm in diameter, 52 mm lug-to-lug in the steel, and 43 mm and 54 mm lug-to-lug in the white ceramic. It is a size that maintains the commanding presence expected from a Big Pilot’s Watch while remaining wearable for a broad range of wrists.
Key design elements include the iconic oversized onion crown, originally engineered so pilots could easily operate the watch while wearing flight gloves. Large Arabic numerals and bold hands coated with luminous material ensure maximum legibility, reinforcing the watch’s roots as a professional aviation instrument.
While the fundamental design remains consistent across both models, the choice of materials gives each watch a distinctly different personality. This is something that I will cover a lot more in my review of these in the coming weeks.
The stainless steel version offers a more traditional take on the Big Pilot aesthetic. The brushed steel case pairs with a deep blue sunburst dial and a matching blue rubber strap, creating a look that feels classic yet contemporary. The contrast between the cool tone of the steel and the rich dial colour allows the dial to stand out prominently, particularly in brighter light, where the sunburst finishing reveals its full depth.
The white ceramic model, on the other hand, presents a far more striking and modern interpretation of the Big Pilot concept. IWC has long been known for its expertise in ceramic case manufacturing, and the bright white case gives the watch a fresh, contemporary presence on the wrist. When paired with the midnight-blue dial, the contrast becomes even more dramatic, making the dial appear deeper and darker by comparison.
Each watch comes on IWC’s EasX-CHANGE system, meaning you can swap out the straps and bracelets at the click of a button. The steel model comes on both a stainless steel bracelet and a secondary blue rubber strap, which is my personal preference. The white ceramic comes with a rubber strap, as do all other Lake Tahoe-inspired pieces in the IWC collection.
Together, the two watches offer very different visual experiences while remaining clearly part of the same family.
A Dial For Maximum Visibility
One of the defining features of the Big Pilot’s Watch ProSet Le Petit Prince models is the dial itself. The deep blue sunburst finish reacts beautifully to different lighting conditions. In direct sunlight, the dial reveals a vibrant and layered blue tone with strong radial brushing that creates dynamic reflections. In lower lighting conditions, however, the dial takes on a darker appearance that can almost resemble black.
Legibility remains a central focus, with large white numerals and bold hands standing out sharply against the dial. The result is a watch that maintains the instrument-like clarity that has always defined the Big Pilot line. These being Perpetual Calendars, IWC has ensured the ease of readability of each element.
From the Northern/Southern Hemisphere moon phase indicator at 12 o’clock, to the day at 9 o’clock, the date at 3 o’clock and the month at 6 o’clock – all the elements are there at a glance. The year, which I always feel a PC needs on the dial is visible, but tucked away between 7 and 8.
A New Approach To The Perpetual Calendar
Beyond their visual appeal, the new Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar models also introduce a significant technical development for IWC, and one that I quite like.
Inside both watches is the brand’s new in-house automatic perpetual calendar Calibre 82665 movement, built around IWC’s Pellaton winding system. One of the most notable innovations is the simplified operation of the perpetual calendar itself. Unlike many perpetual calendar watches, which rely on recessed pushers in the case to adjust the calendar indications, IWC has designed the system so that all adjustments can be made directly via the crown. As a result, the Calibre 82665 has five new patents to its name.
This approach dramatically simplifies the user experience. By rotating the crown, the wearer can move the calendar indications forward or backward, allowing the day, date, month and year to be set in sequence. The system is designed to be highly intuitive and reduces the risk of damaging the mechanism through incorrect adjustments. This also means that you can’t over-correct the movement or make a mistake on the corrections of the days vs the date, month etc. So, yes, it is foolproof.
The movement also incorporates improvements to the moon-phase display, which is now accurate for an impressive 1,040 years. While not quite reaching the astronomical levels of accuracy seen in the Portugieser Eternal Calendar, it is more than sufficient to maintain precision across generations. And that is an understatement.
In addition to these models, there is a third model: The Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar ProSet (Ref. IW329602) features a 42-millimetre 18-carat 5N gold case, crown and case back ring. The precious metal is paired with a dark olive green dial, and while we’ve not seen this in person yet, it looks great based on the photos!
Initial Thoughts
With these new Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar ProSet models, IWC continues to evolve one of its most iconic watch families while staying true to its aviation heritage. By combining classic pilot watch design with modern materials and a newly engineered perpetual calendar movement, the brand has created two timepieces that feel both familiar and forward-looking. And I’ll say it now, I love them!
Whether in traditional stainless steel, bold white ceramic or the luxury of 5N gold, the new Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar ProSet Le Petit Prince editions highlight IWC’s ongoing commitment to innovation within one of the most celebrated watch collections in contemporary horology. One is perfectly wearable for every day, the others are more of a weekend or statement watch that instantly stands out.
Wearing each of the steel and the ceramic, I love the look of the white ceramic – the blue dial and the white case and strap really make an impression, but the steel on the rubber strap feels more at home on the wrist on a daily basis. The 5N rose gold? Well, I’m yet to try it. I feel that most people, when trying these on, will possibly feel the same, but the question is, do you want every day attire, fun in the sun or a little luxury?
References & Specifications
| Feature | Specifications |
|---|---|
| Refereces | IWIC329601 (Steel) / IWIC339601 (Ceramic) / IW329602 (18k rose gold) |
| Dimensions | 42 mm x 52 mm x 14 mm thick (steel, & gold) / 43 mm x 54 mm x 14.3mm thick (ceramic) |
| Case | Brushed and Polished steel / White Ceramic / 5N 18k Rose Gold |
| Dial | Blue / Olive green sunburst dial with day, date, month, year and dual hemisphere moonphase |
| Crystal | Sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating |
| Caseback | Sapphire caseback |
| Movement | Calibre 82665 Perpetual Calendar, pelaton winding system and moonphase accurate to 1,040 years. Patented bi-directional adjustment system. Gold “Le Petit Prince” medallion on rotor |
| Power Reserve | 60 hours |
| Frequency | 4Hz / 28,800VpH |
| Water Resistance | 10 ATM, 100 metres |
| Strap/Bracelet | Steel: Steel 5-link bracelet with folding clasp & blue rubber strap with pin buckle. Ceramic: White Rubber strap. Both with EasX-CHANGE system. Rose Gold: Olive green buffalo leather |