IWC’s slightly smaller Big Pilot has proven to be one of the Swiss brand’s biggest success stories over the last twelve months. But what is the Big Pilot’s Watch 43 actually like to wear, and how does it stack up against its bigger siblings?
The Big Pilot’s Watch, since its introduction in 2002, has firmly established itself as IWC’s most iconic model. While it’s been the focus of a wide variety of complications and interpretations, the mainline Big Pilot has barely changed since the 00s (and itself has a lot in common with the 1930s observation / ‘flieger’ watches it was inspired by).
So when IWC decided to shrink it down to 43mm last year, it was a bit of a game-changer. Is it still a Big Pilot if it’s not ridiculously big? So far, the Big Pilot 43’s popularity seems to have justified IWC’s decision… But many IWC purists prefer the more traditional 46mm case size.
We decided to test drive the 43 for a week to see if good things come in small(er) packages.
IWC Schaffhausen Big Pilot’s Watch 43 quick facts
REFERENCE: IW32930X
MATERIAL: Stainless Steel
MOVEMENT: Manufacture Calibre 82100
SIZE: 43mm diameter, 13.6mm thick, 52.5mm lug-to-lug distance
PRICE: AU$13,300 on leather, $14,700 on steel bracelet
The Big Pilot 43 is immediately distinguishable from the previous mainline Big Pilot’s Watch, not just because it’s 3mm smaller, but also because it lacks a date window or power reserve indicator. Yep, it’s a time-only watch – which is not necessarily a bad thing.
It’s not completely unfamiliar, though. It’s still got an oversized screw-down crown, it still has a riveted leather strap and it still has that classic observation watch dial design. It’s still a Big Pilot.
The Big Pilot 43 can be had with either a classic black dial or a sunray-finished blue dial. There’s also a boutique-only green sunray dial which looks particularly neat. You can also get a Big Pilot 43 with a bronze case, if you’re so inclined. We tested the steel-cased, black dial variant, which is still the most popular variant of the watch.
It’s powered by IWC’s automatic 82100 movement, which boasts a 60-hour power reserve, and is water resistant to 100m.
What’s it like to wear?
If you’ve ever worn an older Big Pilot model, you’ll immediately notice just how much smaller the Big Pilot 43 really is. It actually feels smaller than 43mm, which is great, because 43mm isn’t exactly small.
In fact, it’s almost dressy, especially if you opt for the steel bracelet over the more utilitarian leather strap options. In that sense, it’s one of the most versatile watches in IWC’s range.
In typical IWC fashion, it feels bloody bulletproof. It’s the epitome of less is more: it might not feature fancy case or dial finishes (although the sunray finishing on the blue dial variant is particularly nice) but what’s there is executed to perfection.
The purity of its design also lends the Big Pilot 43 perfectly to customisation – something IWC facilitate with their great quick-change strap system. The standard brown riveted leather strap is lovely (as is the steel bracelet, which features a great microadjustment system) but throw on a blue rubber strap or a NATO strap and you completely change the look of the watch.
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I’m not a huge fan of time-only watches (I often find I use my watch to check the date almost as much as I use it to keep track of time) but the Big Pilot 43 has made me reconsider my biases. I’ve got big wrists so I can wear a normal Big Pilot without looking too silly. However, the versatility and more subtle nature of the 43 make it just a little less flashy, while still being recognisable as a Big Pilot.
The competition
The natural competition for the Big Pilot 43 is other ‘flieger’-style watches, although there are few that boast a 43mm case size (or the build quality and prestige of an IWC).
Three German brands immediately come to mind: Laco, Stowa and Sinn. The former two are well-known for their flieger watches, and offer significantly more affordable time-only pilot’s watches… $13k is a lot of money, there’s no getting around it.
However, many of the pilot’s watches in Sinn’s range – such the 556 and 836 – are available with steel integrated bracelets, just like the Big Pilot 43, meaning they’re perhaps a better point of comparison.
In many ways, the Big Pilot 43’s biggest competition is other Big Pilots. The older 46mm Big Pilot is significantly bigger, but it also has a much beefier power reserve as well as a date window and power reserve indicator, which makes it more ‘functional’ than the 43… Although the purity of the 43’s design is also just as much of a selling point.
Discover the IWC Schaffhausen Big Pilot’s Watch 43 range at IWC’s online boutique here.
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