Rewriting history and comparable in terms of wrist presence with the uniqueness of one of the coolest and sportiest perpetual calendars out there, the IWC Big Pilot's Watch Perpetual Calendar 'Rodeo Drive' Edition ref. IW503001 is an even much sexier watch than its predecessor the IWC Big Pilot’s Top Gun Perpetual Calendar in black ceramic. Also fitted with a matte black ceramic case but this time with a gorgeous navy blue dial this complicated Pilot's Watch acquires a very unique character.
Things to Know About the Watch
The IWC Big Pilot's Watch Perpetual Calendar ‘Rodeo Drive’ edition was released to celebrate the address of the IWC boutique in Los Angeles. The watch features a 46.5 mm x 15.9 mm black ceramic case and a blue dial in the same hue as the ‘Le Petit Prince’ limited editions from IWC. This Perpetual Calendar displays the date with a power-reserve indicator at 3 o’clock, a day of the week with running seconds at 9, the month at 6 o’clock, the year in four digits in a rectangular aperture at 7 and a perpetual moon phase for the northern and southern hemispheres at 12 o’clock. The anti-reflective treated sapphire crystal is secured in a way were it prevents displacement by drop in air pressure. The IWC Big Pilot's Watch Perpetual Calendar 'Rodeo Drive' Edition ref. IW503001 is delivered on a black calfskin strap or a black aramid fabric strap.
The anti-reflective treated sapphire crystal is secured in a way were it prevents displacement by drop in air pressure. The IWC Big Pilot's Watch Perpetual Calendar 'Rodeo Drive' Edition ref. IW503001 is delivered on a black calfskin strap or a black aramid fabric strap.
The Movement
Powered by the in-house IWC calibre 52615 the watch features an impressive power reserve of seven days. The highly efficient winding system is a refined version of the 50000-calibre family with a bidirectional Pellaton pawl-winding system with two barrels and components made of black and white ceramic. These extremely hard high-tech materials make the automatic winding system practically wear-free. The perpetual calendar recognizes the different lengths of the months and leap years automatically and requires no correction until 2100. It can be set simply via the crown. The double moon display shows the moon correctly for both the northern and southern hemispheres and will need to be adjusted by one day only after 577.5 years. While the prototype we reviewed here came with a solid case back, the actual watch for sale features a display case back that allows for full view of the beautifully finished automatic movement. The movement is composed of 386 parts and 54 jewels and beats at a frequency of 28,800 vph.
On the Wrist & Price
On the wrist, the IWC Big Pilot's Watch Perpetual Calendar 'Rodeo Drive' Edition wears true to its size but simply remarkably. If you are a fan of the IWC Big Pilot's Watch Perpetual Calendar Top Gun Edition, this new watch is even better than its predecessor. The matte black ceramic case along with the blue dial make for a great color combination that is very wearable and eye-catching. For the price, you are absolutely getting a lot of watch for the money. A perpetual calendar of this level and craftsmanship is almost unheard of at this price point. The watch is exclusively sold at the IWC Rodeo Drive boutique.
Sticker Price $33,000 USD. For more info on IWC click here.
