Hands-On: IWC Big Pilot 43

by Adrian Barker April 07, 2021

IWC has a solid history of creating watches for Pilots, the first being developed in 1936. This watch was the IW436, it had shatter proof glass, the case was anti-magnetic and the movement could operate from -40 +40 degrees C. This was needed as cockpits were unheated back then.

The first Big Pilots watch was launched in 1940 with the idea of having a large high contrast dial that’s highly legible in all conditions and large crown so that pilots could operate the watch when wearing flying gloves.

The previous Big Pilots watch was a beast at 46mm wide, this new Big Pilot is smaller at 43mm and it also has a more simple dial. The 46mm although looks awesome, it’s completely unwearable for me on my 17.5cm wrists, the 46mm is just able do able. It is still big though.