06/16/2021

IWC Gambles On Limited Edition Big Pilot’s Watch Dedicated To Las Vegas

On the model’s engraved caseback, the Swiss watchmaker pays homage to roulette, the ultimate game of chance.

By Victoria Gomelsky

Contributor

If aliens were to land in two places on earth – the Swiss municipality of Schaffhausen and the American city of Las Vegas – it’s safe to say that their reaction to this planet would be one of pure bewilderment.

Whereas Schaffhausen is a historic town along the Rhine River with an estimated population of 37,000, Las Vegas hardly needs an introduction. The Nevada desert’s neon metropolis – alternatively known as Sin City, a.k.a. the Entertainment Capital of the World, a.k.a. the City of Lights – is home to some 660,000 people, many of whom make their living in the gambling trade. The two destinations – one quaint and quiet, the other modern and brash – are diametrically opposed.

Inside view of the IWC Boutique at The Grand Canal Shoppes in Las Vegas (USA)

So the news that IWC, a luxury watchmaker based in Schaffhausen, just unveiled a special edition of its iconic Big Pilot’s Watch dedicated to Vegas is unexpected – in the best sense.

Streamlined Design

Limited to 250 pieces worldwide, the model winks to Sin City in two subtle ways, both befitting the brand’s sober Swiss heritage. One, the solid caseback features an engraving of a roulette wheel. And two, the date display at 6 o’clock cycles through alternating red and black numbers (like the game) until it comes to the beginning of each month when the number “1” appears in green.

The new IWC Schaffhausen Big Pilot's Watch Edition "Las Vegas"

The rest of the watch is a classic example of IWC’s Bauhaus-inspired, form-follows-function design philosophy. Housed in a 46mm stainless steel case – like the cockpit instrument-style watches it’s based on – the Big Pilot’s Watch is both oversized and streamlined. On the silver-plated dial, black hands and black Arabic numerals clearly indicate the time; the only concession to color is a bright red hand on the power reserve sub-dial at 3 o’clock.

Robust & Reliable

In keeping with its reputation as a tool watch, the aviator-style timepiece is guaranteed to be robust and reliable. It’s powered by IWC manufacture automatic caliber 52110, complete with a Pellaton winding system and seven days of power reserve.

The new IWC Schaffhausen Big Pilot's Watch Edition "Las Vegas"

Moreover, the mechanism is protected from magnetic fields by a soft-iron cage that channels magnetic radiation around the movement. And the convex sapphire glass that guards the dial is secured by displacements caused by drops in air pressure.

In other words, this luxury watch can take a beating. (Not that you’d want to chance it.)