IWC Schaffhausen Pilot’s Watch Timezoner “Le Petit Prince” Limited Edition
Timezoning With IWC And Le Petit Prince
This week, the Schaffhausen-based brand came out with an ingenious and easy way to check the time in different cities.
By Viviana Shanks
Contributor
In 2020, IWC focused intensely on its Portugieser collections, but with the brand’s first launch of 2021, it looks like IWC is heading for a year in the skies. Designed for easy in-flight use by pilots, the new Pilot's Watch Timezoner Edition "Le Petit Prince" has a beautiful story just waiting to be shared.
Le Petit Prince and IWC
For IWC, the act of buying a watch is much more than just a monetary transaction. Purchasing a watch should be an inspiring moment and lead to a story that is eagerly shared. So, who better for IWC to partner with than a foundation named for one of the most beloved storytellers of all time?
Even before its formation in 2008, IWC has worked with the descendants of the author Antoine de Saint-Exupéry and the founders of the Fondation Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. Since 2005, a close partnership has formed between the famed author’s descendants and IWC, leading to several collaborations. Through these collaborations, IWC would keep Antoine's ideals and spirit alive, while the foundation would support IWC projects, especially aviation-related ones. And throughout this collaboration, IWC produced several successful limited-edition pilot's watches with retro touches.
Antoine Saint-Exupéry was an avid pilot and writer. In his most famous story, the pilot-narrator crashes his plane in the Sahara Desert, far away from civilization, and meets Le Petit Prince. Le Petit Prince tells him the story of his home planet – a house-sized asteroid known as "B 612" – why he has been going from planet to planet, and how he ended up on Earth.
Although predominantly thought of as a children’s book, Le Petite Prince is is more of a fable for adults with a multi-layered story line and philosophical observations about life and nature.
The IWC Pilot's Watch Timezoner Edition "Le Petit Prince"The IWC Pilot's Watch Timezoner Edition "Le Petit Prince"
This timepiece marks the first time IWC pairs its “Le Petit Prince” special edition design codes with the Timezoner function.
Launched in 2019, the IWC manufacture calibre 82760 has a 60-hour power reserve and includes the brand’s patented Timezoner complication, which is effortless to use. Want to know what time is it in Paris? Simple, press the bezel down and rotate it to Paris indication on the bezel. And there you have it, the time in the City of Lights with no loss of accuracy whatsoever.
Fun Fact: The IWC Pilot's Watch Timezoner Edition "Le Petit Prince" also marks the second time the manufacture calibre 82760 has been used in a timepiece. Previously, it powered the IWC Pilot's Watch Timezoner Spitfire Edition "The Longest Flight."
The 46mm stainless-steel timepiece features a midnight-blue dial and wide bezel, making it easy to read, no matter the circumstances. The blue ceramic bezel ring also includes the 24-hour worldtimer display with 24 cities. Additionally, the 15.2mm height makes it easy to fit under a glove.
Finally, this limited edition includes common pilot’s watch features like a screw-down crown and sapphire glass secured against displacement by drops in air pressure.
Limited to 1,500 pieces worldwide, the IWC Pilot's Watch Timezoner Edition "Le Petit Prince" will be priced at $13,800 and will be available at local retailers and IWC boutiques.
(Images © IWC Schaffhausen)
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