Flying First Class: The IWC Big Pilot Annual Calendar Edition “Le Petit Prince”

The IWC Big Pilot’s Watch Annual Calendar Edition “Le Petit Prince” (Ref. IW502703) is a distinguished timepiece that blends its aviation heritage with literary homage. When I say distinguished, I mean figuratively and literally, as this 46.2mm white gold case ain’t messing around. 

As the name suggests, this watch is one of IWC’s “Le Petit Prince” editions. These special pieces celebrate the legacy of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, an aviator and literary giant whose novella Le Petit Prince has touched the hearts of millions worldwide. The story follows a young prince who visits various planets, including Earth and addresses the difficult themes of loneliness, friendship, love, and loss. The watches blend Saint-Exupéry’s artistic and philosophical contributions with IWC’s design DNA, usually featuring signature blue sunburst dials and thoughtful design details on the caseback. 

History 

IWC Schaffhausen’s aviation-watch beginnings date back to the 1930s when the company first began producing watches specifically for pilots. These watches emphasized durability, legibility, and precision. This long-standing tradition formed the backbone of IWC’s reputation in the world of tool watches with a function-first mentality that never scrimped on form. Over the years, IWC slowly began introducing other complications to its Pilot watches, but it wasn’t until decades later, in 2016, that IWC introduced its first annual calendar Pilot watch. 

For those wondering, this is more than just a triple calendar; it’s an annual calendar watch. What does that mean? Well, it automatically adjusts for the varying lengths of months, accounting for those with 30 and 31 days. Before you ask, “What about February?” manual adjustment is required in the second month of the year. Still, it’s useful for those who enjoy strapping their watch on and not having to fuss around adjusting the date every month. 

Design Details 

The design of the IWC Big Pilot’s Watch Annual Calendar Edition “Le Petit Prince” is both robust and elegant, showcasing thoughtful details that make it a standout piece. Those may seem like stereotypical adjectives, but it’s hard to find two better words to describe the watch in person. The 46.2mm 18K white gold case provides a substantial wrist presence while maintaining asurprisingly pleasant balance. The fetching sunburst blue dial, a hallmark of the “Le Petit Prince” series, serves as the watch’s focal point. Its rich hue complements and contrasts the luminous Arabic numerals and hands, ensuring excellent legibility by day and night — an important thing for a Pilot watch. 

At the 12 o’clock position, the annual calendar complication is displayed in a harmonious tri-window layout. The month, date, and day are presented in three separate windows for optimal legibility. Underneath, the “Annual Calendar” text reminds you that this is a pretty special watch. The power reserve indicator at 3 o’clock and the small seconds sub-dial at 9 o’clock complete the well-balanced dial with a reassuring symmetry. There’s a lot of information displayed on the dial here, but IWC does a remarkable job of keeping everything tidy and on-task. Finally, the sapphire crystal case back reveals a beautifully engraved rotor featuring the Little Prince himself, adding a poetic dimension to the watch’s display caseback. 

Inner Workings 

At the heart of the IWC Big Pilot’s Watch Annual Calendar Edition “Le Petit Prince” is the automatic IWC caliber 52850. The movement’s large twin barrels provide an impressive 7-day power reserve, ensuring long standby time and partially contributing towards the watch’s larger diameter. Some may argue the point of a 7-day power reserve. On the surface, it seems a fair question, especially for an automatic watch. If it’s worn consistently, then the point is surely moot. This is true, but a longer power reserve offers a large window of optimal operation and a more consistent performance throughout the power reserve. As watches begin to lose power, the force from the mainspring becomes less consistent, meaning minor alterations in accuracy. Of course, a 7-day power reserve also offers bragging rights, which always counts for something. 

Versus the Competition 

When compared to other high-end calendar watches, the IWC Big Pilot’s Watch Annual Calendar Edition “Le Petit Prince” stands out because pilot watches don’t often come packaged with complications other than perhaps a chronograph or GMT function. So, rather than try and shoehorn in something too similar, I wanted to look at two notable but very different competitors: the H. Moser & Cie. Endeavour Perpetual Calendar and the Patek Philippe Annual Calendar Ref. 4947/1A. 

The H. Moser timepiece features a 40.8mm case with a minimalist aesthetic, presenting a stark contrast to the aviation-inspired design of the IWC. It’s significantly smaller than the IWC, so it offers a very different wearing experience, but the white gold case also offers a reassuring heft on the wrist. The Moser is also a perpetual calendar, which is more complex than IWC’s annual calendar. Still, despite this, all the information is seamlessly integrated into the dial, as you would expect from Moser. It’s perhaps a more stylish watch than our IWC, but it certainly doesn’t have the same physical wrist presence. It’s likely to go under the radar somewhat by comparison. 

On the other hand, the Patek Philippe model offers a “tiny” 38mm case and a classic blue “shantung” dial, exuding timeless elegance in the classic Patek style. Its annual calendar and moon phase complications are displayed in a traditional layout, but the annual calendar is also where the similarities end. The Patek Philippe’s design feels more traditional than the IWC’s, making each watch distinct in its own way. I feel that all three watches could easily fit into one collection, giving different takes on the complicated calendar theme. 

Personality 

Despite its large dimensions, the IWC Big Pilot’s Watch Annual Calendar Edition “Le Petit Prince” is remarkably wearable. Though its 46.2mm size may seem imposing on paper, IWC’s pilot watches are renowned for wearing smaller than their dimensions suggest. The curvature of the lugs and the lovely soft leather strap, embossed with the Little Prince motif, ensure comfort on the wrist. Of course, the 22mm lug spacing means you can swap in any favorite straps from your collection. The Pilot/tool-watch aesthetic complements any strap style here: NATO-style straps, rubber straps, leather straps, and everything in between. I would choose a nice blue sailcloth strap or perhaps a blue pebble leather strap with nice contrast stitching. 

Conclusion 

The IWC Big Pilot’s Watch Annual Calendar Edition “Le Petit Prince” is IWC’s TED Talk about combining horological innovation with storytelling. Its bold, rich design and subtle poetic touches make it a standout choice for collectors. While its competitors may appeal to different tastes, with the Big Pilot’s Watch Annual Calendar Edition “Le Petit Prince,” IWC created a compelling option for enthusiasts seeking a statement watch that harmonizes heritage and innovation. If you can get past the concept of the physically imposing 46.2mm white gold case and give it a chance in person, you may well find yourself quickly won over.

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