A Royal Tribute: IWC Introduces Two New Le Petit Prince Big Pilot’s Watches with Tourbillons

Sagas, tributes, and luxury watches — each belongs to a different realm, yet they share a common goal of preserving and celebrating legacy. Bringing these realms together, IWC Schaffhausen has unveiled two new haute horlogerie timepieces as part of its Le Petit Prince line. These include the 100-piece limited-edition Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Tourbillon Le Petit Prince (Ref. IW504901) and the 150-piece limited-edition Big Pilot’s Watch 43 Tourbillon Le Petit Prince (Ref. IW329501).

Renowned among literary enthusiasts worldwide, The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry is a poetic and philosophical novella that follows the journey of a young, otherworldly boy as he travels from planet to planet in search of wisdom and companionship. Though often considered a children’s book, it explores deep themes like loneliness, love, loss, and the often illogical behaviour of adults. The titular prince meets a stranded aviator in the Sahara desert and shares stories of his adventures, including his love for a rose on his home asteroid and encounters with peculiar grown-ups on other planets. These encounters serve as allegories that critique narrow-mindedness and materialism. Written during World War II, the book subtly reflects on human nature, and the importance of imagination and emotional connection. IWC pays homage to this timeless classic with two new masterpieces. 

The first timepiece, Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Tourbillon Le Petit Prince (Ref.  IW504901), has a 46.5 mm blue ceramic case, lugs, bezel, and an 18 ct gold diamond-shaped crown at 3 o’clock. This model combines two high complications: a perpetual calendar and a flying tourbillon. The blue sunray dial has gold-plated hour, minute hands, and Arabic hour markers. The flying minute tourbillon at 12 o’clock consists of 82 parts and weighs only 0.635 grams. The perpetual calendar displays the calendar information on three subdials. The one at 3 o’clock combines the date with a power reserve indicator while the one at 6 o’clock integrates both the month and the perpetual moonphase display. However, instead of showing the moon, the display depicts the Little Prince on his asteroid. Thanks to a reduction gear train with two intermediate wheels, it will deviate only by one day after 577.5 years. 

The subdial at 9 o’clock shows the day of the week. This version also features a four-digit year display at 7:30. The calendar is mechanically programmed to recognise the different months’ lengths and automatically inserts a leap day every four years. As all its displays are synchronised, it can be advanced simply via the crown. Both complications are powered by the IWC-manufactured 51950 calibre, a highly complex movement consisting of 447 parts with a 168-hour or a seven-day power reserve. Crafted from solid gold and visible through the open caseback, the rotor of the automatic winding system takes the shape of the Little Prince standing on his asteroid. Just like in Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s famous novel, asteroid B612 is covered with wild-growing baobab plants. The movement comprises the famous blued screws; also visible on the caseback is the number of the individual watch out of 100. This model is finished on a blue textured rubber strap.

In 2023, IWC released a 300-piece limited-edition Big Pilot’s Watch 43 Tourbillon Le Petit Prince. This year, the new Big Pilot iteration comes in a 43 mm platinum case. The same material can be found on the lugs, the bezel, and the diamond-shaped crown at 3 o’clock. The timepiece gets a deep blue dial with a radiant sunray finish, featuring the large, stylised, rhodium-plated Arabic numerals of the Le Petit Prince editions; the hour markers are filled with Super-LumiNova® with needle shaped hour, and minute hands. On the outer periphery of the dial is a 60-minute track; there is a triangle at 12 o’clock. The flying minute tourbillon at 6 o’clock consists of 56 parts and weighs only 0.635 grams. As the mechanism rotates against a dark background, it appears to be floating in space. Courtesy of the integrated tourbillon stop, the wearer can bring it to a complete halt by pulling out the crown and setting the time with down-to-the-second accuracy. Components like the pallet lever and the escape wheel are treated with a special coating. Developed by IWC, this proprietary Diamond Shell® technology reduces friction, thereby improving the flow of energy in the movement. 

The Big Pilot’s Watch 43 Tourbillon Le Petit Prince is powered by the IWC-manufactured 82905 calibre with a Pellaton winding system. It uses movements of the rotor in both directions to wind the mainspring offering an 80-hour power reserve. Components that are subject to high stresses, such as the automatic wheel, are manufactured from virtually wear-free zirconium oxide ceramic. Turning the watch over showcases the sapphire glass caseback with a platinum peripheral rotor, which takes the shape of the Little Prince standing on his asteroid. This model is finished on a brown calfskin strap with a platinum folding clasp.