IWC Big Pilot Watch DFB Limited Edition (Ref. IW500432)
To create this highly impressive IWC Big Pilot Watch DFB (Deutscher Fußball-Bund / German Soccer Union) limited edition wrist watch (Ref. IW500432), the Swiss watchmaker has outsourced its huge automatic movement from their current Portuguese line of oversized timekeepers. However, justifying its name, the new watch is even bigger than its siblings!
According to official specs, the new IWC Big Pilot Watch DFB comes packed in a huge stainless steel body, which is whole 46 millimeters wide and enormous 16 millimeters thick! The size of this thing seems to be deliberately exaggerated since the aforementioned IWC Portuguese Automatic models are around four millimeters less in diameter and about two millimeters thinner.
However, part of the blame still lays on the IWC caliber 51011 automatic movement. Unofficially called “The Big Movement” this self-winding engine is equipped with their cutting-edge Pellaton winding system and also features an oversized mainspring barrel housing an extra-long spring that provides this beautiful mechanism with as many as 168 hours of guaranteed power reserve.
Also, with its 42 synthetic rubies, the movement sports two less jewels than its predecessor with the stones replaced with a pair of beryllium bronze bearings that, too, help to increase the caliber’s overall energy efficiency.
However beautiful this timekeeper is, the DFB edition still has at least one shortcoming. Although created to support the German Soccer Union, this is still a pilot’s watch and we can rightfully expect the timekeeper to sport a high-contrast, easily readable dial.
This model, on the contrary, comes with its face, hands and other elements rhodium-plated. Looking very spectacularly, the choice of finish still makes it more difficult to read current time, at least in certain lighting conditions.
Still, at night the legibility of the gadget will be undisputed, since the hands, as well as the hour markers are generously covered with white Superluminova.
Another nice detail is that its small seconds sub-dial at 9 o’clock is nicely balanced by a power reserve indicator at 3 hours that provides the watch with a chronograph-like appearance.
The price of this thing remains unknown, but there is a good chance that it will easily exceed $15,000.
Photos: IWC
IWC Big Pilot’s Watch DFB Limited Edition (Ref. IW500432) automatic watch specification
Price: TBD
Movement: Automatic, IWC Caliber 51011, in-house, Swiss Made
Number of jewels: 42 (plus 2 beryllium bronze bearings)
Movement frequency: 28,800 vph
Power reserve: 168 hours (7 days)
Movement decoration: Circular Cotes de Geneve motif, skeletonized oscillating weight with gold medallion
Functions: Hours, minutes, small seconds, date, power reserve
Case material: Stainless steel
Bezel material: Matches case
Crown material: Matches case
Case shape: Round
Bezel shape: Round
Case size: 46.00 mm
Case height: 16.00 mm
Lug width: No data
Dial: Rhodium-plated with sunburst finish
Numerals: Arabic
Hour markers: Luminous
Hands: Rhodium-plated steel, luminous
Water resistance: 60 meters
Strap: Red leather padded black textile strap with IWC-branded deployment buckle
Crystal: Sapphire, antireflective
Case back: Solid, engraved with DFB logo
Evgueni Matoussevitch in Swiss WatchesTags: 46 mm, 60 m, Automatic, Big Pilot, date, DFB, IW500432, IWC, IWC caliber 51011, limited edition, pilot's watch, power reserve
