Since its successful revival as a military-styled luxury icon in 2002, IWC’s iconic Big Pilot’s Watch, has spread its wings, one might say, to encompass a veritable fleet of offspring, over several different product families, with complications ranging from chronographs to perpetual calendars and even a ?Heritage? limited edition in titanium that replicated the 55-mm case diameter of the original. One version, IWC realized at one point, was still missing: a revival of the 1940 design that was historically faithful in appearance ? i.e., a ?pure? dial with no power reserve, date window, or subdials ? but refitted to a more ergonomic and arguably less intimidating case size. Cue the arrival of this year?s headliner, the Big Pilot?s Watch 43mm, or BP 43, unveiled today at Watches & Wonders.
To kick off the collection, IWC is offering two dial options ? historically accurate black or modern, of-the-moment blue. The black-dial version is paired with a riveted, brown calf leather strap for the ?purest? vintage look of the new models, while the blue-dial model is offered on either a matching blue calf leather strap or, for the first time in the Pilot?s Watch family, a stainless steel bracelet with IWC’s new quick-change adjustment system.

The engine inside the BP 43 is IWC?s manufacture Caliber 82100, which is equipped with the brand’s patented, high-precision Pellaton winding system and stores a power reserve of 60 hours in its fully w...