2020 IWC Pilots Chronograph “Le Petit Prince” IW377717
Ref: IW377717

Specification

Points of Mention

This watch is sold with its original IWC presentation box and original IWC paperwork, the watch was purchased in September 2020. The watch is fitted on a 21mm 5-link polished and brushed stainless steel bracelet with a signed folding clasp and a push-button release. The watch is in worn condition but is overall very good, see the photos. The watch comes with our 12-Months Warranty.

The Watch

Florentine Aristo Jones founded IWC in 1868, in 1867 he applied for a European passport with the ambition to create watches using the American system of Watchmaking. This system was derived from the Federal Armories at Springfield and Harpers Ferry, where high precision interchangeable parts were needed for armaments, this was perfect to use in watchmaking and Florentine was a pioneer in introducing it to the Swiss. In 1868 Florentine and Charles Kidder ended up in  Schaffhausen Switzerland, originally called the company F. A Jones & Co which was later changed to IWC International Watch Company. Florentine returned to the USA in 1876 where he retired and sadly passed away in 1916, his spirit carries on today in the modern IWC watches.

Here we have a 2020 IWC Pilots Chronograph “Le Petit Prince” IW377717, the “Le Petit Prince” was written in 1942 by  Antoine de Saint-Exupéry who was a French aristocrat, writer, and military aviator. IWC have worked closely with his descendants since 2005 and has auctioned off many special timepieces to raise funds for their charity to help children and young people in unfortunate circumstances. The 43mm satin brushed stainless steel case has a  soft iron inner case that protects the watch from a magnetic field similar to a faraday cage, the subtle curve of the case leads to a lug-to-lug length of 53mm and a case thickness of 15.2mm giving the watch an impressive wrist presence. Down the right side, we have the polished chronograph pushers and in the centre a screw-down signed crown, the chamfer-edges smooth bezel holds a convex sapphire crystal AR coated on both sides. A glossy deep blue sunburst dial has an outer minute track with baton indexes coated in Super-LumiNova C1 luminance marking the hours, large Arabic numerals lay just underneath again coated in Super-LumiNova C1 luminance with the triangle and pips at 12 o’clock a characteristic seen on many pilot timepieces. At 3 o’clock a day/date window. The chronograph consists of a 30-minute register at 12 o’clock, a 12-hour register at 6 o’clock and finally, a continuous seconds register with a red hand at 9 o’clock. Each register has a concentric circular pattern. Elegant Alpha hands coated in luminance complemented with a tapered chronograph hand, at 3 o’clock we have the IWC motif completing this military-inspired chronograph. On the reverse a screw-down case back with the “Little Prince” engraved in the centre., inside an automatic IWC Cal. 79320, 31 jewels, 28,800 beats per hour. Based on the ETA 7750 movement and modified by IWC to their specifications. The watch is fitted on a 21mm 5-link polished and brushed stainless steel bracelet with a signed folding clasp and a push-button release, plus a quick adjust ability on the clasp. The watch also comes with its IWC presentation box and papers.

Personal Note

If you are a Pilot's watch fan but find they wear that little too big, this may be the perfect option for you, whilst not small it wears still incredibly well for its size and still gives the wrist presence any great Pilot's watch should. The deep blue dial is mesmerising and plays with the light beautifully, this is one to come to see in person and try on!