SJX Watches
IWC Revives the Big Pilot’s Watch Markus Bühler with a Tourbillon
One of the least known but perhaps most interesting iterations of IWC’s trademark oversized pilot’s watch is making a comeback, but with an upgraded movement and precious metal case. The Big Pilot’s Watch 43 Tourbillon Markus Bühler retains the key elements of its namesake 2008 original, but with a self-winding tourbillon movement inside a platinum case. The tourbillon is flying, while its cage takes the form of a turbine blade. A simple concept that played to the Big Pilot’s historical roots, the original model was conceived by a young Markus Bühler as part of a contest for IWC apprentices, but appealing enough that IWC made a dozen as a limited edition. Mr Bühler naturally won the contest and now oversees the entire assembly process at Manufakturzentrum, the IWC facility where both production of parts and assembly of in-house movements is done. Powered by the in-house cal. 82905, the Tourbillon Markus Bühler will naturally be put together at the Manufakturzentrum. Markus Bühler, now the Associate Director of Watch & Movement Assembly at Manufakturzentrum Initial thoughts The original Markus Bühler was interesting and appealing because it captured the spirit of a pilot’s watch in a novel manner while still retaining the functional aesthetics expected of such a watch. The turbine seconds was a simple modification that worked perfectly, both visually and conceptually. Now the idea has been brought back, but in a fancier package. The new Markus Bühler sti...
