Introducing IWC Big Pilot ProSet 140 Years Mercedes-Benz

IWC Schaffhausen celebrates Mercedes-Benz’s 140th anniversary with a limited-edition Big Pilot’s Watch featuring the innovative Perpetual Calendar ProSet.

IWC Schaffhausen congratulates its longstanding partner Mercedes-Benz on 140 years of innovation. To mark the anniversary, celebrated under the theme “140 Years of Innovation”, IWC introduces the Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar ProSet 140 Years Mercedes-Benz.

Limited to just 140 pieces, the watch combines IWC’s pilot-watch heritage with Mercedes-Benz’s history of engineering, performance and design. Its most important feature is the newly developed Perpetual Calendar ProSet, which can be adjusted both forwards and backwards through a single crown position.

The mechanism makes calendar corrections as intuitive as setting the time, while the black-and-gold design reflects the prestige and technical character of both brands.

A Partnership Built On Engineering

Mercedes-Benz has shaped the history of mobility since Carl Benz filed the patent for the first automobile in 1886. Gottlieb Daimler developed his motorised carriage shortly afterwards, establishing the foundations for a company that would continue to influence automotive technology, safety, comfort and design.

IWC Schaffhausen became a partner of Mercedes-AMG in 2004. Since 2013, the Swiss watchmaker has also served as the “Official Engineering Partner” of the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One™ Team.

The relationship has extended beyond racing into special-edition watches, customer experiences and collaborations inspired by the design codes of Mercedes-Benz vehicles, including the iconic G-Class.

Over the years, IWC and Mercedes-Benz have brought their partnership to life through visits to Formula One races, the 24 Hours of Nürburgring and driving experiences featuring Mercedes-AMG performance cars.

The new timepiece continues this relationship through a shared focus on technical innovation, uncompromising performance and purposeful design.

A Historic Logo On The Case Back

The sapphire-glass case back features the first joint logo of Daimler Motoren-Gesellschaft and Benz & Cie.

Created in 1926 following the merger of the two companies, the historic emblem combines the laurel wreath adopted from the Benz emblem with Daimler’s iconic three-pointed star.

The logo commemorates both the 140th anniversary of the automobile and the coming together of the two pioneering companies that formed Mercedes-Benz.

The anniversary also coincides with Mercedes-Benz’s “140 Years. 140 Places.” initiative. As part of the programme, three new S-Class saloons are travelling to 140 selected locations worldwide, covering more than 50,000 kilometres across six continents.

The Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar ProSet

The Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar ProSet 140 Years Mercedes-Benz, reference IW329603, is limited to 140 individually numbered pieces.

Its 42mm stainless-steel case combines brushed and polished surfaces. A black dial creates the background for solid gold appliqués, gold-plated hands and a white printed minute track.

The contrast between black, white and gold gives the watch a refined but highly legible appearance. The design retains the characteristic presence of the Big Pilot’s Watch while introducing a more formal and luxurious expression.

The watch is fitted with a black rubber strap and IWC’s integrated EasX-CHANGE® system. This allows the strap to be replaced without tools, giving the owner the flexibility to change the appearance of the watch quickly.

A New Level Of Calendar Usability

IWC’s experience with mechanical calendars dates back to 1985, when the company introduced the perpetual calendar developed by legendary watchmaker Kurt Klaus.

The new Perpetual Calendar ProSet reimagines that complication through a gear-based mechanism protected by patents. Unlike many traditional perpetual calendars, it can be adjusted forwards and backwards using a single position of the crown.

No additional correctors, extra crown positions or complicated setting procedures are required. The user can make calendar adjustments with the same intuitive action used to set the time.

Behind this apparent simplicity is a highly complex engineering solution. The mechanism relies on components with intricate geometries, manufactured using the LIGA process — an advanced microstructuring technology based on lithography and electroforming.

The result is a perpetual calendar that combines traditional mechanical complexity with a more accessible user experience.

Double Moon Phase Accuracy

The Perpetual Calendar ProSet displays its information across four subdials.

• The date is positioned at 3 o’clock.
• The month is displayed at 6 o’clock.
• The day of the week appears at 9 o’clock.
• The moon phase is shown at 12 o’clock.

A four-digit year display is located between 7 and 8 o’clock, continuing one of the signature features of IWC’s perpetual calendars.

The moon phase display uses IWC’s Double Moon® system, which shows the moon correctly for observers in both the northern and southern hemispheres.

Thanks to a newly calculated reduction gear, the moon phase display will deviate by only one day after 1,040 years.

Calibre 82665

The watch is powered by the IWC-manufactured Calibre 82665.

The movement features a nickel-phosphorus escapement, a silicon hairspring and IWC’s bidirectional Pellaton automatic winding system. The winding system is reinforced with ceramic components to support long-term durability.

The movement operates at 28,800 vibrations per hour, or 4 Hz, and provides a power reserve of 60 hours.

A small hacking-seconds function allows the seconds hand to be stopped when setting the time, supporting precise adjustment.

A Collection Built Around Performance

The new Big Pilot’s Watch joins a broader collection of IWC timepieces connected to Mercedes-Benz and Mercedes-AMG.

The Pilot’s Watch Performance Chronograph 41 AMG reflects the shared focus on performance and design that has linked IWC and Mercedes-AMG since 2004.

IWC has also created several watches for the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One™ Team, including the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 Edition introduced in 2022, the Pilot’s Watch Performance Chronograph 41 in Ceratanium® launched in 2023, and the Pilot’s Watch Mark XX created for the 2025 season.

The partnership has also produced two special editions inspired by the utilitarian character of the Mercedes-Benz G-Class: the Big Pilot’s Watch AMG G 63 in 18-carat Armor Gold® and the Big Pilot’s Watch AMG G 63 with a case made from ceramic matrix composite, or CMC.

Technical Specifications

Availability

The IWC Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar ProSet 140 Years Mercedes-Benz is limited to 140 pieces and will be available through IWC boutiques and selected retailers.

With a recommended retail price of EUR 40,900, the watch combines a historically significant partnership with one of IWC’s most advanced calendar mechanisms.

Conclusion

The IWC Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar ProSet 140 Years Mercedes-Benz celebrates more than an anniversary. It brings together two companies whose identities have been shaped by engineering, technical ambition and attention to detail.

The historic Mercedes-Benz logo on the sapphire case back connects the watch to the origins of the automobile, while the black-and-gold design gives the model a refined contemporary presence.

At the centre of the watch is the Perpetual Calendar ProSet. Its ability to adjust the calendar both forwards and backwards through a single crown position represents a significant step in the usability of one of watchmaking’s most demanding complications.

Limited to 140 pieces, the Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar ProSet 140 Years Mercedes-Benz is a collector’s piece that captures the shared spirit of IWC Schaffhausen and Mercedes-Benz: progress built through precision, innovation and craftsmanship.

For more information, please visit the official IWC Schaffhausen website.

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