Schaffhausen, October 2, 2023: IWC Schaffhausen is proud to reveal the Big Pilot’s Watch 43 Tourbillon Markus Bühler, a highly anticipated successor to the 2008 Big Pilot’s Watch Edition Markus Bühler. This timepiece integrates the iconic aircraft turbine into a flying minute tourbillon positioned at 6 o’clock, a feat that posed significant design and manufacturing challenges. Limited to just 51 pieces, this new interpretation of the “Markus Bühler” watch captivates with its meticulously polished platinum case, a sleek black dial, and an elegant black Cordovan leather strap. The IWC-manufactured 82905 calibre, featuring blackened components, is visible through the sapphire glass case back.
Among IWC Schaffhausen’s Pilot’s Watches collection, perhaps no other timepiece has achieved the cult status enjoyed by the 2008 Big Pilot’s Watch Edition Markus Bühler. Inspired by a unique creation Markus Bühler designed during his final year as a watchmaker apprentice at IWC, it prominently featured an aircraft turbine on the small seconds sub-dial. Now, after fifteen years, IWC presents an exclusive reinterpretation. The Big Pilot’s Watch 43 Tourbillon Markus Bühler (Ref. IW329901) maintains the small turbine on the dial, akin to its predecessor. However, this time, the characteristic aircraft engine is seamlessly integrated into a flying minute tourbillon at 6 o’clock.
Markus Bühler, Associate Director of Watch and Movement Assembly at IWC Schaffhausen, reflects on this achievement: “When I created my Big Pilot’s Watch with a turbine as an apprentice watchmaker, I would never have imagined I would lead the development of a second edition 15 years later – let alone that I would be responsible for all assembly processes at IWC. To meet the high expectations of our collectors, we decided to create something truly exclusive and integrate the signature turbine into a tourbillon. This new edition perfectly embodies IWC’s engineering spirit while showcasing highest levels of detail and craftsmanship”.
Small Turbine, Big Challenge:
In the realm of tourbillons, minimizing mass and inertia is paramount to ensure optimal performance. To achieve this, the turbine was meticulously machined from a lightweight titanium alloy. The complex geometry and small dimensions necessitated extensive hours for the milling process. Following machining, each of the twelve minuscule turbine blades underwent painstaking hand polishing to achieve exceptional levels of detail and aesthetic finesse. To prevent the turbine from adding undue weight to the mechanism, Bühler ingeniously utilized it as the upper part of the tourbillon cage, replacing the traditional regulator. Consequently, the turbine on the dial serves both as a striking visual element and a functional component, as the hairspring attaches to the underside of one of its blades, allowing watchmakers to adjust the balance’s zero crossing. The tourbillon, a marvel comprising 56 parts, weighs a mere 0.663 grams. Diamond Shell® technology was applied to the pallet lever and the escape wheel, reducing friction and enhancing energy flow within the movement.
Precious Platinum Case and Exquisite Finishing:
The 43-millimeter case and crown are meticulously crafted from platinum, one of the rarest, purest, and most precious metals in watchmaking and jewelry. The case is painstakingly hand-finished, with polished surfaces around the bezel and lugs, accentuating the platinum’s ethereal luster and lending the timepiece a refined, sophisticated aura. The glossy black dial is adorned with white numerals and applied indices filled with Super-LumiNova® for enhanced legibility. A black Cordovan leather strap, featuring Markus Bühler’s signature on the inner side, completes the design. Powering the Big Pilot’s Watch 43 is the IWC-manufactured 82905 calibre, boasting an upgraded Pellaton winding system with ceramic components, delivering an impressive 80-hour power reserve. The plates, bridges, and rotor, visible through the sapphire case back, have been blackened with a PVD coating, laser-engraved, and rhodium-plated in the engraved areas.
From Apprentice Watchmaker to Associate Director:
The narrative of the Big Pilot’s Watch Edition Markus Bühler and its reimagined edition underscores the strength of IWC’s apprentice program. The first edition, created in 2008, began as Markus Bühler’s entry into a competition organized by the “Institut de Formation à la Haute Horlogerie,” where he clinched first prize. To this day, apprentice competitions and innovation challenges remain fundamental to IWC’s strategy, nurturing young talent, fostering innovation, and driving pioneering watchmaking solutions. After completing his apprenticeship as a watchmaker, Bühler remained dedicated to IWC and held various roles, including Department Manager of Industrialization and Head of Movement Assembly & Industrialization. Since 2020, he has been entrusted with overseeing all aspects of IWC’s assembly processes at the new Manufakturzentrum in his role as Associate Director of Watch & Movement Assembly.