IWC Big Pilot's Watch 5002-01 Luxury Watch Review

http://www.thewatchbox.com/watches/iwc#.VXNOHlqRPFI The IWC Big Pilot 5002 was a landmark model in the iconic IWC Pilot model line. IWC combined its all-new manufacture caliber 5000 with the oversized vintage profile of the legendary Big Pilot. This Big Pilot 5002-01 combines the ultimate IWC pilot model with the legacy of an all-time hero of the air. Since the release of the first Big Pilot historical tribute models in the 2002, the oversized instrument-style aviator’s timepiece has become a staple of the IWC catalog and a flagship product for the Schaffhausen-based watchmaker. IWC acknowledges that the most direct inspiration for the modern 5002-01 Big Pilot’s watch is the pioneering 1940 Type 52 TS C, a 55mm monster originally commissioned by the German Luftwaffe. At the time, the size of the watch was dictated by the functional necessities of the professional end-user; maximum legibility; a robust case to sit atop thick aviation gear, and a vast pocket watch movement to ensure utmost accuracy (smaller wristwatch movements continued to lag in this respect until the 1950s). The dial of the IWC Big Pilot’s watch 5002-01 is true to its inspiration in key respects. Each dial retains the look of an authentic aviation cockpit instrument; this is the strongest link to the 1940 original. However, the framed date window at six o’clock and the useful power reserve gauge at three o’clock add everyday practicality. Despite the size of the IWC Big Pilot, there is no impression of w