IWC and Mercedes‑Benz celebrate 140 years of automotive innovation with a limited-edition Big Pilot’s Watch

Swiss luxury watchmaker IWC Schaffhausen has marked Mercedes‑Benz’s 140th anniversary with a limited-edition Big Pilot’s Watch featuring the newly engineered Perpetual Calendar ProSet. This is the first perpetual calendar from IWC that can be adjusted forward and backward using a single crown position, making calendar adjustments as intuitive as setting the time. The watch is housed in a 42-millimetre stainless steel case with a brushed and polished finish, paired with a black dial featuring solid gold appliqués and gold-plated hands. The minute track is printed in white for enhanced legibility. On the sapphire-glass case back, the first joint logo of Daimler Motoren‑Gesellschaft and Benz & Cie.—created in 1926 following their merger—commemorates both the 140th anniversary of the automobile and the unification of the two pioneering companies. The limited-edition model, Ref. IW329603, is produced in just 140 pieces, each representing a year of Mercedes‑Benz’s history of innovation. The Perpetual Calendar ProSet module is entirely gear-based and protected by four patents, eliminating the need for additional pushers or complex setting menus. The calendar can be adjusted in both directions using a single crown position, a first for IWC. The watch displays the date at 3 o’clock, the month at 6 o’clock, the day of the week at 9 o’clock, and the moon phase at 12 o’clock. The moon phase display, powered by a newly calculated reduction gear, is accurate to within one day every 1,040 years, thanks to IWC’s signature Double Moon® technology. The partnership between IWC and Mercedes‑Benz dates back to 2004, when IWC became a partner of Mercedes‑AMG. Since 2013, IWC has served as the Official Engineering Partner of the Mercedes‑AMG PETRONAS Formula 1® Team. The brands have collaborated on special edition watches inspired by models like the G‑Class and have created memorable experiences for customers, including visits to Formula 1® races and the 24 Hours of Nürburgring endurance race, as well as exclusive driving experiences behind the wheel of Mercedes‑AMG’s most powerful sports cars. Mercedes‑Benz is celebrating its 140th anniversary with the “140 Years. 140 Places.” campaign, featuring three new S‑Class saloons traveling to 140 locations worldwide, covering over 50,000 kilometres across six continents to showcase the brand’s technology, heritage, and global reach.