The pilot’s watch is one of the most popular genres in watchmaking, with almost every brand having their own take on it. If there’s one watchmaker that still manages to wow both avid aviators and watch aficionados with their designs, it’s IWC.
With easy to read dials, large crowns, pronounced push pieces and anti-magnetic abilities, the IWC Pilot‘s watch collection has established its reputation for optimal legibility, precision and effortless functionality.
In the market for an IWC Pilot’s watch? Whether you’re a man or a woman, there’s an ideal Pilot’s watch for you. Take your cue from these stars who love their IWC Pilot’s watches.
Bradley Cooper
Actor Bradley Cooper was signed as an IWC ambassador in 2018, but he has long been a fan of the IWC Big Pilot’s watch. He has been spotted wearing the Big Pilot off duty and even wore his personal timepieces in his movies, like in 2015’s Aloha.
Bradley owns a couple of IWC Big Pilot watches, including a Big Pilot Automatic, a Big Pilot’s Watch Limited Edition, and the Big Pilot’s Watch Single Piece, which he famously wore in the 2019 Oscars.
The red gold timepiece, with a midnight blue dial, was a one-off piece created for the benefit of the Antoine de Saint-Exupéry Youth Foundation. It was subsequently auctioned off by Sotheby’s. Photo from IWC Watches
Tampa Bay Buccaneer’s quarterback Tom Brady has been wearing IWC since 2002, long before he was signed as an ambassador for the brand. Today, his IWC collection is deserving of a Super Bowl champion.
He counts several IWC Pilot’s watches in his collection: the Pilot’s Watch Top Gun Chronograph, the Top Gun Miramar, Top Gun Mojave Desert (pictured below), the Rodeo Drive Big Pilot, and the Pilot’s Watch Timezoner. He also has 20 or so watches from the IWC brand, which include the Portugieser, Ingenieur, and GST Automatic Alarm models. Talk about genuine brand love! Photo from IWC Watches
These days, the lines have been blurred between men’s and women’s watches, and the ladies have been wearing men’s timepieces with equal aplomb. One such example is IWC ambassador Rosamund Pike – she loves sporting up to 40mm watches, which have more wrist presence than traditional watches made for women.
Her choice timepieces come from the IWC Pilot Mark Series, whose friendlier case dimensions and symmetrical, minimalist dials can be enjoyed by a wider audience – pilots, non-pilots, and men and women alike.
Basketball legend Michael Jordan has a vast collection of timepieces from Rolex, Richard Mille, Urwerk, and IWC. When it comes to the latter, he’s loyal to the IWC Big Pilot. Given his towering height, the generous proportions and no nonsense design of the Big Pilot are a great fit.
We’ve spotted Michael wearing at least three Big Pilot’s watches: the IWC Big Pilot Platinum Limited Edition with a blue dial and strap, a Reference 5002 Big Pilot in stainless steel, and a rose gold Big Pilot Annual Calendar Antoine de Saint Exupéry, which is limited to 250 pieces.
IWC Big Pilot’s Watch Annual Calendar Antoine De Saint Exupéry
