With a seemingly endless list of remarkable timepieces on display, it's easy for exceptional watches to get lost in the crowd at Watches and Wonders. As we digest the timepieces announced at the 2025 exhibition, a few favorites are coming up.
IWC Schaffhausen introduced a timepiece that merges avant-garde engineering with one of horology's most delicate complications, the tourbillon. The new Big Pilot's Watch Shock Absorber Tourbillon Skeleton XPL (some of these watch names can be exhausting) is a haute horology achievement that fuses the precision of a tourbillon with the resilience of a high-performance shock absorber. It's a first in the brand's storied history and somewhat of a surprise, as you don't often see skeleton watches from IWC.
This innovative shock absorption system uses a re-engineered cantilever spring made from bulk metallic glass (BMG). The material's amorphous, non-crystalline structure gives it elasticity and strength. During extensive testing, the protected tourbillon movement survived shocks exceeding 10,000 g.
At the heart of the watch is the IWC-manufactured 82915 Caliber, an automatic movement with a flying minute tourbillon visible at 6 o'clock. Reducing the mass of the movement was a central goal for IWC's engineers, as less weight means better performance in impact protection.
Bridges, plates, and even the rotor have been skeletonized, contributing not only to the system's efficiency but also giving the wearer a clear view of the intricate mechanics and the BMG spring at work. The movement also features IWC's durable Pellaton winding system, reinforced with ceramic components. It boasts an impressive 80-hour power reserve in the mainspring.
The tourbillon has 56 parts and weighs just 0.663 grams. While this mesmerizing watch component is traditionally considered vulnerable due to its complexity, in this case, it has been fortified by XPL's (IWC's figurative SEALs team division) advanced engineering to endure conditions far beyond the capabilities of conventional watchmaking. According to IWC, this feat is a culmination of extensive simulation modeling and material innovation.
The watch is housed in IWC's proprietary Ceratanium® case and crown. The titanium alloy blends the lightness of titanium with the hardness and scratch resistance of ceramic. It gives the case an exotic dark, matte finish with an understated aesthetic.
Rubber bumpers on either side of the case underscore the watch's mission to take performance and protection to the extreme. A black patterned rubber strap with a Ceratanium® pin buckle completes the look.
The black skeletonized dial is pared down to a ring with a minute scale and triangle marker at 12 o'clock. Even the hands are skeletonized and coated with Super-LumiNova®, ensuring visibility without sacrificing weight. The watch measures 44 mm in diameter and 13.1 mm in height and is water-resistant to 100 meters (10 bars).
From its founding in 1868 by American watchmaker Florentine Ariosto Jones to its present-day leadership in material science and sustainable manufacturing, IWC has long pushed the boundaries of what defines a fine timepiece.
The new addition to the Big Pilot's Watch family is a statement of resilience, functionality, and mechanical excellence. Only 100 pieces of the limited edition watch will be made.
