I feel a bit late to the party, but after watching this video about 8 times, I pulled the trigger on Thursday and bought the Big Pilot 43 with the blue dial. Spot on Adrian, I love the watch, big step up from my Seamaster Pro diver 300m and actually I don’t think it’s too chunky at all. Extremely well engineered. I know this isn’t sponsored but thank you for starting off this journey for me, I wouldn’t have bought the watch without this stellar review 👏🏾

I used to have a Big Pilot for a couple of years. What I really loved was the steel blue tint of of the crystal's anti-reflective coating, it made the dial look super-crisp, not the slightest reflection. And of course the germanic dial was amazing in its ultra legibility.

I remember you modifying a little skx on your kitchen table and now you get hands on with the latest W&W releases... That's just a really cool story and it still puts a smile on my face when a new Video goes live!

The bracelet can be expanded without taking the watch off. Bravo, IWC! Love it!

Finally tried this one on. Black on leather. Blue on metal. I have to say it’s a running combo. Just so classic and iconic and wears so well on the wrist. The head seems so light so will wear well on leather and have a perfect weight balance with the metal bracelet. I personally like the stripped down 3 hander. It’s cool on sunray blue and classic on black. No wrong choice.

The wrist shots here are fantastic - really do not see enough on the wrist shots across youtube! Thanks for the detail on the bracelet as well.

Adrian. On the day of a big R release; it is refreshing and informative; and just great to see your passion for Watches coming pouring through. You are always entertaining, even in short bursts; and you’re soot on with the Bracelet analysis. Long may you continue. Take care, have a wonderful week.

Wow, that bracelet is incredible! Thanks for highlighting all the features.

Damn, they DID go all out on that bracelet. Love the logo button for quick extension. And the pin removal system??? Crazy awesome.

That bracelet is sick! More companies should spend more time on their bracelets.

On a side note, your videos are getting better and better, great pace and content to it!

I have to admit, at first I didn't like flieger dails but lately and after this IWC I have to say I'm looking them with may more interest, love this hobby, great video.

Two videos in a week, Adrian you’re really spoiling us. This day is just too crazy!

Have a handful of IWCs and just love the BP. You’re right... the bracelet actually looks great and you correctly noted.. not every brand makes a GREAT looking bracelet. You nailed this video!

The pin buckle on the leather and rubber straps is quick changeable without the need for a tool too. Love the quick change system in general, very good that you can still use other straps too.

Great review, Adrian! Gorgeous piece and great to see some great engineering going on. Would love to see these developments make it onto the Petit Prince edition to get a more reasonable case size.

Very nice and I agree regarding the bracelets. Most companies charge thousands of $£€ and neglect the customer’s wish to have a good bracelet that can be adjusted & changed without the need of tools or the risk of scratching your watch (as you just said correctly, they take the cash but neglect the customer). Bravo to IWC!

Stunning! Love the uncluttered dial and lume. I hope they go the same route with the next Mark series! That would be the dream release for me. Great review.

Great to see IWC adding a taper to what was already one of the best bracelets out there.

You inspired me to go see the IWC 43 for myself. You're spot on. The blue and bracelet combination is awesome. I'm selling a couple of watches to buy one. Thanks for you insights, you really bring a watch to life.

That's what I'd like to hear out of Watches & Wonders! Love it and also more interesting news to me than the onslaught of Rolex videos currently being uploaded all over KZfaq. Congrats for getting that piece in so early!

Finally without the date window. It looks fantastic!

I’ve been dreaming about this version coming true! Very excited and agree that the smaller Mark XVIII bracelet the new one is based on is awesome. Great video.

Stunning! I need a IWC in my life. Have always loved the crown and in 43mm with the bracelet...it makes for a certain contender,think I'm sold!

Amazing watch Adrian! Proves to show there are many options for luxury watches that are usually overshadowed. Such a watch sits in a high level of watchmaking above Rolex and Omega... Which are the go to brands for most people who buy their first luxury watch.

This should be the new trend! Amazing bracelets are the way to go. I’d knock on PP & AP to take note as well. The ALS Odysseus, VC Overseas, GO SeaQ and even Cartier Santos have all featured great bracelets with similar features. The 3 key features seem to be the easy extension, easily removable links and switchable bracelets/quick release systems... all new advanced bracelets seem to include 2 out of 3

Love that functionality, nice watch too. Great video as ever. Thanks Adrien

I really like this watch! 46 would be too big, even on my 18.4cm (7.25") wrist, but 43 would work wonderfully. Pilot watches are supposed to be big/legible, so it fits with the nature of the watch. I do think it looks great on your wrist, Adrian. I am absolutely in love with that bracelet. Bravo, IWC!

I recently bought this watch. I have liked the IWC pilot watches for years now. I thought I was going to buy the chrono, but the salesman showed me the 43 big pilot. I fell in love! The dial is so beautiful. Since buying this watch I am actually thinking of selling my SMPc. The big pilot, despite being bigger, is much more comfortable, especially with the micro-adjust. I just have not wanted to wear the SMPc. I might pick up the new white dial speedy though!

As it's a flieger the watch itself is understated, but, great attention to detail as you pointed out.

F**king great review!! One of the best I’ve seen lately. Congrats Adrian!

This bracelet does look amazing - Thank you for sharing this with us Adrian.😊👍

Love a pilot watch, this is a beast in blue! Recently ordered strap from you as well, storm grey nato, beautifully packaged and engineered. Personal touches are great , cheers

Thanks for the excitement! I'm picking mine up tomorrow!!!!! 04/22! Great Videos Thank you

Can’t say I was expecting this. But I greatly enjoyed it.

Solves the misaligned date conundrum of the MkVIII albeit in a larger footprint. With a narrow bezel that’s a lot of dial looking back at you but the legibility is awesome. Will defiantly check this one out as the Big Pilot is stupid large. Nice bracelet.

With a bracelet that good I think I'd want to tell everyone about it too. Nice one Adrian. Great watch as well, fantastic clean face without any numerals cut away for a sub dial. Black or blue, I think I'd have to see them side by side but if I couldn't I'd probably lean to the black, more of a strap monster that way.

IWC knocked it out of the park with the Big Pilot update and chrono. The jubilee-esque bracelet end quick change strap System 👌🏻. Every luxury company needs to start adding the quick change strap systems. Innovate! Progress!

This is the first IWC I'd really love to own. Similar link release method to the Cartier Santos but not quite as good or refined though imo. Great vlog, thanks 👍

For those of you that like this look and the bracelet in particular, check out the blue, black, or white dialed Mark XVIII. Great watches that look a lot like this one in a 40mm size. The only major difference is the caseback is closed on the Mark XVIII and the movement is not in-house, which I see as a plus, others not so much.

I love this bracelet, too. But they already had it for quite a while. The Pilot Watch Mark 18 already had it, but I am not sure if the easy removal from the watch was already a thing. You did however get the amazing quick micro-adjust and the ability to remove all the links. I wish Omega had the same fast and easy micro-adjust in their bracelets, since I am more of a bracelet than a leather/nato/etc. type of guy.

Christopher Ward have been using Quick release spring bars and quick adjust on bracelets for years. That said very nice

The endlink quick release, clasp push button adjustable and quick.relase links system are all SICK! Hopefully other brands will incorporate this functionality into there bracelet. Omega Planet Ocean Chrono has a push button endlink and internal push button ratcheting clasp. Christopher Ward launched quick release endlinks in 2020 and has a ratcheting adjustable internal clasp. Halios Fairwind (microbrand) has an excellent bracelet and a push button ratcheting clasp system

Can't remember when exactly i first saw the Aquatimer with the black and yellow bezel but i clearly remember thinking that if i ever made enough money to afford that watch, that would be all i needed. Since then i've seen more than a few of gorgeous watches but IWC still stands out to me. With the Portugieser, the Aquatimer and the Big Pilot they have three amazing watches and now that i could afford ONE of them i don't know which one i really want. Nice video about a not so often talked about important part of a watch. 👍

I love this video! People dont talk enough about watch bracelets!! Everyone go for leather straps which is alright but reduces the watch presence. good watch must come with even better bracelet!!

Reading the title I was thinking „so what is wrong with the bracelet of your (and my) BB58“ but watching the video I understood 😬 what a piece!

Oh man..... What a gorgeous bracelet indeed.... such a hard choice. The 46mm fits my 21cm wrist perfectly.....the power reserve feature is one of my favorite features on a watch.....but this has a see through case back & that AMAZING bracelet... oh what to do!?!?

IWC had this removable link "system" already with the IWC Mark XV in the early 2000s. And the "push to extend" button on the clasp was introduced with the Mark XVII in 2012. So this bracelet is definitely not a novelty but really a clever design. IWC and engineering go well together.

Great vid and even greater watch! I own the Fliegerchrono in 43, my wrist is too small for the old BP. But this sounds perfect! Have to try it on 👊🏼

you are so freaking ANIMMMMMATED TODAY! And I am living for over-caffeinated Adrian! ;) hahaha. Genuinely, FANTASTIC WATCH! And a freaking fantastic review, A!

They FINALLY made a wearable Big Pilot!! I'm beyond excited about this release! I'd love a 5002, but that 46.5mm diameter was way too large for my wrist. This will be perfect!!

Unexpected but loving it. Damn. Especially adore the enthusiasm for the bracelet. Finally one built for the customer 👍

Stunning, Love it Excellent video thanks Adrian 👍🏻👍🏻

The bracelet on the Mark Pilots watch that you reviewed has most of these same features I believe! I must admit the quick release is a beautiful addition. Oh...and that watch roll is a beaut.

I love this big pilot 43 more with every video. I really want this in my collection.

Thank you, this vid sure makes it a contender for my collection! What is the Lug to Lug length of it?

The Lange Odysseus has the easy link resize buttons, and like the IWC logo for quick adjustment the Odysseus also has that.

I only have 4 words for this watch. Damn, that's a beauty.

It’s from decades, that IWC makes fantastic metal bracelets. It’s the same category as the Rolex bracelets

Would love to see this exact same design ( no date) on a 39 case. And a smaller bracelet clasp. The mark 16 had a clasp size that was just just just just perfect!

Always loved the IWC Pilot and this one is awesome too 👍

Lovely looking watch, I prefer the look of the dial on the old model but that's very personal and I appreciate the simplicity of the new one too. However, Cartier were again first with this quick change link technology on the 2018 Santos (I say again because they also invented both the pilot watch and the deployment clasp). On the Cartier, the buttons are so finely engineered, you can only see them at a certain angle, otherwise they are invisible. You can also swap straps without any tools and it comes with both metal and leather ones (sadly they are proprietary only, sorry B&J). Extra points to IWC for the micro-adjustment though! I think that's a really useful feature that we'll see increasingly from other makers since it's been so widely applauded on the Rolex. As always, in awe of your video and photography. Your knowledge and use of lighting elevates the videos above most other channels.

The sizing button is also on my 3227, introduced in 2007. IWC definitely had their games figured out...well, 15 years ago

Wow, that's an amazing bracelet! I really appreciate its awesome design.

You need to check out the IWC Pilot's Automatic in 36m IW324008 on the matching bracelet. Had this on my list for some time now. I think that is the hottest watch IWC makes.

I do agree it's an appealing bracelet, though it appears to have got some of it's visual inspiration from the Patek Philippe metal bracelets such as that on the 5396/1G-001 which is also 5 smaller links in width

This is exactly what I want to watch

Seems similar to the glashutte original seaq bracelet - haven’t seen them both in the metal but this is now on the radar 😍

It’s a great bracelet! First encountered that Bradley manufacturer on my Glashutte Original Panomatic Lunar.

In the likes of the reduced case diameter, the no date function and the increased water resistance. I would like to see the old blue hands in this variance. Personally, I would go for the leather strap/ black dial. Simplicity at its best!

Love the blue dial

Just that quick release with the end links would make buying it worth thinking about, I dread Bracelet Day when you decide to put the bracelet back on your watch.

"This isn't sponsored...it's just me getting excited!" -Adrian 2021 ;-)

This is absolute perfection except the size. Everyone else needs to catch up now. That bracelet is how everything should be done. If they make it in a smaller size I would get it but that’s a little too big for me.

Great vid Adrian! (as always :-)) I would like to ask, whether you can separate all the links on for example the rolex sub, as you can on this IWC (in case you wanted to repolish each link separately).

Dang it Adrian... I watched this video to check out the bracelet, figuring it'd be pretty much the same as the bracelet on the mark xx I'm waiting on from the boutique (none with bracelets available yet). Now after seeing this I'm wanting the 43...I figured it was too big for my 7 incher but it works fine for you. Looks great really does.

Absolutely perfect watch, love it 😍

Nice, looks awesome. Is the spring bar on the 43 Big Pilot a normal spring bar or something special? Now do try the Halios Universa/Fairwind watch. They will look great on your straps and fit EVEN better in the watch rolls. Halios new bracelet shares a lot with the IWC bracelet, but now IWC raised the bar with those resizing features and the quick release. Good job!

Ahhhh thank you Adrien. My eyes have been burning from too many crowns everywhere

Great video!!! A new fan to your channel! Loving the content!!

Really nice! You should check out the Cartier Santos XL. The bracelet on that has similarly awesome engineering on the quick release and the link buttons. Not cool micro slide though...

Does the bracelet tapers? Do we think it’s the same amazing bracelet they released with their update 41mm chronograph? Great to see the excitement going on!

Looks stuning and one that definitely gets on my list! However the question is - does the crown dig into the wrist?

IWC has great bracelets, my Ingenieur also has this button design, love it!

The bracelet link removal system and the quick-adjust logo (courtesy of GO) are nothing new but in fact have been used by IWC for years now.

Just love IWC. Beautiful

Great that you have discovered the IWC braclelets.

Cracking watch. The extension button thing is clever, does it feel like it could accidentally be operated?

Great review!! Please can you review GH Seventies Chronograph Panorama Date on the metal bracelet, would love to hear your thoughts on this watch!!

It almost looks unreal to the naked eye, I just got my Pilot 43 Green Dial and it feels like CGI in my hands

Looks great and at 43mm wearable. I think I would go for the new 41mm chronograph if I should buy a IWC though.

Gorgeous in every way

I agree. It's a kick ass watch.

It’s things like this (over engineering perhaps) that make our hobby such fun. The little things as it were. Much like videos games, we are at a point where watches are kind of as good as they’re gonna get with regards to materials, time keeping etc. So where to go next to keep us buying? The little things. Being able to resize a strap without knackering your lugs, or being able to resize a bracelet as you see fit without a litany of tools are small things that make ownership a bit easier and simply more pleasurable. Most people into watches will be fine with changing a strap or shortening a bracelet, but the average watch buyer, won’t have a clue about a pin and collar system, or a care for that matter. And ultimately they’re the people who watch companies care about, they’re the majority, not “us”. The Big Pilot is fantastic, and 43mm is probably the Goldilocks size for a pilot. It’ll fit just about anyone, I mean it’s on the bigger size, but it’s meant to be.

Such a great watch. Good job IWC!

Here we are more than 2 years after you posted this and I'm watching it again and again. As I keep coming back to the BP43, I'm wondering if you've debated it since this video? Or the Mark XX which might suit your outdoor adventure passions more (though you have the Polar Rolex for that already). With your latest eBay video, I'm hoping you got yourself an IWC. But in blue or in black...

Adrian, have you seen the new IWC Pilot Chronograph watch (41mm) in blue or green, they look awesome!

Great new design! Although the re-size feature was originally developed by Lange & Sohne, it should be the standard. Great job as usual! 👍

very informative thank you for the video

Excellent, and a rich vein to be mined - bracelet comfort and functionality.