IWC Schaffhausen's proprietary Ceralume material—luminous ceramic developed by its in-house engineering division XPL in partnership with SuperLumiNova specialists RC Tritec—makes its debut in the Pilot's Watches collection with this limited-edition Big Pilot, revealed at Watches and Wonders Geneva 2026. The result is a watch that presents two entirely different faces: restrained and architectural in daylight, and a vivid, glowing instrument after dark. Hard to read its indications during the day, but extremely captivating at night.
Things to Know About the Watch
Available in a limited edition of 250 pieces, the new IWC Big Pilot's Watch Perpetual Calendar Ceralume features a 46.5 mm case crafted entirely from Ceralume, a material produced by homogeneously blending ceramic powders with SuperLumiNova pigments through a dedicated ball-milling process. The photoluminescent pigments absorb and store energy from ambient light, then release it in the dark as an intense blue glow lasting over 24 hours.
The white dial, the bottom of the winding crown, and the white rubber strap are equally treated with SuperLumiNova pigments, extending the effect across the entire watch. In daylight, the play of matte and polished surfaces in white and grey tones is quietly striking. The case back ring and crown are stainless steel.
Date, weekday, month, and moon phase are distributed across four subdials, with a four-digit year display positioned between 7 and 8 o'clock. The signature Double Moon display renders the lunar phase as seen from both hemispheres simultaneously, accurate to within one day every 577.5 years.
The Movement
At the heart of the watch sits IWC’s Caliber 52616, housing the legendary perpetual calendar mechanism originally conceived by Kurt Klaus in the 1980s. The calendar is mechanically programmed to account for the varying lengths of every month and automatically adds a leap day in February every four years—no manual correction needed until 2100. A Pellaton automatic winding system with ceramic components drives the movement to a 7-day power reserve. The luminous treatment reaches even the rotor: the "Probus Scafusia" medallion is also crafted from Ceralume.
On the Wrist & Price
The Big Pilot's Watch Perpetual Calendar Ceralume is a rare watch that earns its complexity in the dark. At 46.5 mm the watch wears large—as the Big Pilot always has—but the all-ceramic construction keeps weight in check. For collectors who live in the details, the fact that the luminous logic extends from the case to the dial, to the strap, and to the rotor medallion signals a thoroughness of concept that goes well beyond surface treatment. A perfect watch for those living in the dark or for those who love a good rave.
Sticker Price USD 76,300. For more info on IWC, click here.
