The most frustrating thing about a perpetual calendar watch has never been its accuracy—it's the moment you accidentally wind the crown the wrong direction while setting it, jamming the gears, and ending up with a repair bill that costs more than a brand new watch. IWC's latest limited edition for Mercedes-Benz's 140th anniversary tackles exactly this longstanding headache.
This Big Pilot's Watch Perpetual Calendar ProSet 140 Years Mercedes-Benz is limited to 140 pieces, a number that mirrors Mercedes' 140-year history. The brand's partnership with Mercedes-AMG dates back to 2004, expanding to the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team in 2013—making this one of the more significant commemorative pieces to come out of that relationship.
The case is 42mm stainless steel, alternating between polished and sandblasted finishes, with a thickness of 14mm. The matte black dial features solid gold hour markers and gold-plated hands. Four subdials display the date, day of the week, month, and a four-digit year, while the 12 o'clock position houses IWC's signature Double Moon phase display, accurate to within one day every 1,040 years—impressive precision, but not exactly headline news for a perpetual calendar. What's really worth pausing on is the movement itself.
The Caliber 82665 features IWC's in-house Perpetual Calendar ProSet module, protected by four patents. It allows the perpetual calendar to be adjusted forward or backward using the same crown position, without needing extra pushers or a complicated setting process. In other words, you can finally "undo" a mis-set dial—a genuine engineering breakthrough in the history of perpetual calendar movements, not just marketing speak. The movement uses micro-LIGA etching technology, paired with a silicon hairspring, a nickel-phosphorus escapement, and a ceramic-reinforced Pellaton automatic winding system, delivering 60 hours of power reserve.
Flip it over, and the sapphire crystal caseback bears the historic 1926 emblem—the symbol adopted when Daimler Motoren-Gesellschaft merged with Benz & Cie., combining the Mercedes three-pointed star with Benz's classic laurel wreath. The strap is black rubber, paired with IWC's tool-free EasX-CHANGE quick-release system.
The watch is currently available for inquiry through IWC's official website and boutiques worldwide. Pricing and official release date have not yet been announced.
