Big Pilot's Watch ProSet commemorates Mercedes-Benz's 140th anniversary with a limited edition of 140 timepieces housed in a 42 mm stainless steel case measuring 14 mm thick. The matte black dial features solid gold appliqués, gold-plated hands and four subdials displaying the date, day, month and four-digit year, while the Double Moon® phase display requires a one-day correction only once every 1,040 years. A sapphire caseback showcases the historic 1926 Daimler Motoren-Gesellschaft and Benz & Cie. merger logo, and the watch is fitted with a black rubber strap using the EasX-CHANGE® system.
The IWC-manufactured Calibre 82665 powers the watch with the Perpetual Calendar ProSet module, allowing forward and backward calendar adjustment through a single crown position. The movement incorporates four patented mechanisms, a silicon hairspring, a nickel-phosphorus escapement and a ceramic-reinforced Pellaton automatic winding system delivering a 60-hour power reserve.
Image Credit: IWC
What Makes This Trend Stand Out
- Heritage-led Luxury
- Anniversary editions with archival logos and limited production create collectible storytelling platforms that blend brand history with modern premium craftsmanship.
- Precision Calendar Mechanics
- Ultra-long-term complications and simplified crown adjustments signal opportunities for mechanical products that combine technical mastery with everyday usability.
- Material-enhanced Horology
- Advanced components such as silicon hairsprings, nickel-phosphorus escapements and ceramic-reinforced systems are reshaping durability expectations in high-end timepieces.
Sectors Adopting This
- Luxury Watches
- Limited-run perpetual calendar models reinforce demand for rare mechanical innovations that serve both functional and investment-driven consumer interests.
- Automotive Branding
- Crossovers between historic automakers and premium watchmakers expand the value of anniversary merchandising into collectible lifestyle products.
- Advanced Materials
- Specialized alloys, ceramics and silicon components are enabling performance gains that can transfer across precision manufacturing, wearables and luxury goods.
