What We Know
At last, the long-awaited Ceralume is officially here. Two years ago, IWC teased a brand-new material—a proprietary, fully luminescent ceramic called Ceralume. To produce this glow-in-the-dark white ceramic, Super-Luminova pigments are combined with the ceramic powder before the mixture is sintered into the final case. This preview came in the form of a concept Pilot’s 41 Chronograph, which made its way to Lewis Hamilton’s wrist during the Monaco Grand Prix, but after that, we never heard from Ceralume again. Well, it’s finally here in a production-ready model at Watches and Wonders, and it’s the new Big Pilot Perpetual Calendar in Ceralume.
This new material, developed by IWC’s internal XPL experimental engineering division in collaboration with Super-Luminova maker RC Tritec, makes its way to the IWC catalog by way of the Big Pilot, rather than the smaller Pilot’s 41 Chronograph that it was teased in. At a whopping 46.5mm in diameter and a thickness of 15.9mm, the case gives maximum surface area for this new material to shine, literally speaking.
One look at this design, and it’s clear this edition is meant to serve as a statement piece, with an all-white look across the dial to case during the day contrasted by varying matte and glossy surfaces and printing. Ironically, the watch’s legibility improves significantly at night, with everything glowing green in the dark. Thanks to a white rubber strap also bolstered by Super-LumiNova pigments, we’re talking everything here, minus the crown and buckle.
Inside the watch, seen through the exhibition caseback, is the Caliber 52616, featuring Kurt Klaus’ iconic perpetual calendar complication, adjusted entirely via the crown, with a power reserve of 7 days. A clever touch that ties in the luminescent detailing is the glow-in-the-dark “Probus Scafusia” medallion set into the rotor. What’s important to note, and may be a bit confusing across the catalog now, is that this Big Pilot does not come with the new ProSet perpetual calendar movement also introduced at the show. This means that despite both movements being adjustable through the crown, this one cannot be adjusted in reverse. So, this caliber still runs the risk of being overset.
The IWC Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Ceralume is limited to 250 pieces, and priced at $76,300.
What We Think
I don’t know about you, but I’ve been eagerly awaiting Ceralume’s official debut. After years in which watchmakers have turned to fully lumed dials as an attractive twist for special editions and the like, a fully luminescent case is truly the final frontier. Of course, I’m disappointed that we didn’t get Ceralume in the originally teased Pilot’s 41 Chronograph, which would have been wearable for a much larger customer base. But IWC has certainly spent who knows how much on R&D for this case material, and there’s no way they’ve just done it for 250 pieces. I’m sure we’ll see Ceralume hit its stride in more designs down the line, once the brand has figured out how to produce the material at scale.
I think it’s safe to say that as much as people will be talking about the new material, they will also be talking about the price. Compared to the Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar ‘Lake Tahoe,’ with a white ceramic case that looks identical to Ceralume in the light, the Ceralume version has a huge markup, going from $43,800 to $76,300. This watch now takes the title of the most expensive perpetual calendar in the Big Pilot collection, even more than the Ceratanium model with a full Ceratanium bracelet. As such, I think you have to be a true die-hard IWC collector to even consider this one in the collection, and said required markup may be why this hasn’t rolled out on the less expensive Pilot’s Chronograph model in production.
I had this Ceralume Big Pilot for a few days, and I have to say, I’m really pleasantly surprised by the glow of the material. And thankfully, the all-white dial execution is surprisingly legible, thanks to the printing in a slightly darker, glossier shade that separates the elements in the light. Call me a pessimist, but I had very low hopes for the actual execution of Ceralume, thinking that it might just hold a faint glow for a few seconds. After all, it’s still a ceramic case at the end of the day, not a solid block of luminescent pigment. But it’s much better than that, and if you’re into the whole lumed dial thing, this is a delight to handle in person. White ceramic watches are already a bit lighthearted anyway (some might call it toylike), so mixing it up with a glow-in-the-dark element just strikes a chord with the whimsical side of my heart.
The Basics
Brand: IWC
Model: Big Pilot’s Perpetual Calendar Ceralume
Reference Number: IW505801
Diameter: 46.5mm
Thickness: 15.9mm
Case Material: Ceralume
Dial Color: White
Indexes: Printed
Lume: YES!
Water Resistance: 100 meters
Strap/Bracelet: White luminous rubber strap with steel folding clasp
The Movement
Caliber: 52616
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds perpetual calendar with year, double moonphase, power reserve
Power Reserve: 7 days (168 hours)
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 28,800 VpH (4 Hz)
Jewels: 54
Chronometer Certified: No
Pricing & Availability
Price: $76,300
Availability: Now
Limited Edition: Yes, 250 pieces.
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