# My Largest Wrist Timepiece.



## Stan (Aug 7, 2003)

I picked this up a while back and although itâ€™s not â€œvintageâ€ American I quite like it. Itâ€™s also digital which is an unusual choice for me, Iâ€™m sure this will shock many on the forum who know my usual preferences.

The dial isnâ€™t red either.
















This is a large thing compared to even most divers style watches as itâ€™s 72mm across.







It is, however, very comfortable with it wide Velcro strap. The display is large and very informative but has no back light.

I donâ€™t wear it often, just to check parameters. Itâ€™s been very useful and I can fully recommend this device to anyone.


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## Nalu (Nov 28, 2003)

Oi, Stan - you've lost some weight!


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## Stan (Aug 7, 2003)

Nalu said:


> Oi, Stan - you've lost some weight!
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I wish.


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## mach 0.0013137 (Jan 10, 2005)

Stanley























BTW what`s its water resistance, any use for diving?


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## Stan (Aug 7, 2003)

mach 0.0013137 said:


> Stanley
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Perspiration proof only Mac.
















Though it handles pressure up to 250 mmHg which is much higher than I will ever need, with luck.


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## mach 0.0013137 (Jan 10, 2005)

Stan said:


> mach 0.0013137 said:
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Somewhat more convenient then the old mechanical sphygmomanometer and stethoscopes give me real ear ache









Take it easy Stan


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## Stan (Aug 7, 2003)

Will do Mac, thanks.


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## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

Is that a pulse of 84 a minute?









Mines aroud 40 at rest (am I normal or dead?)


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## mach 0.0013137 (Jan 10, 2005)

pg tips said:


> Is that a pulse of 84 a minute?
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I presume your rather active Paul in which case it probably is noramal.









My resting pulse is 64 and have a resonably low BP which is surprising considering I`m a complete couch potato & have been for years


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## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

so does that mean Stan took the picture after a frantic 5 mins with shorty?


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## Stan (Aug 7, 2003)

PG,

I'd just got out of a very hot car (35 C) after being to the MO's.









My pulse is running at a steady 63 at the moment, though the room is, about, 30 C.

If I give up the fags It'll be a lot less than that.









Get a BPM mate, and get regular check ups, it has to be worth it.


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## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

but fags


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## Stan (Aug 7, 2003)

pg tips said:


> but fags
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Yep,

I know.


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## mach 0.0013137 (Jan 10, 2005)

pg tips said:


> but fags
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Total agreement Paul









Its sad, a number of my friends, who are nurses smoke even though they know the dangers and have seen first hand what smoking can do


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## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

My nan was a nurse / carer, smoke 40 a day died at 55 (I was 11) I missed growing up with her because of fags. Never smoked, never went near them.


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## mach 0.0013137 (Jan 10, 2005)

I used to smoke, started in the 70`s with _`Special`_ long & thick ones,









Luckily I got eventually bored and stopped


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## Stan (Aug 7, 2003)

Nicotine addiction is a complete ******* and not to be taken lightly.









I wish I didn't smoke but the side affects of quiting are no joke.







Some of us pass out after being in withdrawl for two days (







). I can't stay awake, I have no energy. I vomit and become incoherent (like I am on the forum







)









Anti-smoking patches lessen the problem but by about 4PM I can't stay awake or lift a limb.









I would need to get addicted to patches to quit smoking.









I may try it again, though I don't hold out much hope.









My advice is to never start smoking, some of us get instantly addicted and may never get of the stuff.

This is not just about will power, this can be a nasty physical addiction for some, like heroin is for other's.

Think about it before you judge.


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## mach 0.0013137 (Jan 10, 2005)

Stan said:


> Nicotine addiction is a complete bastard and not to be taken lightly.
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Trust me Stan I don`t judge, I am familiar with the effects of addiction










Although thankfully not personally mind


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## Stan (Aug 7, 2003)

I just felt my will power elevate, mate.


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## JonW (Mar 23, 2005)

Er, back to watches....









I was in a jewler the other day and a young guy came in with a massive watch on. I listened in to the convo with the salesman and it transpired it was an IWC from WWII that a german pilot gave his grandfather for not killing him when he easily had the chance etc. The watch must have been 70 or 80mm dia and was all nice n brown on the lune etc. I assume it was worn over the top of the german pilots flying jacket. The guy was after a strap and hoping IWC may be ineterested enough to help him get one as the last one hed made himself. Anyone seen anything like one of these? pretty amazing bit o kit.


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## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

From a pdf I found:

Big Pilot: Launched 1940. Largest wristwatch

built by IWC, weighing 183 g with a 55 mm

case. Apart from size, its most distinctive

feature is the long strap.


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## JonW (Mar 23, 2005)

Yep that looks like it... Tho it really did look larger than 55mm on the wrist... anyone got one they want rid of... thought not....


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## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

quite a few copies, homages out there Jon, I think the genuine IWC ones make a pretty penny these days.


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## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

From the same source: a 2003 article I found on the net

■IWC does not divulge production numbers,

but the most rare and difficult to find are the

Big Pilot and the Mark IX which, in good con-dition,

can sell for anything up to â‚¬ 20,000.

A new collector should probably begin with a

Mark X or Mark XI. Subject to good condition,

they could fetch around â‚¬ 6,000.


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## JonW (Mar 23, 2005)

yeah I thought theyd be that sort of money... ouch... I think theyre nice but his story that went with the watch would be a great reason to keep it.

Ive not seen any homages, anything of note PG?


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## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

I seem to remember seeing a poljot version, & I'm sure there are one or two german copies, Archimede I think was one & of course there are the fakes, not my thing due to the size but there are one or two on here who know far more than me about these.


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## JonW (Mar 23, 2005)

Cheers Pg, Homages arent really my thing but its nice to see whats out there, Cheers for the info, Jon.


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## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

The complete article.

The Wright brothers ushered in the era of powered

flight one hundred years ago, and with it the era of the

wristwatch. There had been watches that were worn

on the wrist before then, but they were wrist-worn

watches rather than wristwatches. This may seem like

splitting hairs; nevertheless, the distinction is an im-portant

one. Like powered flight the wristwatch is a

twentieth-century phenomenon and there are two

watch brands that, above all others, are associated

with the skies: chronograph maker Breitling and IWC,

the International Watch Company of Schaffhausen.

Initially, along with the motor car, the aircraft was seen

as a rich manâ€™s plaything â€" a toy rather than a serious

rival to the boats and trains that were used for long-distance

travel. However, increasing feats of endurance

signaled that the aircraft was here to stay. In 1909

Louis BlÃ©riot crossed the English Channel and in 1913

Swiss aviator Oskar Bider became the first man to

cross the Alps in a motorized aircraft. Eventually, air

travel became an everyday fact of life rather than a pas-time

for rich dilettantes. This followed in the wake of

the First World War where air combat was introduced

and the wristwatch widely worn. Another influence

that greatly affected public attitudes was Lindberghâ€™s

flight over the Atlantic in 1927. It was then that the In-ternational

Watch Company of Schaffhausen became

involved.

Founded in 1868, IWC is thirty-five years older than

powered flight. And, in the 1930s, IWC threw its con-siderable

expertise into solving the problem of accu-rate

timekeeping in the cockpits of early twentieth-century

airplanes. Among the difficulties IWCâ€™s watch-makers

had to contend with were vibrations, extremes

of temperature, fluctuating light conditions and pow-erful

magnetic fields.

Technology is the appeal of an IWC â€" the watches have

an almost industrial quality. There is a perception of

precision and a sense that every IWC has been specially

engineered. This is what appeals so much to collectors

of these unique timepieces â€" particularly in German-speaking

parts of the world where engineers are prized

and efficiency revered. One just has to look at the

stark, functional styling of the classic dark background

military dials that are so much a part of the identity of

the aviatorsâ€™ IWCs to appreciate the strong identity

that has characterized these watches since their debut.

The first watch from Schaffhausen made specially for

pilots was the Mark IX. Launched in 1936, it had a

black dial, high-contrast luminous hands and a rotat-ing

bezel with an inlaid arrow. The ribbed bezel could

be turned until the arrow was adjacent to the watchâ€™s

minute hand. This feature permitted the wearer to

measure elapsed time accurately as an aid to naviga-tion

and could also be used to time periods of up to one

hourâ€™s duration. The 83-calibre, hand-wound move-ment

used in this watch was shock-resistant and fea-tured

an antimagnetic escapement. To ensure that it

would function correctly in the rarefied and potential-ly

freezing atmosphere of aircraft in those days, the

watch was tested and adjusted at extreme tempera-tures.

In the 1930s, IWC threw expertise into solving

the problem of accurate timekeeping in the

cockpits of early airplanes, contending with vi-brations,

extremes of temperature, fluctuating

light conditions and powerful magnetic fields

Almost seventy years after it was first put into pro-duction

the Mark IX is still a stunning-looking time-piece.

Even more so when one imagines the aesthetic

impact of this revolutionary piece of technical equip-ment

during the early years of the twentieth century.

The Mark IX is today one of the most sought-after of

IWC pilotâ€™s watches but as well as its value to collec-tors

and students of the brand, its wider significance

rests in the fact that the Mark IX spawned a watch dy-nasty.

The Mark X arrived in 1945. Three years later

the Mark XI was adopted by the Royal Air Force as its

official pilotâ€™s watch.

In equipping its pilots with IWC watches, the RAF was

acknowledging tacitly that the German Luftwaffe it

had gone to such lengths to defeat had at least enjoyed

the edge when it came to horology. In 1940 IWC had

supplied a huge watch, the Big Pilot, to the German Air

Force. Weighing a massive 183 g and with a 55 mm di-ameter

case, it was extremely big even by the standards

of todayâ€™s oversized wristwatches. The Big Pilot was

the largest wristwatch ever built by IWC. It was also

one of the most accurate wrist-worn timepieces of the

day â€" so precise that it met all the demands made of a

chronometer. With its large second hand, oversized

winder (that was operated by the aviatorsâ€™ gloved

hands) and a long strap that enabled it to be worn over

the sleeve of a flying suit, this was a watch that looked

as though a small clock or large pocket watch had been

shackled to the wrist. Indeed, this bellicose behemoth

was powered by an extremely high-quality specially

modified IWC 52 S.C. (seconde au centre) calibre,

pocket watch movement.

It is the uncompromising nature of this watch that

makes it so important to collectors today. Putting aside

the romantic and emotional side of owning an object

that belongs to another age, that has been a part of an-other

personâ€™s life and that is imbued with the talis-manic

significance of having been worn into battle,

the sheer appropriateness of this object to its use is a

remarkable lesson in product design.

Technology is the appeal of an IWC Pilot â€" they

have an almost industrial quality. What appeals

so much to collectors of these sought-after

watches is a perception of precision, a sense

that every IWC has been specially engineered

The contrast between the Big Pilot loved by the Luft-waffe

and the Mark XI, the first pilotâ€™s watch equipped

with an additional soft-iron inner case to protect the

movement against magnetic fields, could hardly have

been more marked. The Mark XI was characterized by

understatement. A relatively small case size, allied to

the reduction of external features to an absolute min-imum

has made it an essential item in any IWC collec-tion.

The Mark XI is a genuine cult timepiece in its

own right. Moreover its hand-wound movement is al-so

one of the most complex and precise. It proved so

successful that it was not until 1993 that the Mark XII

made its debut with an automatic movement.

The 1990s saw a tremendous resurgence in the popu-larity

of the aviatorsâ€™ watches. There is now a Mk XV

and, over six decades after it first appeared on a pilotâ€™s

wrist, there is a new, automatic version of the Big Pi-lot.

The reappearance of this watch should be good

news for collectors. It is accepted that reissues of clas-sic

models from any watchmakerâ€™s archive tend to

push up prices of the original. Moreover, should the

original become too valuable to wear frequently then

it is reassuring to know that there is a contemporary

counterpart for day-to-day use. /

Nick Foulkes writes on collecting watches for the Financial Times.

Essential information for collectors

Mark IX: Launched 1936. First watch

from Schaffhausen made specially for pilots.

83-calibre, hand-wound movement.

Big Pilot: Launched 1940. Largest wristwatch

built by IWC, weighing 183 g with a 55 mm

case. Apart from size, its most distinctive

feature is the long strap.

Mark X: Launched 1945. 83-calibre, hand-wound

movement. On the back: WWW stand-ing

for â€˜Watch Wrist Waterproofâ€™.

Mark XI: Launched 1948. 89-calibre, hand-wound

movement. Every watch supplied to

the Royal Air Force subjected to an exhaustive

44-day testing period.

from Wealth Management / July 2003 found on line so there shouldn't be any copyright issues.


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## JonW (Mar 23, 2005)

Wow Pg.... you know how to do research... wanna help me write this report for work?







seriously tho, ta for that.


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## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

No worries Jon, I had this saved in my IWC MK XI file, when I got started into watches I was looking for a certain MK XI copy/homage that is well known, and saved this.

In the end I bought an RLT 69 which I actually prefer now, something about the other ones nameless dial just made it look odd to me.


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## jasonm (Nov 22, 2003)

Google on these for the real deal and hommages

Originals:

B-Uhren

IWC

Stowa

Laco

Wempe

Hommages:

Bombardier

Archimede

Aristo


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## mach 0.0013137 (Jan 10, 2005)

pg tips said:


> From a pdf I found:
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I`ve wanted one of those since I first saw one a couple of years ago
















I`d be happy with a homage, but most are really small or have date windows which spoil the look IMO.









OK 55mm is big but I wish Zeno would do a version with centre seconds in this 47mm case....

*Zeno Beobachtungsuhr, 47mm, Unitas 6498, 17 Jewels*


















File Size: 53.87 KB


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## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

Aristo was the one I couldn't think of, thanks Jase, didn't you have something similar?


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## jasonm (Nov 22, 2003)

Ive got this one, a Poljot but its positivly tiny at 40mm...

I would love a 55mm


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## mach 0.0013137 (Jan 10, 2005)

Zeno do have 55mm watches but not Buhr style which seems strange to me, I`d have one if they did









I wonder if someone we know could get some suitable large cases and do his own IWC style Beobachtungsuhr


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## seiko6139 (Aug 25, 2003)

pg tips said:


> My nan was a nurse / carer, smoke 40 a day died at 55 (I was 11) I missed growing up with her because of fags. Never smoked, never went near them.
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My Nan somked 30 a day and lived to 85 and died of a stroke.

Smoking must be good for you









Actually I think it seroiously stunted my growth


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## abraxas (Oct 21, 2003)

jasonm said:


> Ive got this one, a Poljot but its positivly tiny at 40mm...
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> I would love a 55mm
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Hi Jason, thanks for the PM.

This non-commercial link will give most of the general info on B-Uhren:

http://www.qahill.com/tz/b-uhr/

An original Laco at 55mm










... or a modern one (mine







) at 42mm










john


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## abraxas (Oct 21, 2003)

The 55mm Laco (sorry the picture didn't post, and it won't let me edit).

... which gives me the chance for a gratuitous piccy of the 42mm Laco on an RLT Flieger










john


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## JonW (Mar 23, 2005)

ohh like that laco... its bloomin huge too...


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## Silver Hawk (Dec 2, 2003)

Long established RLT Forum members will be bored with me posting this again









But I always win "Who has the biggest watch?" competitions























So here it is again...until next time.


















Cheers

Paul


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## mach 0.0013137 (Jan 10, 2005)

Silver Hawk said:


> Long established RLT Forum members will be bored with me posting this again
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I must say Paul your younger looking then I expected


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## jasonm (Nov 22, 2003)

Thats not a big watch...Just a very small girl


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## Scouse (Jan 6, 2011)

Hi there,

These Big Pilots were made by IWC, Lanco and Stowa that I know of. They were all near identical apart from the movements. The book Military Timepieces by Ziggy M Wesolowski lists them if I remember correctly.



JonW said:


> Er, back to watches....
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