For Watches and Wonders Geneve 2026, IWC Schaffhausen (“IWC”) has introduced the Perpetual Calendar IWC-ProSet® technology, a milestone in watchmaking that “ushers in a new era for perpetual calendars at IWC. For the first time, a completely synchronised and gear-based design ensures seamless forward and backward adjustability, making the calendar easier and more intuitive to set and operate than ever before.”
It makes its debut in the Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar ProSet Le Petit Prince (42.9 mm zirconium oxide ceramic case), Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar ProSet Le Petit Prince (42 mm stainless steel case) and Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar ProSet (42 mm 18K 5N gold case). We take a close look at them.
Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar ProSet Le Petit Prince
This model features a white zirconium oxide ceramic case measuring 42.9 mm (diameter) * 14.3 mm (thickness). It has a deep blue dial featuring a gradient finish. The rhodium-plated hands are coated with Super-LumiNova. The white numerals and indices are printed on the dial.
Dial side features a convex sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on both sides and caseback features a sapphire crystal. It is water resistant to 10 bar or approximately 100 metres. It comes with a white rubber strap with the brand’s EasX-CHANGE® system.
Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar ProSet Le Petit Prince
This model features a stainless steel case measuring 42 mm (diameter) * 14 mm (thickness). It has a deep blue dial featuring rhodium-plated hands, numerals and indices – all coated with Super-LumiNova.
Dial side features a convex sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on both sides and caseback features a sapphire crystal. It is water resistant to 10 bar or approximately 100 metres. It comes with a with a 5-link stainless steel bracelet with the brand’s EasX-CHANGE® system. An additional blue rubber strap is provided.
Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar ProSet
This model features an 18K 5N gold case, crown and caseback ring. The case measures 42 mm (diameter) * 14 mm (thickness). It has a dark olive green dial featuring gold-plated hands coated with Super-LumiNova and applied gold numerals and indices.
Dial side features a convex sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on both sides and caseback features a sapphire crystal. It is water resistant to 10 bar or approximately 100 metres. It comes with an olive green buffalo strap fitted with a 18K 5N gold pin buckle.
Movement
All three models are powered by IWC-Manufactured calibre 82665, a 4 Hz or 28,800 vph automatic movement with the brand’s Pellaton automatic winding system that drives the hours, minutes, small hacking seconds, and perpetual calendar functions of date, day of the week, month, year (4 digits) and perpetual moon phase for both the northern and southern hemispheres. It comprises 34 jewels and has a power reserve of 60 hours.
“Like Kurt Klaus’s original mechanism, the Perpetual Calendar ProSet automatically accounts for varying lengths of months and adds a leap day every four years. While the dial maintains its familiar appearance, the internal mechanics have been completely overhauled. Engineered from the ground up with forward and backward adjustability in mind, the Perpetual Calendar ProSet is based entirely on gears with multiple functional layers and flexible, extendable and retractable fingers. This innovative new approach makes it possible to adjust the calendar in both directions using a single position of the crown. There is no need for separate corrector buttons, changes of crown positions or having to follow complicated setting menus. These adjustments can be made via the patented quick-correction function, moving the displays in precise daily steps.”
What do we think?
Perpetual calendars have a reputation for being “a handful of a complication.” One incorrect setting and the watch might need to go back to a watchmaker for a reset. Few watch brands have attempted to alleviate this problem by developing movements where adjusting the various indications is straightforward and without inherent risk to the mechanism. Audemars Piguet and Greubel Forsey come to mind. IWC’s original mechanism, designed by the legendary Kurt Klaus, was one of the early such movements (perhaps the earliest). With the new Perpetual Calendar ProSet, the brand has taken it few steps further. I am sure over time the brand will debut this technology across newer models encompassing their collections.
Additional Details
Name: Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar ProSet Le Petit Prince (42.9 mm zirconium oxide ceramic case)
Reference: IW339601
Price: Not available at the time of authoring this article.
Name: Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar ProSet Le Petit Prince (42 mm stainless steel case)
Reference: IW329601
Price: Not available at the time of authoring this article.
Name: Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar ProSet (42 mm 18K 5N gold case)
Reference: IW329602
Price: Not available at the time of authoring this article.
Please visit iwc.com and their Instagram page for more information.
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