IWC Big Pilot's Watch Shock Absorber XPL in the colors of Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS.
The first Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in Formula I history will be remembered by F1 fans for its two red flags and the insanely tense duel between Lewis Hamilton on the Mercedes Team and Red Bull's Max Verstappen. But watch fans will remember the piece that appeared on the wrist of Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team CEO Toto Wolff: the IWC Big Pilot's Watch Shock Absorber XPL (Ref. IW357201).
The model, unveiled at Watches & Wonders 2021 stood out for its surprising shock resistance in excess of 30,000 G! Created in the new experimental division XPL, the watch proved its surprising specs in tests conducted at Cambridge University's Cavendish Laboratory.
The secret to its super shock resistance is in how the movement is secured in the case, suspended by a special spring made of bulk metallic glass (BMG) to absorb shocks. A new version of the revolutionary model was released this year, which now bears Toto Wolff's name from the get-go.
IWC Big Pilot’s Watch Shock Absorber XPL Toto Wolff x Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team
IWC Big Pilot’s Watch Shock Absorber XPL Toto Wolff x Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team
The Big Pilot’s Watch Shock Absorber XPL Toto Wolff x Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team model has been rendered in the racing team's livery, so it fits nicely into IWC's line dominated by turquoise.
Their line also happens to include another watch with a connection to Toto Wolff: the Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Edition “Toto Wolff x Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One™ Team” (Ref. IW503607).
Like the original from 2021, the case for the novelty is also made of a material called Ceratanium, which combines the lightness of titanium with the hardness of ceramic. The case size is 44 mm × 12.6 mm. Inside, the technological spring-mounted automatic caliber 32101 movement has a 120-hour power reserve.
Its black details to match the case can be viewed through the smoky sapphire crystal on the caseback, which is also signed with Toto Wolff's autograph. Availability of the Big Pilot’s Watch Shock Absorber XPL Toto Wolff x Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team is limited to a series of 100 pieces. Each watch comes with a Petronas green strap and an additional black one.