IWC Pilot's Mark XVII "Le Petit Prince" (Call me by my name)

IWC Pilot's Mark XVII Le Petit Prince Stainless Steel Automatic Ref.IW3265-06

“Make of your life a dream, and of a dream a reality.” This is the motto of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, the French author and pilot who penned one of the world's best-selling books. In the real world, the watch brand IWC continues to thrive against the currents of time. Pilot's watches have always been a focal point of interest; the IW3717 (2005) was a collaborative effort between IWC and the Antoine de Saint-Exupéry Youth Foundation, featuring a retro style with subtle post-modern influences that evoke the era of the World Wars.

"Le Petit Prince" was engraved on the case back for the first time on the IW3265-06 (2013). Its design is based on the Mark XVII pilot's watch, featuring a tiny, shimmering star at the tip of the seconds hand against the deep blue dial, reminiscent of the night sky. The sunburst dial is simple yet exquisite—a color choice by IWC that is truly aesthetic. It displays the date in an altimeter-style window, with large, easy-to-read numerals typical of pilot's watches. The stainless steel case measures 41mm, offers a 42-hour power reserve, and was produced in a limited run of 1,000 pieces.

In the same year, the "Le Petit Prince" family also included the IW5028-01 Big Pilot Perpetual Calendar Edition, featuring a platinum case—produced in a single unit—and a 5N gold version, produced in 270 units.

Over the years, many other IWC pilot's watches have featured the "Le Petit Prince" engraving on the back, such as the IW3777-06 (Pilot's Watch Chronograph) and the IW3718-07 (Pilot's Watch Double Chronograph), also known as "Le Voyage du Petit Prince," which features engravings of the various stars from the story. No matter how many years pass, the Little Prince remains ready to set off on adventures to different planets alongside the owner of the watch.

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References

: https://blog.crownandcaliber.com/iwc-and-le-petit-prince/
: https://www.iwc.com/en/forum/le-petit-prince-dreams-and-watches.html
: https://watchbase.com/iwc/pilot/iw3265-06