That's right, I haven't been entirely asleep at the switch, so here's a little holiday cheer for you guys:
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My wife's mandate for last Saturday afternoon was simple: get out of the apartment and take those damn kids with you. Fine, that I can do, but where to go?
A-ha!
(Mei Mei's first visit to the boutique!)
So, with our destination sorted out, which watch gets the treatment? Hmmm... Well, let's see, I'm at the Flagship boutique with my kids, I'm a Big Pilot fan... Of course!
Say hello to IWC's new Pilot's Watches for Father and Son. This year, in addition to switching from ecru lume to greenish lume on their rhodium-plated silver dials and swapping out the brown straps for black ones, they're now both made from stainless steel, which puts them within reach of even more fathers and their lucky sons (the previous version of the "father's" Big Pilot was in platinum).
First, let's take a look at the Pilot's Watch Mark XVI for Son ref. 3255-19 (MSRP: $5100). Honestly, of the two, this one surprised me the most. On paper, its 39mm diameter might seem a bit wimpy for a man's wrist -- I know, I know this is the son's watch -- but it fit me like a glove. Indeed, I found it hard to take off, and truth be told, I can see a lot of men purchasing this one for themselves and leaving their sons to fend for themselves. Otherwise, the watch is as one would expect; i.e. a Mark XVI with a fancy dial and crown. Under the hood is IWC's venerable c. 30110, which is encased in the de rigueur soft-iron inner case for protection from magnetic fields. Likewise, it's secured against sudden pressure drops and is water-resistant to 60bar.
Fine, but how does it wear on my son?
(he's still got some growing to do...)
The Big Pilot's Watch for Father and Son ref. 5009-06 (MSRP: $17,800) is pretty much everything you'd expect from a Big Pilot -- it's, err, big (the same 46mm that we've all come to know and love), robust (antimagnetic, water-resistant, etc...) and completely iconic in terms of design. Like the Mark XVI version, this one also features a rhodium-plated silver dial and greenish-hued lume, though as with all other Big Pilots, the classic rivet strap sports a deployant clasp, as opposed to the pin buckle of the son's version.
(no, I didn't bother trying to slap this one on my son's wrist...)
As with the previous versions of these watches, they can be engraved with your name and your son's, and, of course, they can be purchased separately if you don't have a son, or if you do, but you don't particularly care for the little pest. For my part, my boy's still excited by digital watches that light up, so I've got a ways to go before I have to tell him that no, I can't afford to buy him an IWC, particularly when that money could go towards buying me an IWC. However, for those of you out there who are more well-heeled and think more highly of your offspring, I can think of no better way to show your love and share your appreciation for this hobby.
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(I really needed this one...)
As is usually the case, everyone at the boutique couldn't have been nicer or more accommodating, never mind that I showed up with a six year old and a three year old. To their credit, though, the kids were fairly well-behaved, with Bao, taking Mei in hand and bringing her upstairs to look over the balcony, back downstairs to see the flight simulator and into the "tank" to see the Aquatimers (they were able to spot daddy's "turtle watch" on display behind the glass). Even so, they're still little kids, and I must say that the staff really went out of their way to make them feel at home.
Liana, Patrick, Andre, Robert, Nigel and Jen, thank you so much for a wonderful afternoon!
- craniotes