IWC Pilot’s Watch Le Petit Prince 20th-Anniversary Editions

To mark two decades of collaboration with the estate of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, IWC introduces five Pilot’s Watch models in the Le Petit Prince collection, available in 5N gold and steel. The collection spans multiple case sizes and complications, ranging from 36mm to 43mm, and includes both time-only and chronograph executions. The sixth novelty in the theme of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s popular novel, The Little Prince, is the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 Le Petit Prince. This watch features a 41.9mm case made from white zirconium oxide ceramic.

In the 1943 poetic story The Little Prince, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry tells the tale of a young prince who departs his asteroid, B-612, and travels among planets, encountering various characters and reflecting on themes such as relationships, loss, and human behavior. IWC has drawn on this narrative for a series of themed editions over the last 20 years, typically identified by deep blue dials intended to evoke the night sky. At Watches and Wonders 2026, a total of six new Le Petit Prince watches debuted.

Flying six IWC Pilot’s Watch Le Petit Prince 20th-anniversary editions

We start with the two Mark XX models in gold and steel, two steel chronographs in 43mm and 41mm cases, and one steel Pilot’s Watch Automatic 36. The Mark XX is available in a choice of stainless steel or 18K 5N (red) gold. Like all the other Le Petit Prince models, the dials have deep blue sunray finishes paired with white printed numerals or applied gold indexes, depending on the reference. Gold-plated hands filled with luminous material are used throughout. Each model features a case back referencing the Little Prince character, either through engraving or a motif printed on a sapphire crystal.

The Mark XX in steel (ref. IW328221, €5,800 / US$5,800 / £4,800) has a 40mm diameter and 10.8mm thickness, making it slightly thicker than the 40 × 10.1mm case of the red gold model (ref. IW328301, €23,100 / US$22,500 / £18,100). Both references have the automatic IWC caliber 32112 as a power source. And speaking of power, the movement offers a power reserve of approximately 120 hours.

The two Mark XX versions each come fitted with a blue rubber strap outfitted with a quick-release system and an 18K 5N gold pin buckle. The tinted sapphire display in the gold version’s case back showcases an illustration of the Little Prince. The steel version has a solid steel case back engraved with the same drawing.

Chronographs in two sizes

The chronograph models, available in 41mm and 43mm sizes, use the caliber 69385 featuring a column-wheel and a 46-hour power reserve.

Both the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Le Petit Prince (ref. IW378011, €8,000 / US$7,700 / £6,200) and the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 Le Petit Prince (ref. IW388120, €7,800 / US$7,500 / £5,900) come in steel. The former measures 43 × 14.8mm, while the latter measures 41 × 14.5mm. Again, these watches feature dial-matching blue rubber straps.

The smallest of little princes

The smaller 36 × 9.9mm Pilot’s Watch Automatic 36 Le Petit Prince (ref. IW458802, €5,400 / US$5,300 / £4,190) uses the caliber 32102 with a 120-hour reserve. The view of the night-sky-blue dial is very clear thanks to a convex sapphire crystal with antireflective coating on both sides. While the four previous Le Petit Prince watches feature blue rubber straps, the smallest and most elegant of the bunch comes on a blue calfskin strap.

Like all the Mark XX Le Petit Prince, this 36mm version has an all-steel case back adorned with a detailed engraving of the watch collection’s namesake. No matter the case material, all iterations are water-resistant to 100 meters.

The white prince: Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 Le Petit Prince

The most outspoken new watch of the celebratory collection is the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 Le Petit Prince (ref. IW389410, €12,900 / US$12,900 / £10,100) in its white ceramic case. It has a 41.9mm diameter and a 15.5mm thickness. Not everything is made of white zirconium oxide ceramic. The screw-down crown, pushers, and case back are made of titanium. Like the previous chronographs, the white ceramic version also features a soft-iron inner case that protects against magnetic fields.

The deep blue sunburst dial with a gradient effect is paired with white-printed numerals and indexes. Rhodium-plated hands filled with luminous material ensure legibility, as a good pilot’s instrument should. The titanium case back doesn’t allow a look at the in-house caliber 69380. Yes, it would be nice to observe the 4Hz automatic column-wheel chronograph movement. However, the engraved illustration of the Little Prince blocking the view is also cool. The 46-hour power reserve caliber shows hours, minutes, and small hacking seconds at 6 o’clock. The chronograph has a central second counter with the 12-hour counter at 9 o’clock, and the 30-minute counter at 12 o’clock. The day and date display at 3 o’clock is reminiscent of former Valjoux 7750-outfitted IWC chronographs. It’s a look that made a recent comeback — a most welcome one, if you ask me.

Interestingly, there’s no dial-matching blue rubber strap this time. The snow-white watch comes with a matching white rubber strap, outfitted with IWC’s EasX-Change system for tool-free adjustment.

What is your first impression? You can’t really go wrong with a deep blue dial, don’t you think? And what about that white and blue chronograph? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below.