Tom Austin
IWC returns to Watch & Wonders 2025 with XPL, showing off the skeletonized look with the Toolbillon movement. The new XPL features IWC’s own Sprin-G Protect System, which protects Tour Bjorn from impact. IWC Big Pilot’s Watch Shock Absocker Tourbillon Skeleton XPL is a rare piece limited to just 100 watches.
It seems like it was a long time ago when IWC introduced the shock absorber XPL. This was an appearance at the Digital Watches & Wonders Event in 2021 at an unusual time when there were few public events. I’m grateful that it’s not that today. IWC has something special for us at Watches & Wonders this year. Following quickly behind the Toto Wolff Special Edition, they adopted the Spring-G Protect system in XPL, securely housed the delicate tourbillon movement and created the Big Pilot’s Watch Shock Absobleon Tourbillon Skeleton XPL.
For a while, the brand has created the most futuristic IWC, and is hung by a shock absorber made from a specially designed material called bulk metallic glass (BMG), with skeletonized dials and movements within the XPL case, designed to evenly spread the impact force over its length and width. The resulting XPL design protects the tourbillon movement to survive shocks of over 10,000g during testing.
The case itself is made from IWC’s proprietary alloy ceratanium and is as futuristic as it looks. This in-house developed material combines all the benefits of titanium. It is lightweight and almost inflicts almost on the surface, and is as hard and resilient as ceramics. At 44mm width, you cannot consider it a small watch, but since it’s an IWC, you should expect something less than that. However, these dimensions consist of irregular shapes like bumpers on the sides of the case, and the complicated inner movement of the show makes the watch a little more normal in size. The sapphire, along with the front and back, and the ceratanium crown under the screw, helps to provide 100 meters of water resistance to the watch.
Reading the time has become a slightly more difficult task with the new Tourbillon Skeleton XPL. That’s unusual to say about IWC, given its consistency with the readability of the dial. However, when you look at the watch, you are greeted by the inner mechanism behind a transparent dial full of details. The Minute Track is printed on textured, ends with a tourbillon with a swirl of the dial and proudly sitting at 6am. The IWC logo floats on a clear disc in front of the main spring barrel, and the skeletonized bridge is carefully finished and treated to a black coating.
In front and center are skeletonized sword hands. This appears to be almost lost at a glance despite being coated in the (gray) room. Perhaps this was intentional – I’m not sure, but I can’t believe that the bright choices have at least maintained some readability. The funky shock absorber system, this time in contrast to the bright turquoise of the Toto Wolf version, remains a more subdued beige color, and appears to be the original model. Readability aside, the dial area is still a joy to see. That’s the main thing about this kind of watch, right?
The main function of the movement was the typical IWC, which was brilliantly executed and reached a high standard. The movement of the 82915 is automatically winding thanks to a vibrating rotor that can be seen through the skeletonized bridge even from the front of the clock. Counting 24 gems and beats at 4Hz, precision is handled by flying tour byoons. The oversized main spring barrel keeps the watch pounding for 80 hours, giving the XPL an impressive spec sheet.
Another notable aspect of the watch is that the movement is suspended separately from the shock absorbing system case, so IWC had to devise a sensible way to combine the crown stem with movement, allowing it to move around in the event of an impact. The unique crown coupling system allows movement freely within the case when the coupling is released.
The watch is secured to the wrist with a comfortable rubber strap with a textured surface finish and secured with a ceratanium pin buckle. It matches well with the watch and doesn’t pay much attention from the futuristic look of the watch itself.
IWC Big Pilot’s Watch Shock Absocker Tourbillon Skeleton XPL may be long, but for good reason. It’s a complicated watch in one or more ways. It’s great to see Tour Billon, an effective sports watch, but in many cases they are attached to watches that can’t stand it with be-hitting. It is clear that IWC’s efforts to make the XPL a truly shocking watch have been successful. The case structure has been meticulously considered, adapted and tested for use in Tourbillon, and what is very unusual for IWC is very extraordinary about how futuristic it looks.
IWC Big Pilot Watch Shock Absorber Tour Beller Skeleton XPL Prices and Availability
The IWC Big Pilot’s Watch Shock Absocker Tourbillon Skeleton XPL is limited to 100 units and is available from IWC Boutiques. Price: CHF 180,000
Brand IWC Model Big Pilot Watch Shock Absorber Tour Beller Skeleton XPL Reference IW357701 Case Dimensions 44mm(D) x 12mm(T) Case Material Ceratanium Water Resistant 100m, Screw Crown Crystal. Opening Hours, Minutes, Flying Tour Billon, Shock Absorption Springs availability is limited to 100 pieces Price Chf 180,000
