IWC Mark XX or BP43?

[Guppydriver]

I’ve been looking for a time only three handler for a while and have routinely come back to the Big Pilot 43.

Just a few days ago though, a friend of mine said “Why don’t you just get a Mark XX and get a better fitting watch for a much better price”.

So, I’ve been thinking….

Sure the Mark XX has a date which isn’t ideal (for me) BUT there are advantages…

1. Greater Power Reserve
2. More WR
3. Noticeably more affordable.
4. Universal Diameter

Disadvantages being
1. Date (just my preference)
2. Questionable “in house” movement origin
3. Closed case back (again preference)
4. Lack of COSC certification

The Big Pilot 43 is certainly the heavy hitter of the bunch, but some say it loses the true essence of a Big Pilot by omitting a power reserve indicator and having a less than ideal 60 hour power reserve compared to the OG which has a whopping 7 days.

I initially had anything with a date complication filtered out, but when I started to get serious about the BP43, I couldn’t help but wonder if the Mark XX is actually the better watch.


Any opinions to pass along to me about how these watches compare in the real world would be appreciated.

[deuxani]

Looking at your mentioned advantages and disadvantages, I think it comes down to which design do you like most. The BP43 has the real Big Pilot look with the onion crown, large size and thickness, while the Mark is more subtle.

[AEC]

Originally Posted by Guppydriver

I’ve been looking for a time only three handler for a while and have routinely come back to the Big Pilot 43.

Just a few days ago though, a friend of mine said “Why don’t you just get a Mark XX and get a better fitting watch for a much better price”.

So, I’ve been thinking….

Sure the Mark XX has a date which isn’t ideal (for me) BUT there are advantages…

1. Greater Power Reserve - So what? Aren't 3 days enough?
2. More WR - Again, so what? You're not going in the pool with a pilot's watch.
3. Noticeably more affordable - Okay, but if you spend even $1 on something you don't really want then that's a waste.
4. Universal Diameter - WW2 Fleiger watches weren't supposed to be a universal diameter.

Disadvantages being
1. Date (just my preference) - Your preference is the most important thing in all of this!
2. Questionable “in house” movement origin - Well, in any 3-hand IWC, it's mainly the 7-day movements which are truly "in-house", so this is a push.
3. Closed case back (again preference) - See Disadvantage #1 above
4. Lack of COSC certification - I don't think any IWC models are, are they? Again, this is a push.

The Big Pilot 43 is certainly the heavy hitter of the bunch, but some say it loses the true essence of a Big Pilot by omitting a power reserve indicator and having a less than ideal 60 hour power reserve compared to the OG which has a whopping 7 days - The BP43 dial is exactly like the WW2 Fleiger watches, which did not have power reserve displays.

I initially had anything with a date complication filtered out, but when I started to get serious about the BP43, I couldn’t help but wonder if the Mark XX is actually the better watch.


Any opinions to pass along to me about how these watches compare in the real world would be appreciated.

You're better than your friend is at deciding what's right for you. See my comments about the mentioned pro/con points. I think the BP 43 is the right watch for you.

[ts3]

The Big Pilot 43 is a nice watch but it has still left me cold. For a special occasion piece I'd probably go all the way traditional big pilot and for every day I'd rather get a regular pilot watch. While the Mark XX has been a step in the right direction (compared to XVI, XVII, and XVIII) I'd get a preowned Mark XV instead. More consistent design language and better looks all around and you'd save a bunch on top.

[Guppydriver]

Originally Posted by AEC

You're better than your friend is at deciding what's right for you. See my comments about the mentioned pro/con points. I think the BP 43 is the right watch for you.

Good points Tony, I appreciate the input. I need to find a boutique and start trying them on to see how they feel on the wrist. If the BP looks reasonable on my 7.25” wrist, then I may go that route.

If I ultimately can’t decide, I could always go Air King or Explorer as a daily time only “no date” , but I was looking at adding a non Rolex to the collection.

[Gebbeth]

I've never been enamored with the Mark series watches. For me, the proportions seem off, although that's weird coming from a company that likes 46mm diameter watches.

Still, the Mark series seems too small and the Arabic number indices too big. The dial seems somewhat cramped. It's also almost too plain for my tastes. It really does feel like the younger brother.

The 43, on the other hand, does retain the DNA of the BP is a more coherent way. With the intermediate size, onion crown, etc, it just seems more indicative of an IWC pilots watch.

That being said, I think the watch at retail is hideously overpriced, and the secondary market prices (coming down almost 40% or more from retail price new), is probably the right price for this watch.