Roman

I realize you are new here and we welcome you. You should know that Mr. Van
der Meijden is a
long standing and highly respected expert on the subject of IWC. You are
fortunate that he has taken time to share advice with you. I recommend you
listen carefully to what he is saying, but of course it is your choice to do
so or not.

You wouldn't need to open it to tell that one was a fake.

Please don't take this the wrong way, but if you couldn't tell that was a fake
from the pictures, you really shouldn't be buying watches from unknown sources
on Ebay.

Congratulations Bob.

You are one of the first IWC collectors I remember meeting at a Collectors
Meeting in Schaffhausen oh so many years ago. I have always been inspired by
your great photography, which has cost me a lot of money over the years! :-)

Best wishes, and I look forward to your next 5000 posts.

I saw these pictures on a different site and don't remember seeing them here.
If it has been announced and I missed it, my apologies.

I just love the vintage look and blue dial of this one! Said to be ref
3712-22 in a Limited Edition of 150 pieces for the Milano Boutique

Great report, Bill, along with your always fine photos. I'm so sorry I wasn't
able to get to New York to join you all. THanks for letting is share in the
festivities.

I was another recipient of Texas hospitality provided by Jim and the Divine
Ms. D some years back. Great memories! Happy Anniversary, Jim, and I wish
you many more.

The watch is ref 3548-06. It was issued with very orange numbers and accents
which in
quite a few cases faded to a yellow color, which is apparently what happened
to the watch you have.

I am not sure of the part number, but if I recall the strap was nylon.  It was the original equipment on the 3227-02 so I'm sure an IWC Boutique could find the appropriate part number.

It looks great on 3227-01 because the texture of the strap picks up the texture in the dial surface.

This strap originally came on the 3227 Titanium (3227-02 I believe).  I wore it on my steel 3227-01 for quite a while and loved it, although I eventually went back to the bracelet.  It was a totally different watch on the strap, and a very pleasant experience.  I recommend giving this strap a try.

Note the spelling of the company name on the reverse!  Freudian slip?  Proper spelling for that watch would be  "Irrational Watch"

Good point, Tilo.  The watch that the one pictured is intended to simulate is what, maybe ten years old?  While the story could be true, that certainly is not the most likely watch that someone's late grandfather would have bought. 

A very Happy Birthday, SC.  That certainly puts the "big" in Big Pilot!  Awesome gift!

It's all personal taste of course, but for me the Titanium version is far preferable to the SS.  Nobody does titanium like IWC!  Great size and weight, always comfortable on the wrist, a typical classic IWC exuding "understated elegance"

Congratulations on the new beauty, Phillip.  It is a terrific watch and looks good on your wrist.

The use of the numerals formerly appearing on the Saint Exupery Chrono represents such a logical feature, since Saint-Exupery was the author of Le Petit Prince.  To me, that alone places this model above the subsequent versions with a more plain numeral font.

I wish you many happy years of enjoying your BP LPP!

I can not provide any advice because I am not impartial.  I own a 5251 that I am currently offering for sale.  I have always found it to be a true IWC classic, and remember Hannes Pantli telling me the story of "the watch that saved IWC".  I also remember during my first visit to Schaffhausen that  IWC Museum curator Tanya Waring told me that at that time "it was my most desired piece for the IWC Museum".  I was able to direct her to one for sale, which she promptly bought and placed in the Museum. See?  Hardly impartial.  But I can at least provide some pictures!

The original BP LPP (5009-08) was a Limited Edition of 1000

This is the IWC Forum, so I suppose the responses will slant one way.  Even if it were not the IWC Forum, my answer would be the same - the way I originally voted with my wallet.

This is the original, Limited Edition of 1000 BP LPP.  It was later issued as a non-Limited Edition 5009-16 with  plainer font numerals and a plainer reverse engraving.

Hello Adrian

If you drop me an email, I can tell you a good source for buying a Big Pilot LPP

Best Wishes
Dick ("whichwatch")
whichwatch@roadrunner.com