Last Updated on January 19, 2019 by gregor
IWC Schaffhausen presented their new timepiece collections at the 2019 Salon International de La Haute Horlogerie (SIHH) in Geneva. TheViennaBlog provides you all important information you need to know here!
Stay tuned for Part 2 where we will cover the IWC SIHH activities (booth night shooting) and IWC Gala dinner party with all celebrities on the red carpet like Bradley Cooper and many more,…
The IWC Schaffhausen 2019 Collections
At the IWC Schaffhausen booth, the brand unveiled its new IWC watch Collections:
THE NEW SPITFIRE LINE
The new Spitfire line, which features only IWC-manufactured calibers and celebrates the unique engineering of the British fighter aircraft. The Spitfire, designed by Reginald J. Mitchell, is one of the most sophisticated developments in the history of aviation. The characteristic instrument design of IWC’s Pilot’s Watches likewise was the result of engineering to the specific requirements of military aviation. In addition, the “Silver Spitfire – The Longest Flight” project is launched as Steve Boultbee Brooks and Matt Jones will embark on the first round-the-world flight in a Spitfire this coming summer.
PILOT’S WATCH TIMEZONER SPITFIRE EDITION “THE LONGEST FLIGHT”
— Pilot’s Watch Timezoner Spitfire Edition “The Longest Flight” (ref. IW395501)
A particular highlight of the collection is the Pilot’s Watch Timezoner Spitfire Edition “The Longest Flight” (ref. IW395501). For the first time ever at IWC, it combines the patented Timezoner mechanism with an entirely automatic IWC-manufactured movement and is limited to just 250 watches. This special edition is dedicated to the “Silver Spitfire – The Longest Flight” project. It has been specially developed for pilots Steve Boultbee Brooks and Matt Jones to coincide with their flight around the world in a Spitfire. The colour scheme of the watch design, with its stainless steel case, its black dial and its green textile strap, is reminiscent of the cockpit of a Spitfire.
Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Spitfire
The Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Spitfire (Ref. IW503601) features a perpetual calendar and is limited to 250 watches.
Bronze case, olive green dial, gold-plated hands, brown calf leather strap
PILOT’S WATCH CHRONOGRAPH SPITFIRE
Just like the Spitfire, the IWC watch collection of the same name also perfectly combines form and function. The backbone of the new Spitfire line is the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Spitfire (ref. IW387902). The design is inspired by the iconic Mark 11 navigation watch, which was produced in Schaffhausen for the Royal Air Force (RAF) from 1948. IWC is presenting its first Pilot’s Watch Chronograph with a movement from the 69000 calibre family and a reduced case diameter of just 41 millimetres. The 69000 calibre family, which was first introduced in 2016, constitutes one of the most important developments in IWC-manufactured movements in IWC’s early history. Now, for the first time, IWC has incorporated a member of this calibre family into its Pilot’s Watches. The bronze case, the olive green dial and the brown calf leather strap give this chronograph a unique character. Over time, the bronze develops a special patina, making each and every watch a unique piece.
Bronze case, olive green dial, gold-plated hands, brown calf leather strap (Ref. IW387902)
Stainless steel case, black dial, rhodium-plated hands, green textile strap (Ref. IW387901)
PILOT’S WATCH AUTOMATIC SPITFIRE
In the Pilot’s Watch Automatic Spitfire (Ref. IW326801 and IW326802), IWC has integrated an IWC-manufactured movement from the new 32000 calibre family into its pilot’s watches for the first time.
Stainless steel case, black dial, rhodium-plated hands, green textile strap (Ref. IW326801)
Bronze case, olive green dial, gold-plated hands, brown calf leather strap (Ref. IW326802)
Pilot’s Watch UTC Spitfire Edition
With the Pilot’s Watch UTC Spitfire Edition “MJ271” (Ref. IW327101), IWC has integrated the Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) function into an IWC-manufactured calibre for the first time and this model is limited to 271 watches.
Bronze case, olive green dial, gold-plated hands, brown calf leather strap
THE NEW TOP GUN LINE
PILOT’S WATCH DOUBLE CHRONOGRAPH TOP GUN CERATANIUM
The TOP GUN watches, which IWC has been producing since 2007, take their name from the Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor Program in the U.S. Navy. As a Swiss watch company with an American founder, IWC Schaffhausen is proud to supply elite pilots of the U.S. Navy. The TOP GUN watches are therefore specially designed with robust materials, such as ceramic and titanium, to meet the specific requirements of elite jet pilots. The matte black ceramic case, for example, ensures that pilots are not distracted by sunlight reflecting off their watches during the flight. The hard and scratch-resistant ceramic is perfectly suited to daily use in a confined aircraft cockpit and can also withstand extreme G-forces. Ceramic and titanium are also extremely corrosion-resistant and can withstand humid, salty sea air. The watches also contain a soft-iron inner case for protection against magnetic fields. The new TOP GUN line sees IWC make use of the innovative new material Ceratanium® for the first time in a Pilot’s Watch; and in the shape of the Pilot’s Watch Double Chronograph TOP GUN Ceratanium (ref. IW371815), the company is bringing to market its first ever pilot’s watch to be completely jet black.
The Pilot’s Watch Chronograph TOP GUN Edition “Mojave Desert”
The Pilot’s Watch Chronograph TOP GUN Edition “Mojave Desert” (Ref. IW389103) is the first watch with a case made from sand-coloured ceramic. This reference is limited to 500 pieces.
Sand-coloured ceramic case, dark brown dial, sand-coloured hands, sand-coloured textile strap
The Pilot’s Watch Chronograph TOP GUN
In the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph TOP GUN (Ref. IW389101), IWC has integrated an IWC-manufactured movement from the 69000 calibre family into its pilot’s watches for the first time.
Black ceramic case, black dial, black hands, black textile strap
The Pilot’s Watch Automatic TOP GUN
The Pilot’s Watch Automatic TOP GUN (Ref. IW326901) features an IWC-manufactured movement from the new 32000 calibre family.
Black ceramic case, black dial, black hands, black textile strap
THE BIG PILOT’S WATCH CONSTANT-FORCE TOURBILLON EDITION “LE PETIT PRINCE”
The Big Pilot’s Watch Constant-Force Tourbillon Edition “Le Petit Prince”(ref. IW590303) is the first pilot’s watch from IWC to feature a constant force tourbillon. It is available with a hard gold case and is limited to just 10 watches. This is the first time IWC has produced a watch with hard gold, a special new version of red gold. The microstructure of the alloy is modified in a sophisticated manufacturing process. Hard gold is therefore significantly harder and around 5 to 10 times more wear-resistant than conventional red gold. As a result, the material is perfectly suited to the large case and the crown of a Big Pilot’s Watch. The combination of the mesmerizing constant force tourbillon with the poetic design elements of this Le Petit Prince edition, make this timepiece exceptional. The red gold case creates a beautiful contrast to the blue dial and moon-phase complication.
The Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Chronograph
In the Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Chronograph (Ref. IW392202), IWC has combined a perpetual calendar with a chronograph for the first time in a pilot’s watch. 250 of these limited edition timepieces are available.
18 carat red gold case, blue dial, 18 carat gold hands, brown calf leather strap
Stay tuned for Part 2 where we will cover the IWC SIHH activities (booth night shooting) and IWC Gala dinner party with all celebrities on the red carpet like Bradley Cooper and many more,…
In wonderful cooperation with IWC Schaffhausen
ADDENDUM
The brief History of IWC Schaffhausen
IWC started when Florentine Ariosto Jones (1841 – 1916), an American designer and watchmaker, chose to travel to Switzerland and found the “International Watch Company” in 1868. With a very qualified of Swiss workforce and the most modern-day machines from abroad, he anticipated that would make top notch systems and watch parts for the American market.
Afterward, he met Johann Heinrich Moser, a watchmaker and a manufacturer from Schaffhausen that made pocket looks for, among others, the realm of tsars. Moser, a pioneer in the business, had quite recently introduced in Schaffhausen a pressure driven station keep running by the Rhin waters. This station gave modest energy yet to not very many individuals. It was exactly what Jones required and he settled the manufacturing IWC there. Jones, other than being a brilliant business specialist, was also an incredible watch designer. A few years after the fact after its establishment, the responsibility for “American” watch manufacturing plant was taken by Swiss hands. In the meantime, the logic of the item “Probus Scafusia” (the affirmed perfection of Schaffhausen) would emerge kept up unalterable till our day.
Johannes Rauschenbach-Vogel purchased the organization in 1880. Four generations of the Rauschenbach family owned IWC, with changing names. Just a year after the deal, Johannes Rauschenbach died. His child, Johannes Rauschenbach-Schenk, was 25 years of age when he took control over the IWC organization and ran it effectively until his own death on March 2 of 1905.
The manufacture demonstrated IWC’s soul of development as of now in 1885 with the principal take watches with digital indication as indicated by Mr. Pallweber patent. Before long, IWC created pocket watch mechanism that even today and once changed would achieve the precision of a chronometer. These days these IWC watches are very rare
After the death of J. Rauschenbach-Schenk in 1905, his wife, two daughters and their husbands, Ernst Jakob Homberger (director of G. Fischer AG in Schaffhausen) and Dr. Carl Jung (psychologist and psychiatrist), became the new owners of IWC. Following the death of his father-in-law, Ernst Jakob Homberger had a considerable influence on the Schaffhausen watchmaking company’s affairs and guided IWC through one of the most turbulent epochs in Europe’s history.
Amid the 1930’s, IWC introduced the main watch particularly intended for pilots with antimagnetic instrument. In 1940 the Big Pilot’s watch denoted another essential point of reference for IWC. Towards 1948, the Mark 11 seemed heavily armored against attractive fields. This security would be later utilized by the Ingenieur and these days by numerous IWC watches.
Hans Ernst Homberger was the third and last of the Rauschenbach beneficiaries to run IWC as a sole proprietor. He had joined his dad’s organization in 1934 and took control of IWC after his demise in April 1955. In 1957 he added another wing to the plant and around the same time set up a cutting-edge benefits finance for the staff. He purchased new machines to meet new requests and persistently brought his creation innovation up to what were viewed as the exceptionally most recent models.
The IWC 1955 Ingenieur was the most developed watch of the time. Edmund Hillary climbed the highest mountains with it.
The Yacht Club or the Ingenieur SL from the seventies were considerably more resistant. The developing fame of water sports influenced IWC to dispatch the Aquatimer in 1967. It was water-resistant to 200 meters and had and inside rotating ring to demonstrate the season of inundation.
1969 IWC introduced its first quartz wristwatch. The Da Vinci quartz watch was fitted with a Beta 21 caliber movement.
1978, IWC presented the world’s first titanium watchcase, which at the time was thought unthinkable as a result of the trouble of working with titanium which required a without oxygen condition.
IWC is most famous for its Pilot line of watches whose design was inspired by World War 2 and the Portuguese line of watches. IWC has approximately 390 employees and since 2000 IWC have belonged to the watch division of Richemont SA.
Stay tuned for Part 2 where we will cover the IWC SIHH activities (booth night shooting) and IWC 150th anniversary party with all celebrities on the red carpet like Cate Blanchett, Bradley Cooper and many more,…
