IWC Watches
Located a little way up from the cascading Rhine Falls in Neuhausen, Switzerland, IWC Schaffhausen innovates its immaculate timepieces on the peaceful banks of the Rhine River. The craftsmen behind the scenes of the luxury Swiss watch brand carry the skills that have been handed down the line for generations. It is considered by all who belong to the IWC family, an innate artistic skill to be able to craft these luxury timepieces using only the most premium of materials. Each timepiece, a work of art, is beautifully engineered with a strong focus on technology and development.
The IWC Schaffhausen legacy began back in 1868 when it was founded by Florentine Ariosto Jones. Ever since then, IWC has been on the same track, producing precision instruments with complete purpose. If you have ever encountered an IWC watch before, no doubt, you will have discovered a natural respect for the manufacturer and its ability to blend form with function in a sustainable way. The very spirit of the manufacturer is interwoven in the designs we see here today. IWC Schaffhausen is recognised as one of the industry’s most skilful and talented of watchmakers. Every luxury watch reflects the location at which the manufacturing facility resides and its passion for instruments utilised in aviation.
The highly skilled masters of IWC Schaffhausen have pioneered their own in-house movements and developed complications of the very highest calibre. Such examples include perpetual calendars, minute repeaters and tourbillons. Here at C W Sellors, we welcome you to join us in exploring a range of exquisite timepieces tailored towards the discerning tastes of true collectors. Throughout your time exploring these collections, you will encounter popular models such as the classic Portugieser Chronograph, the elegant Portofino dress watch, and the sporty Mercedes AMG-Petronas Formula One Team wristwatches. In addition to this, IWC offers some expertly crafted dive watches from the Aquatimer series and motorsport-inspired models from the Ingenieur line, not to mention world-recognised aviation timepieces including the Big Pilot’s Watch and the Spitfire models.
The IWC Story
The history of IWC Schaffhausen is as rich and complex as the timepieces it crafts. From the late 1800s, the company began forging a reputation for itself in developing meticulously crafted timepieces that balance American engineering with an unmistakable Swiss spirit. At the point when Jones met with watch manufacturer and industrialist Heinrich Moser, the International Watch Company was the only manufacturer in north-eastern Switzerland. When Jones decided to return to America, he left the company in the capable hands of the Rauschenbachs family, before Ernst Jakob Homberger. From thereon, he took over, leading the company forward and establishing two iconic collections. The Pilot’s Watch collection distils the essence of traditional timepieces and is still perfect for utilising in the cockpit. The Portugieser, another popular design today, took inspiration from a vintage pocket watch. Next came the dive watch range, with aquatic aspirations that proved ideal for those frequently taking to the water.
The Quartz Crisis, which took over during the 1970s and 1980s, was significant for IWC Schaffhausen. Not just because it showed the brand’s resilience and strength to survive the turbulence, but also because it marked the period by which the company produced its first titanium watch. It sparked the beginnings of IWCs legacy in experimenting with case materials. Other important moments in the company’s history include the release of the Perpetual Calendar by designer Kurt Klaus and the transition of the brand under the Richemont umbrella in 2001.
Popular IWC Watch Collections
From the effortlessly cool TOP GUN pilots watches to the timeless Portofino, IWC watches offer a range of styles and complications for you to explore. Perhaps one of the broadest and most recognised collections is the IWC Pilot’s Watch range. It is home to instruments that convey the precision and technology needed for the cockpit. Any model from this collection is recognised by its 12 o’clock white luminous triangular hallmark. The initial purpose of the feature was to enable the wearer to reference the hands at a quick glance. The Mark 11, released in 1948, is considered a sought-after collectable from which many IWC Pilot’s watches have since taken their inspiration.
Today, the IWC Pilot’s Watch collection is home to a broad range of three-handed models, chronographs, tourbillons and moonphase complications. The case materials are just as diverse, with offerings crafted from titanium, bronze, ceramic and platinum. The Big Pilot’s Watch designs, in particular, create a huge wrist presence measuring diameters of 46 or 48mm. Then, there is the more elegant IWC Spitfire watch that pays homage to the British fighter plane developed by Supermarine. The more experienced collector may be on the market for watches like the IWC Le Petite Prince and Saint Exupery models, however. These novelties come on shimmering blue sunburst dials, capturing the manufacturer’s skills in fine watchmaking.
Of course, aside from the watchmaker’s impressive range of pilot’s watches, it also offers classic chronographs found in the Portugieser collection and dress watches like the Portofino. The latter has been around since 1974, boasting a legible, uncluttered dial arrangement with slim hands and simple hour markers. While the Portofino watch collection is inspired by the relaxed pace of life in the Italian fishing village, the Portugieser was conceptualised when two Portuguese businessmen commissioned the Maison to develop a highly accurate wristwatch based on the precision of a marine chronometer. The result was the Portugieser, launched in 1939. The design is still going strong today, thanks to its famous railway track chapter ring and clear, highly visible Arabic numeral hour markers.
The Aquatimer collection by IWC Schaffhausen was born of an idea to create dive tools for professional divers. The watches are inspired by the legendary marine conservationist, Jacques-Yes Cousteau, and feature patented quick-change technology for swapping the bracelet over. Lastly, IWC has strengthened the design of the Aquatimer with the benefits of its Ceratanium material. It combines the sturdiness of ceramic with the lightweight benefits of titanium.
Lastly, the Ingenieur watch collection deserves a mention for its range of tastefully crafted motorsport-inspired watches. The timepieces use materials that are often utilised in constructing race cars, such as titanium and ceramic. When the watch was released in 1955, it promised the most advanced winding mechanism for its time. Since then, however, advancements have been necessary. Today, adjusting the watch strap has been made easy, comfortable and quick thanks to IWC’s cutting-edge technology.
Attaining an IWC watch is often a milestone reached when a person believes they have achieved a level of success in life. For many, that first timepiece is by no means the end of the road for them, but rather a signal that the journey in luxury watch ownership has just begun.
