Schaffhausen, 15 January 2018 – IWC Schaffhausen is turning 150. To celebrate this milestone, the company unveiled a special Jubilee collection at the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH) watch fair in Geneva. It comprises a total of 29 limited-edition models from the Portugieser, Portofino, Pilot’s Watch and Da Vinci families. To mark this occasion, IWC is also launching its first-ever wristwatches to feature the original digital hours and minute display as it appeared on the Pallweber pocket watches back in 1884. The one aesthetic element all these timepieces share is their imprinted dial in white or blue, an effect that is achieved by a process of applying several layers of lacquer, reminiscent of heritage enamelled finishes.
IWC CELEBRATES ITS 150TH COMPANY ANNIVERSARY
The American watchmaking pioneer Florentine Ariosto Jones founded the International Watch Company in Schaffhausen in 1868 with the aim of combining skilled Swiss craftsmanship with American manufacturing technology to create the best pocket watches of his time. “Our founder’s entrepreneurial spirit and his untiring quest for engineering excellence have left a lasting impression on IWC. To this day, our watches combine precision engineering with design that is as unusual as it is timeless. Our Jubilee collection revisits icons from the history of IWC and unifies them through a timeless design code to form a single striking collection,” explains Christoph Grainger-Herr, CEO of IWC Schaffhausen.
WATCHES LINKED BY AN OVERARCHING DESIGN
The one thing all these watches have in common is their white or blue dial: “In a long and complex process, these dials are coated with up to 12 layers of high-quality lacquer, flat-polished, brushed and then imprinted several times. We drew our inspiration from the unusual aesthetic appeal of the enamelled dials used for the historic Pallweber watches,” explains Christian Knoop, Creative Director at IWC Schaffhausen. The watches with a white dial have blued hands, while those with a blue dial have rhodium-plated hands. The idea for the imprinted dials and blued hands came from the first Portugieser models, Reference IW325, from 1939. All the watches in the collection are fitted with black alligator leather straps. Each model also bears the Jubilee insignia “150 Years”, either as a medallion or as an engraving.
THE JUBILEE COLLECTION COMPRISES THE FOLLOWING MODELS:
The IWC Tribute to Pallweber Edition “150 Years” (Ref. IW505001/IW505002/IW505003) is the first-ever IWC wristwatch with a jumping numeral module. Just like the historic Pallweber pocket watches, which were made in Schaffhausen back in 1884, it displays the hours and minutes using large numerals on rotating discs.
The Portugieser Constant-Force Tourbillon Edition “150 Years” (Ref. IW590202/IW590203) combines a constant-force tourbillon with a perpetual single moon phase display for the very first time. The Portugieser Perpetual Calendar Tourbillon Edition “150 Years” (Ref. IW504501) is the first watch by IWC to combine a perpetual calendar with a tourbillon. The Portugieser Perpetual Calendar Edition “150 Years” (Ref. IW503405) is a version of this classic model in the design of the Jubilee collection. With the Portugieser Chronograph Edition “150 Years” (Ref. IW371601/IW371602/IW371603), IWC is launching the first version of this iconic chronograph with a movement from the 69000-calibre family. The Portugieser Hand- Wound Eight Days Edition “150 Years” (Ref. IW510211/ IW510212) is a purist Portugieser watch with a handwound movement in the anniversary design.
The Portofino Hand-Wound Moon Phase Edition “150 Years” combines a classic Portofino Hand-Wound Eight Days with a moon phase display thanks to the IWCmanufactured 59800 calibre (Ref. IW516405/IW516406/ IW516407). The Portofino Chronograph Edition “150 Years” (Ref. IW391023/IW391024) and the Portofino Automatic Edition “150 Years” (Ref. IW356518/IW356519) have been refashioned in the anniversary design.
The Big Pilot’s Watch Annual Calendar Edition “150 Years” (Ref. IW502708) features an IWC-manufactured 52850 calibre and is the only model in the Jubilee collection with an annual calendar. The Big Pilot’s Watch Big Date Edition “150 Years” (Ref. IW510503/IW510504) features the IWC-manufactured 59235 calibre and is the first Big Pilot’s Watch from IWC with a date display featuring large numerals at “12 o’clock”. With the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Edition “150 Years” (Ref. IW377725), IWC is presenting the popular Pilot’s Watch Chronograph as an anniversary edition.
The Da Vinci Automatic Edition “150 Years” (Ref. IW358101/IW358102/IW358103) with small seconds at “6 o’clock” is the first watch to feature the new IWC-manufactured 82200 calibre. With the Da Vinci Automatic Moon Phase 36 Edition “150 Years” (Ref. IW459304/ IW459309), IWC is taking up the tradition of jewellery watches from the 1990s. The case and moving lugs of these models are paved with 206 pure white diamonds amounting to 2.26 carats.
With a clear focus on technology and development, the Swiss watch manufacturer IWC Schaffhausen has been producing timepieces of lasting value since 1868. The company has gained an international reputation based on a passion for innovative solutions and technical ingenuity. One of the world’s leading brands in the luxury watch segment, IWC crafts masterpieces of Haute Horlogerie at their finest, combining supreme precision with exclusive design. As an ecologically and socially responsible company, IWC is committed to sustainable production, supports institutions around the globe in their work with children and young people, and maintains partnerships with organizations dedicated to environmental protection.
