Schaffhausen/New York City: IWC Schaffhausen announces the opening of its flagship boutique on Madison Avenue in New York City. The boutique offers new and exclusive amenities, bringing the finest craftsmanship and innovation from Schaffhausen to the city. Highlights include a fully transparent watchmaker atelier, a product test lab display and the Portugieser individualization service.
New York City, “the Big Apple”, “the City That Never Sleeps”. From Broadway and Central Park to Wall Street and Madison Avenue, it pulses with an unparalleled energy and excitement. With its luxurious boutiques, galleries, and storied history, Madison Avenue captivates shoppers from around the world with its exclusive allure and urban elegance.
Drawing inspiration from its surroundings, the boutique blends Swiss engineering and fine watchmaking with New York City style. Large floor-to-ceiling windows connect the indoors and outdoors, bringing the bustle of New York City into the boutique. Inside the 2,357-square-foot boutique with a black and white color scheme, customers can explore the IWC collections such as the Pilot’s Watches, Portugieser and Ingenieur.
WATCHMAKING EXPERTISE
On a central display, the collections are shown alongside different modules, highlighting IWC’s expertise in colored ceramics, chronographs, and case engineering. The inner workings of the IWC-manufactured 52000 caliber automatic movement and the Pellaton winding system are also explained with the help of large models. A separate fine watchmaking exhibition showcases complex complications. Marking the arrival of the newly introduced Portugieser collection in the US, the IWC Portugieser Eternal Calendar (Ref. IW505701) with a moon accuracy of 45 million years is displayed there.
For the first time, the Swiss luxury watch manufacturer has a fully transparent watchmaker atelier at the front of the boutique featuring a product test lab display – yet another boutique first for IWC Schaffhausen. Visitors can observe the artisan skills of an IWC watchmaker working on IWC-manufactured movements. With the possibility of connecting the Cyberloupe® to the large screen on the back wall, they can also get a closer look at the tiny components inside.
The product test lab station showcases selected steps of IWC’s various product testing procedures. The first station is a bath test for corrosion and water resistance, while the second shows the strap torsion test. The third station displays the endurance test for chronographs. Glass walls separate the atelier from the Portugieser individualization service area and meeting area.
CUSTOMIZABLE WATCHES
Exclusively available at IWC flagship boutiques, customers can customize their Portugieser Chronograph by selecting from a range of case materials, dial colors, hand and applique material, bracelet options and an optional case engraving.
Additionally, IWC Schaffhausen introduces a strap configurator for Portugieser, Pilot’s Watch and Portofino models together with Manufacture Jean Rousseau. Each strap is fully customizable from materials, colors, linings, stitching and even optional engravings to suit individual preferences.
UNIQUE HOSPITALITY AND SIGNATURE NEW YORK COFFEE
Adding to the welcoming atmosphere, the boutique has a fireplace, lounge, and bar, the BIG PILOT CAFE NYC, where visitors can enjoy coffee beverages made from a specially developed IWC coffee. A subtle nod to the city that never sleeps and its unique coffee culture, IWC Schaffhausen and Coffee Project New York collaborated to curate the IWC New York Flagship Signature Coffee. Dedicated to improving the quality of life for everyone in the coffee supply chain, Coffee Project New York is a minority women-owned coffee company with several shops, a local roastery and an education campus.
Visitors can unwind and immerse themselves in the world of IWC in the lounge, where they can virtually tour the Manufakturzentrum in Schaffhausen or participate in virtual events and meetings. The lounge is also suitable for VIP and private events and the bar doubles as a space for watchmaking classes.
The opening of the Madison Avenue IWC flagship boutique comes shortly after the grand opening of the Rodeo Drive flagship boutique opening in Beverly Hills, making it the fifth flagship globally. The new IWC flagship boutique is located at 645 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10022, USA.
IWC SCHAFFHAUSEN
IWC Schaffhausen is a leading Swiss luxury watch manufacturer based in Schaffhausen in the north-eastern part of Switzerland. With collections like the Portugieser and the Pilot’s Watches, the brand covers the whole spectrum from elegant to sports watches. Founded in 1868 by the American watchmaker and engineer Florentine Ariosto Jones, IWC is known for its unique engineering approach to watchmaking, combining the best of human craftsmanship and creativity with cutting-edge technology and processes.
Over its more than 150-year history, IWC has earned a reputation for creating professional instrument watches and functional complications, especially chronographs and calendars, which are ingenious, robust, and easy for customers to use. A pioneer in the use of titanium and ceramics, IWC today specialises in highly engineered watch cases manufactured from advanced materials, such as coloured ceramics, Ceratanium®, and titanium aluminide.
A leader in sustainable luxury watchmaking, IWC sources materials responsibly and takes action to minimise its impact on the environment. Along the pillars of transparency, circularity, and responsibility, the brand crafts timepieces built to last for generations and continuously improves every element of how it manufactures, distributes, and services its products in the most responsible way. IWC also partners with organisations that work globally to support children and young people.
