Fake IWC Automatic Watch, Discount IWC Automatic Watches For Sales

IWC Portuguese Hand-Wound Eight Days (IW5102-03)

I promise... this IWC Portuguese watch is truly amazing! It is simply elegant and classy. I have many watches in my collection, THIS is my new fav!

---- [Rating: 5 / 5 stars]

Review by Tori smith, From United Kingdom Belfast

IWC Pilot's Watch 36 Grey ( IW3240-01)

This IWC Pilot's 36 Grey ( IW3240-01) is a very nice watch, trouble is... it's really a MEN's watch. So much so that when I went to pick it up (after ordering on-line), no one could find it, at least not until we checked in the "men's watches; display case.

---- [Rating: 5 / 5 stars]

Review by Nicholas Genitempo III, From United States Hamptonville

IWC Ingenieur Chronograph Racer Silver / Strap (IW3785-09)

This watch looks and feels truly high-end, and looks great even on a small wrist. I purchased it for my mother who likes classy and expensive objects, and she was delighted with this unique watch. I definitely recommend it!

---- [Rating: 5 / 5 stars]

Review by David GACHENOT, From Hong Kong Bac Giang

IWC Schaffhausen announces the addition of three new members to its diver's watch family Aquatimer. The Aquatimer Chronograph Edition "La Cumbre Volcano" is dedicated to the eponymous volcano in the Galapagos Islands; the Aquatimer Automatic 2000 will now be available in black-and-yellow; and the Aquatimer Automatic Edition "Expedition Jacques-Yves Cousteau" is the latest special edition produced in honour of the French scuba-diving pioneer.
We present today the Aquatimer Chronographe Edition "La Cumbre Volcano".

Since 2009, IWC has been working as partner of the Charles Darwin Foundation to preserve the fragile ecosystem of the Galapagos Islands. This limited-edition timepiece of 500 pieces is dedicated to the La Cumbre volcano on the island of Fernandina.

The 44mm stainless-steel case is coated with matte black rubber. Every case is individually pressure- and heat-bonded with the rubber.
The internal rotating bezel, central seconds and minute hand of the chronograph display are dark red in colour to symbolize seething magma. The engraving on the case back shows the volcano erupting.

The IWC-manufactured 89365-calibre chronograph movement has a flyback function, automatic winding and a power reserve of 68 hours. The dive time can be set using the mechanical external/internal rotating bezel. This ingenious in-house development from IWC combines the legibility of an internal rotating dive ring with the ease of use of an external bezel. The IWC SafeDive system ensures that the inner ring can be moved only anticlockwise. The luminescent coating on the hands, numeralsand internal rotating bezel guarantee optimum legibility under water.

With the new Portuguese Perpetual Calendar Digital Date-Month Edition "75th Anniversary" (Ref. 3972), the Portuguese watch family now includes a model featuring a digital display for the date and month. Its 45-millimetre case includes the perpetual calendar, the large digital date, the leap year display, the chronograph with flyback function and the IWC-manufactured 89801 calibre with its quick-action switch and efficient double-pawl winding mechanism.
On the occasion of its relaunch to mark the 75th anniversary of the Portuguese family, the watch is fitted with an arched-edge front glass and Santoni alligator leather strap and has a new calibre design.

Today, most people prefer to read the time with the help of hands but are happy if the date is shown in figures. So, the dial combines two striking, highly legible analogue displays (time and chronograph) with three digital ones (date, month and leap year).

 While considering whether there was a way to make the figures in the various subdials of a conventional chronograph easier to process, the designers in Schaffhausen hit on the idea of displaying the stopped hours and minutes in a totalizer - just like the time of day. The stopped seconds continued to be shown by the central seconds hand.

 From a design point of view this may seem ingeniously simple, but technically speaking it is very difficult to implement. To turn the "watch-within- a-watch" concept into reality, a team at IWC worked for 4 years on the in-house 89360-calibre chronograph movement with its particularly efficient double-pawl winding mechanism. In this assembly, four pawls arranged diagonally to the pawl wheel - in other words two sets of doublepawls - convey the push-and-pull motion from the rotor to the barrel. This solution eliminates dead spots during winding and boosts the system's efficiency by a significant 30 per cent. The further-developed in-house 89801 calibre is now used in the Reference 3972. Like its predecessor, it features an integrated flyback function that enables the user to reset the running stopwatch hands to zero simply by pushing the button, and to start another timing sequence immediately.

The IWC-manufactured 89801 calibre gets all its power from a second source of energy, the so-called quick-action switch. Every night, when the date display moves forward, the switch siphons off a little of the energy, stores it and then discharges it precisely at the end of the month or year when, in addition to the date and month disc, the leap year disc also needs to be advanced. The perpetual calendar can be set easily using the crown. It will not require correction until 2100, a year that breaks with the conventional 4-year cycle and will not be a leap year.

The see-through sapphire-glass back provides a view of the meticulously finished movement consisting of 474 individual parts. Following further development, the IWC-manufactured 89801 calibre now has a number of new features: the rotor and the inset "Probus Scafusia" medallion are now slightly more delicate in design and made of solid red gold. Other new highlights include the decorative blued screws, which together with the red jewels and the Geneva stripes on the plate constitute an attractive ensemble.

The watch is limited to 25 pieces in platinum and 75 pieces each in 18-carat red gold with either a black or silver-plated dial.

The Portofino Midsize Automatic comes in four red-gold and six stainless-steel versions, each of which is available with a diamond-set bezel or a slightly more understated variation with 12 jewels on the dial. The finished mirror-polished case surfaces lend these timepieces a real air of exclusivity, as does the sun-pattern finish on the dials, which makes the light appear to move around in circles when the watch is tilted from side to side.

Another feature on the new Midsize models is the slightly raised inner circle on the dial which adds structure and depth to the watch face. In addition to the hour, minute and seconds hands, the Portofino Midsize Automatic also features a rapid-advance date display. All of these functions are powered by a mechanical automatic movement. Pulling out the crown stops the central hacking seconds hand, and the sapphire glass has antireflective coating on both sides to guarantee a clear view of the display. Alligator leather straps complement the dial and case of nine of the models, while reference IW458110 features a Milanaise mesh bracelet. Each timepiece is also available with a 1960s style Milanaise bracelet in high-quality stainless steel or 18-caratred gold.

Launched in 2011, the Portofino Automatic (Ref. 3565) with a 40-millimetre case and date display will now be joined by three additional models in the new collection, each one featuring a bezel set with stones and an alligator leather strap.

70 years ago, Antoine de Saint-Exupery took off from a military base in Corsica on a Lockheed P-38 Lightning for a reconnaissance flight over France, which never returned. The inquiry to know the reasons of his disappearance only stopped in 1998 when a fisherman found Antoine de Saint-Exupery's bracelet in his nets. The watch manufacture in Schaffhausen celebrated the last flight of the famous pilot and writer through three limited special editions featuring ceramic silicon nitride cases: the is available in titanium, red gold or platinum.

A tradition of commitment to social causes
Sotheby's Geneva will auction one of the platinum models, in November. IWC will donate the entire proceeds to the Antoine de Saint-Exupery Youth Foundation, which champions the great Frenchman's humanitarian philosophy and is involved in projects aimed at improving literacy among children and young people across the world. On this occasion, the money is destined for the Hospital Pequeno Principe in Curitiba. Brazil's largest children's hospital is a respected centre specializing in highly complex heart operations, organ and bone transplants. The funds that will be collected will provide the hospital's recreational area will soon have a library to offer its young patients.

Helping young people to help themselves
"Our sense of social responsibility reflects what happens in our own company", explains Georges Kern. IWC Schaffhausen, well known for its almost 80 years' experience in the manufacture of Pilot's Watches, decided to pursue a partnership with Antoine de Saint-Exupery's descendants due to their many shared values. They both share a passion for flying, technology and engineering, and have a pronounced sense of social responsibility.

A watch to commemorate the final flight
Usually, special editions dedicated to the legendary pilot are in tobacco colour. For new models of the , the brand has adapted a brown ceramic case made from silicon nitride, a brown dial with a calfskin strap in the same colour. The rugged case, made of high-performance ceramic silicon nitride, has several outstanding properties such as enormousheat resistance, unusual hardness, corrosion resistance and very low wear and tear. The sapphire glass has an antireflective
coating on both sides and is secured against drops in air pressure, while the case is water-resistant to 6 bar. Developed and manufactured by IWC entirely in Schaffhausen, the 89361 calibre is a technical masterpiece. Stop times up to 12 hours are clearly displayed on an analogue hour and minute counter on a subdial. The back of the watch is engraved with a special image which commemorates the 70th anniversary of Antoine de Saint-Exupery's last flight. The timepiece itself is packaged in a leather case embossed with the same motif as the exquisite engraving on the case back, and is accompanied by a rotor-shaped letter opener in stainless steel.

It was a secret that had already been leaked: Eterna, sold by the Porsche family to the China Haidian Group in 2012, had remained the license partner of Porsche Design for the timepieces, but since the last September the brands had decided to go their separate ways. The official announcement was finally made earlier this week and on the very same day I was fortunate to catch up with Gerhard J. Novak - the general manager of Porsche Designer's watch department that is heading the most significant move in the brand's history.

Why did Porsche Design take the decision to cut the umbilical cord from Eterna after such a close partnership?

In the end, it's very simple and clear. What we do in timepieces is first of all very much linked to the overall strategy of the brand. The strategy of Porsche Design as a brand is to consistently grow its business in the core categories: fashion, luggage and bags, and watches. It is no coincidence that the story of the brand began with a watch in 1972. It was the watch laying the groundwork for everything to come later and we need to make sure that this category, which played an essential role in developing our brand, will have a much more positive future. A positive future doesn't mean that we haven't been that successful with our former license partner. But the watch industry is a highly competitive one and you need to do things with a view to the very long term. You need to maintain a certain consistency and sustainability. In the license business, there's always the situation where you have someone else doing things for you. If you have a very close look at the industry, all the most successful brands do business on their own; there's nobody else involved. That's why we took the decision, for a purely strategic reason. We have been with license partners and corporation partners for 42 years, and for at least the next 42 years we would like to do things on our own, to consistently build the Porsche Design brand in watches.

Porsche Design watches were made in Grenchen, by Eterna. After a transition period, where will you produce them? Are you developing your own manufacturing facility?

The watches will, of course, be produced in Switzerland. At the moment we are developing a system designed to ensure that our production will in due course at least match the new Swiss label, meaning having at least 65 to 70 per cent of all the components/parts made in Switzerland. We are firmly attached to the Swiss Made label, a principle we have applied right from the very beginning. Our brand was indeed the first to use the famous 7750 calibre in 1972 - so we were the ones dedicated to counting on Swiss Made already back then, at a time when everybody else was starting to focus on quartz movements. We have a certain dedication to the Swiss Made label, to Switzerland being the origin of high-end watches, and we intend to stick to that.

Who will be heading Porsche Design's technical department in this new era? Is Patrick Kury, Eterna's CEO until the brand was sold to China Haidian and someone who has worked closely with Porsche Design in the past, a part of the project?

On one hand there's a dedicated division within the Porsche Design Group, which is headed by myself. Then there are two supportive units: one is the Porsche Design Studio based in Zell Am See and then there are premises under construction where we already have some quite professional individuals working on the future of Porsche Design timepieces in terms of products. Patrick Kury is a very famous watchmaker/engineer. He was CEO for Eterna and he did a good job there. It is definitely something that we would appreciate but we're not in a position to state that this will be the case.

Are you going to continue producing the same models that you'll keep in the catalogue at Eterna or will you produce them in the new premises?

For the next at least one to one and a half years we will continue to work with Eterna with the existing models, with some adjustments, and we will come out with the first completely own Porsche Design watch by the end of 2014. This will take place completely outside of Eterna: no-one from Eterna was or is involved in the project. The watchmaking pole will be in Switzerland, while the design pole will remain in Zell Am See, Austria, and it would be crazy to change that.

First of all, the design studio was founded in 1972 and there's an historic reason for us to be there. It is one of the most renowned studios worldwide for industrial design; we have benefited a lot in our watch category from the experience we had from other industries, from other markets, from other technologies, as well as from another viewpoint when it comes to design. It would be crazy to ignore that and do away with that support.

Secondly, some of the key players in the Studio have been working with Professor F.A. Porsche for more than 20 years and were onboard when the famous 1980s watches, which were brought to life in conjunction with IWC, were created. We would miss out on all that if we were to leave the Studio, so it was never considered. When it comes to watches, we know that in Switzerland we have the right people, the right experts, the work force, the know-how, the suppliers, the contacts. Meanwhile, in Germany we have the brand, so when it comes to strategy, product management, marketing, sales and distribution, pricing, business theory, the main issues of this kind are dealt with in Germany. It is a special set-up. We bring together the best expertise in design and watchmaking and we run the business by being a little bit spread out in Europe; we benefit in a very special way and Switzerland and Austria are not far away.
 

Last year you chose to exhibit outside Baselworld. This year Eterna will be back in the premises, but in Hall 5. Porsche Design won't be present. Why did you choose not to be there?

We have to be very honest. It wasn't our favorite decision not to be at Baselworld this year, but unfortunately we missed the opportunity last year, together with Eterna. They let slip the booth that we had occupied in Hall 1.0 for more than 20 years - something we still are not happy about. It's not that easy with Baselworld and we didn't want to launch the comeback of Porsche Design timepieces down in Hall 5.0, in surroundings that we do not feel are right for us. We will come back in 2015 in the right manner and with the right approach, thus avoiding something this year which could have been considered as a fairly weak statement and which we definitely wanted to avoid; so we will wait until 2015.

The Aquatimer Chronographs are available with black or silver-plated dials in four different versions, with a black rubber strap or stainless-steel bracelet. The purist dial design and the quarter-hour scale on the internal rotating bezel reference the first Aquatimer released in 1967. The slim, chamfered shape of the external bezel with its gently rounded and recessed grips, on the other hand, was inspired by the legendary Porsche design of the Ocean 2000 of 1982.

The new external/internal rotating bezel mechanism gives the current Aquatimer collection overall a more sophisticated look and feel, despite the addition of a protective cover for the sliding clutch system on the left-hand side of the case. The polished and satin-finished surfaces contribute to the watch's premium-quality appearance.

From a technical point of view, the newly developed external/ internal rotating bezel represents a remarkable leap forward in the evolution of IWC diver's watches. For almost half a century, Aquatimers from Schaffhausen were fitted with either an internal rotating bezel or an external rotating bezel. One of the central functions of a diver's watch is to allow you to see at a glance how long you have already been underwater, and to calculate simply how long your store of compressed air will last. To facilitate this, the triangle marking the start of the dive, the zero point, is synchronized with the minute hand. From now on, elapsed dive time can be read off precisely on the scale. On the internal rotating bezel found in earlier models, the zero point was set with the help of a second crown at "4 o'clock": it was thus virtually impossible to move the bezel inadvertently. In addition, the luminescent coating beneath the front glass is perfectly protected against dirt and scratches.

On the downside, a crown is not as easy to set as an external rotating bezel. IWC's technicians therefore opted for an external bezel, which, for safety reasons, could only be rotated anticlockwise. This means that if a diver moves the bezel accidentally, he can only conclude that he has been underwater too long and should soon return to the surface: an annoyance, certainly, but harmless. The new external/ internal rotating bezel with the IWC SafeDive system in the 2014 Aquatimer collection combines ease of use with safety. The rotation of the external bezel is transmitted via a patent-registered sliding clutch system to the rotating bezelwith a triangular index and dive time scale on the inside of the case.

The increase in pressure-resistance from 12 bar to 30 bar provides a greater degree of safety when diving to great depths. Ticking away inside the 44-millimetre stainless-steel case is the robust 79320-calibre chronograph movement with a 44-hour power reserve. It enables stop times and aggregate timing up to 12 hours and is a reliable companion even on long dives. Even in a redundant system, divers appreciate an ongoing indication that everything is functioning normally. In the chronograph, this job is handled by the permanently rotating seconds hand in the subdial at "9 o'clock".

The new patented IWC bracelet quick-change system for the 2014 Aquatimer generation is sure and practical. It takes the hard work out of swapping from a stainlesssteel bracelet to a rubber strap and vice versa. All the new Aquatimer wristbands are compatible with each other.

The IWC exhibition at Selfridges celebrates the completelyremodelled 2013 IWC Ingenieur watch collection, as well as the new partnership with the MERCEDES AMG PETRONASFormula One™ Team. Transforming the Wonder Room's concept store into a virtual wind tunnel, a first in the UK within a department store, IWC Schaffhausen is taking consumers on a journey which offers an exclusive "behind the scenes" glimpse into the synergies between watches and the automotive sector.

"The engineers who work within our two companies have many things in common", comments IWC CEO Georges Kern on the global partnership with the MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One™ Team. "They share a passion for precision technology and innovation. They are the heroesbehind the scenes: their craftsmanship and expertise with high technology lay the foundations for our success. Their pioneering spirit and know-how push the boundaries of mechanical engineering and continuously redefine the achievements of precision technology. And together we have a name for this untiring quest for perfection: perfor­mance engineering."

Team Principal of the MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS For­mula One™ Team Ross Brawn confirms these common values: "Both IWC Schaffhausen and MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS place great importance on precision engineer­ing. Our partnership reflects this and highlights our shared commitment to pushing boundaries - both in motor racing and watchmaking."

Exclusive exhibition launch

At today's launch of the exhibition, attended by approxi­mately 100 members of the UK press, MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One™ Team driver Lewis Hamilton and Team Principal Ross Brawn were given the full "customer experience" and were quick to try out the MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One™ simulator show car, which allows visitors to immerse themselves in the dynamic world of racing. Lewis Hamilton is a declared aficionado of fine watchmaking and clearly recognizes the similarities betweenhis profession and the watches made by IWC Schaffhausen:"I love wristwatches, and it seems to me that those made by IWC have a lot in common with FORMULA ONE drivers: they're unique, high-performance watches and are among the best in their field."

The IWC pop-up exhibition will be in Selfridges' Wonder Room until 7 July 2013. For the new Ingenieur collection, IWC's design engineers took their inspiration from FOR­MULA ONE racing. Materials typically used in motorsport, such as carbon fibre, ceramic and titanium, are the hall­marks of a new design line in the Ingenieur watch family. The technologically demanding workmanship confirms the reputation of IWC Schaffhausen as a company that has been manufacturing high-quality timepieces for more than 140 years.

IWC Schaffhausen

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.

Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One™ Team
The MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One™ Team competes in the FIA Formula One World Championship™ and is based at the team's Operations Centre in Brackley, Northamptonshire, UK. The engines for the team's cars are provided by Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrainsbased in Brixworth, Northamptonshire.

An American and his pioneering spirit brought IWC to Schaffhausen. The Swiss watch manufactory has been setting standards in technological development and highly complicated precision watchmaking since 1868. The "Engineers of fine watchmaking" produce men's watches. Intelligent designs in a timelessly classical style. Timepieces with refined details, which are distinguished by their superb user friendliness.
The dials bear the inscription "IWC Schaffhausen", and many a person may well be astonished to find a watch manufacturer with a worldwide reputation in this idyllic little town on the River Rhine. Geographically remote from the renowned watchmaking centres in Switzerland and with a name that is anything but Swiss, the International Watch Company arouses curiosity about its origins. There was once a young American, Florentine Ariosto Jones, from Boston. A master watchmaker with a good measure of idealism and shrewd business acumen to boot. With his ticket for the Atlantic crossing in his pocket, he also had an intelligent plan in his head. He set out to manufacture extremely accurate pocket watch movements using modern American production machines and, in so doing, brought about a horological revolution in Switzerland, at the time a low-wage economy. Jones established his business in Schaffhausen in 1868 and founded the International Watch Company, a cradle of creative precision watchmaking. In a location not far from the Rhine Falls, the young manufactory utilized the energy of the river for its modern production.
A legacy of pioneering spirit, verve and ambition were instilled into the manufactory by its founder. For the engineers at IWC, pleasure in watches is more than pleasure in the accurate time. It is enthusiasm for an amazing idea. The interplay between precision and a creative solution. Accordingly, for more than 130 years, IWC has been devoting a tick more time to watches. In the horological specialities segment, watch lovers are full of praise for the creative engineering art from Schaffhausen. Grande Complication, Da Vinci and Portuguese are the names of these exclusive timepieces. Pilot's watches, Aquatimer and Portofino are in the traditional watches/timepieces sector. With their sporting/practical design and cases made of stainless steel or titanium, they are the daily companions of active people.
A passion for brilliant inventions, technical refinements and horological milestones are, and always were, the driving force behind the engineers at IWC. The only manufactory in eastern Switzerland caused a sensation in 1885, when it amazed the world with one of the first pocket watches with a digital display. And in the race to produce the first watch to be worn on the wrist, IWC in 1899 was the global leader in the series production of wristwatches. "At home in Schaffhausen - successful throughout the world". With this credo, the geographical outsiders steadfastly maintain their leading position. Special watches which offer solutions to specific problems are and were the favourite challenge of the team at Schaffhausen: Antimagnetic pilot's watches, made legendary through the Mark XI produced for the Royal Air Force, and special timepieces for the Navy, railway companies and scuba-divers earned for IWC the reputation as an innovative ideas powerhouse.
A secret passion for world records appears to be inherent in the genes of the company. The Grande Complication, one of the most intricate mechanical wristwatches in the world, consists of 659 micro components. It is a puzzle so complex that only a very few watchmakers are capable of putting it together.
And a rarity that only a few connoisseurs can call their own. For annual production can never exceed 50 examples. The ingenious perpetual calendar from IWC requires no adjustment other than the replacement of the century slide supplied with the watch. It knows every leap year by heart, except for those in the years 2100, 2200 and 2300. These are not leap years according to the Gregorian calendar, and the watchmaker needs to make a minor adjustment. The IWC tourbillon made of titanium with almost 100 component parts sets a record in lightweight engineering - with a total weight of only 0.296 grams. The Aquatimer Automatic 2000 diver's watch is pressure-resistant down to a depth of 2000 metres, and the Portuguese Perpetual Calendar has an amazing dial, which shows the phases of the moon for both hemispheres.
Not only is the Schaffhausen watch manufacturer an expert in traditional precision watchmaking. It has also always gone its own way in the avant-garde use of high-tech materials. IWC was the first watch manufacturer to develop titanium for watchmaking applications and to apply the resulting know-how to the in-house production of cases. Ever since its foundation, IWC has set itself the task of training for succession to ensure that all this watchmakers' knowledge handed down from generation to generation is passed on. Around 400 employees at the Schaffhausen site and a further 100 located all over the world make certain that the tradition of precision watchmaking is enjoyed by connoisseurs. "Probus Scafusia" promises good, solid craftsmanship from Schaffhausen. This long tradition represents a commitment to the future and, just a little, to eternity.

WORLDTEMPUS - 4 February 2011"Daring, incredible, exciting!" Marketing director Christine Louvet positively spewed descriptive buzzwords as she presented the new products issuing from Geneva-based watch company Roger Dubuis. This brand saw the light of day in 1996 when Portuguese entrepreneur Carlos Dias and extraordinary watchmaker Roger Dubuis created their first two watches, which were christened Hommage and Sympathie.
Fast forward to 2011. Neither the man behind the name nor the man behind the money is still with the company the two created. Roger Dubuis - the brand - is now owned by Richemont and in the midst of a radical makeover designed to streamline the 15 in-house movements as well as the many, many references called to life during the company's highly productive 16 years.
Louvet also underlined, "It is important for us to improve our relationship to our clients," and, "quality has been priority number one since the Richemont takeover." These remarks clearly illustrate the issues that had cast a shadow over the Roger Dubuis brand in the last years of Dias's ownership.
Casino and Chesterfield
At SIHH 2011, Louvet's "daring, incredible, and exciting" lines were transformed into a brand-new collection called La Monegasque. This name was inspired by the Lilliputian state of Monaco and its "daring" and "exciting" James Bond world of thrilling casino play.
La Monegasque's case shape resembles the very first timepiece that left Roger Dubuis's Geneva premises in 1996, Sympathie. The new dials, layout, and functions are, however, toned down in comparison to the creative craziness that former owner Dias clearly preferred. The new management, for the moment under the auspices of IWC CEO Georges Kern, is already making its mark. As highly in evidence at the IWC and Baume & Mercier booths, Kern has taken to "telling stories" with his brands in 2011 - with Roger Dubuis's obviously taking place in southern France.
The La Monegasque line encompasses three models in stainless steel or gold: a 42-millimeter time-only with small seconds, a 44-millimeter chronograph (with a 44-millimeter perpetual version), and a limited edition 44-milimeter chronograph called Big Number that boasts a wonderful, thick strap inspired by Chesterfield furniture by Italian shoemaker Santoni.
Because the distinct green-and-red roulette design is only utilized on the limited edition chronograph La Monegasque Big Number, some visitors to the booth were left wondering why Monaco and its world of casino was the brand's main theme. Indeed, the "story" is the means to the end here, and it is this debonair, thrill-seeking motif that the brand is now striving to add to the wristwatches' essence from the outside.
Some friendly help
The La Monegasque line was designed by 41-year-old Lionel Favre in collaboration with IWC's chief designer, Christian Knoop. "Under the supervision of Georges Kern, we created the Monegasque collection in less than nine months, concentrating on dial design," smiles Favre as he remembers how fast they worked. Speaking to Knoop later that week, it was confirmed that he also truly enjoyed working on Roger Dubuis's new products, agreeing with Favre's enthusiastic take.
Thrill-seeking design
Was the name of the new collection perhaps decided upon to merely to suck up to European wealth by using the name of the popular gaming state? Favre reply is not surprising, "Yes and no. Gaming is popular all over the world, not least in Asia. Traditional gambling is thrill-seeking to everybody."
Naturally, Favre is correct. Think of the former Portuguese colonial island Macau, just off the coast of central Hong Kong. This hotspot for many game watch aficionados is the perfect place to purchase the next luxury timepiece after the ball has landed on a lucky number.

Lucky numbers
Speaking of numbers, Roger Dubuis will still offer editions of 28, 88 and 128 pieces. According to Asian belief, the lucky number 8 stands for prosperity. Other models are will have non-limited production.
Numbers in terms of pricing range from 14,000-67,000 Swiss francs, with the latter the gold perpetual calendar.

IWC Schaffhausen takes us to Lisbon to unveil new developments in the Portuguese collection and to exclusively present a limited edition of 50 IWC Portuguese Automatic "Tribute to Portugal" pieces. For such a special occasion, the IWC Schaffhausen has called upon one of its ambassadors, Luís Figo.

On the 13th and 14th of September, Lisbon will be filled with a cosmopolitan air with the arrival of guests from every continent. These guests will have the opportunity to discover the techniques and instruments which were used in the past to reach an exact location, as well as the essential role which time has played in navigation and, as such, the great worth of the Portuguese Yacht Club Chronograph. The crossing from Cascais to Lisbon in luxury yachts will be led by Sebastien Josse, Francisco Lobato and Alex De Beaufort.
In addition to this adventure, guests will go on a navigation themed seaside sightseeing trip around Lisbon, visiting the most unique places associated with this essentially Portuguese pastime.
In order to commemorate such a special occasion, the "Tribute to Portugal Evening", will be held in Espelho de Agua; an outstanding venue located in an exceptional part of Lisbon. Luís Figo will host the evening in which the newest additions to the Portuguese collection and its star piece, the IWC Portuguese Automatic "Tribute to Portugal", will be unveiled. The new IWC limited edition is a very special watch in 5N red gold with an IWC-manufactured movement, Pellaton automatic winding (figure), seven-day power reserve, power reserve indicator, antireflective sapphire glass, see-through sapphire-glass back and it is water resistant to 3 bar.
We will be graced with the presence of its Senior Product Manager Mario Klein and IWC Marketing & Communications Director Karoline Huber from IWC Schaffhausen headquarters. A selection of internationally famous faces will also be present, such as Luís Figo, renowned Portuguese footballers Fernando Couto and João Pinto and German football legend Oliver Bierhoff, famous for having scored the first "golden goal" in the history of international football for Germany at the 1996 European Cup final and current manager of the German national team. 

WORLDTEMPUS - 9th Dec. 2009
 
Interview realised by

Still involved in IWC despite his age of 74, the watchmaker Kurt Klaus travels the world as an ambassador for the Schaffhausen watch brand. On December 3rd, the conceptor of the legendary Da Vinci from 1985 paid a visit to Copenhagen to host a so-called Master Class. Master Class events invites a few private collectors to work with actual movements under the supervision of the old watchmaker as well as getting an insight of what goes on in Schaffhausen. This kind of horological event is popular in Scandinavia and the Benelux countries especially.

Kristian Haagen: Which current IWC watch is your favorite?
Kurt Klaus: "I am wearing my favorite IWC right now - red: showing off his steel Da Vinci with his own face engraved on the caseback. The movement inside is the most important movement I have ever created and was the first big thing for IWC in midst of the quartz crisis. It was a big success for IWC - and hence a new start for the company back then in terms of mechanical novelty."

Does Mr. Kern always embrace your thoughts?
"Another favorite is the Portuguese Tourbillon Mystere. I was working hard on this particular model as the designer Gerd Plange wanted to place the power reserve indicator at a position that interfered with the tourbillon parts. However the first problem occurred when showing the drawings to IWC CEO Georges Kern as he did not want a tourbillon watch in the collection. One day, though, he told me that he realized the Portuguese Mystere would make a great watch. We actually tested a prototype of the Portuguese Tourbillon Mystere on a pro golf player. He wore it during a two-week tournament and it worked without any problems, both during and after the games!"A tourbillon is a tourbillon. But the design of the watch is just wonderful and a fantastic collaboration between the designer, Gerd Blange, and myself."

Do you miss a certain model in the current collection?
 "I really love the first Portuguese Perpetual. The two moons are striking and fascination. This watch was the first perpetual showing the moonphase on both hemispheres. Once again a novel idea of Gerd Blange. Personally I thought of a single moonphase, but Blange wanted something out of the ordinary, something novel. However, some collectors did not appreciate the double moonphase, hence the introduction of the 42-millimeter Portuguese Perpetual with a single moonphase."