Fake IWC Automatic, Fake IWC Automatic Watches

IWC Portofino Automatic Black / Milanese (IW3565-06)

Honest seller.

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

Review by zara martin, From Germany Klingenmünster

IWC Aquatimer Chronograph Silver Dial Stainless Steel Men's Watch IW376802

ok service and best quality

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

Review by Laura Bartlett, From France Chalon Sur Saone

IWC Da Vinxi Perpetual Calendar Edition Kurt Klaus Stainless Steel Men's Watch IW376207

Awesome IWC watch, I like it very much...

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

Review by Mario H?ssledal, From United Sates Miami

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.

Carl F. Bucherer welcomes Roland Ott, a qualified watchmaking industry expert and experienced manager in global marketing, communications, and brand management. As Executive Vice-President of Marketing & Communication, he will oversee the international marketing and communications department, and become a member of the brand's management team. His main responsibility will be to further strengthen our blossoming brand around the world.

In the past, Roland Ott has occupied executive positions at various leading watch brands in the Richemont Group. At IWC Schaffhausen, he made a substantial contribution to establishing the brand's international renown. He also supported Geneva-based brand Roger Dubuis in its successful relaunch and repositioning.

Roland Ott graduated from the University of St. Gallen (HSG) with a degree in business administration, and went on to deepen his knowledge at the Stanford Graduate School of Business.

For decades, the pilots of the Swiss Air Force display team have been wowing international air show crowds with the precision and perfection of their formation flying.

The Big Pilot's Watch Edition "Patrouille Suisse" is the ideal companion for ambitious high-flyers. This special edition, presented in grey, is with a case of blasted stainless steel featuring the characteristic design elements that make this professional timepiece for pilots instantly identifiable. This timepiece is integrated with the 51011 caliber, the largest automatic movement manufactured by IWC. Within no time at all, the spring-mounted rotor and Pellaton pawl-winding system build up a power reserve of over 7 days, and after exactly 168 hours the movement is mechanically stopped by an ingenious train in the power reserve. Stopping the movement before all the tension in the spring has been exhausted eliminates the danger of diminishing torque in the mainspring. This ensures the same level of accuracy the whole time the watch is running. The power reserve display at "3 o'clock" provides a reliable indication of the time remaining until the movement comes to a stop. A special feature of the Big Pilot's Watch Edition "Patrouille Suisse" is the small seconds at "9 o'clock", symmetrically opposite the power reserve display. The date display is at "6 o'clock" as usual. The 46-millimetre case encloses a soft-iron cage that protects the movements against extreme magnetic fields.

The design of the Big Pilot's Watch Edition "Patrouille Suisse" is inspired on IWC's 52 T.S.C. Big Pilot's Watch of 1940, style icon of all classic pilot's watches. A clearly organized dial, the arrowhead index at "12 o'clock" and the bold, luminescent numerals and hands guarantee minute-perfect legibility of the time regardless of lighting conditions. The Big Pilot's Watch is the only model made by IWC Schaffhausen to feature such an imposing crown - a reminder of those pioneering days of aviation. The current stainless steel variant is rounded off by an anthracite-coloured wristband of embossed calfskin with a folding clasp.

The case back features an engraving of three jet planes resembling the Northrop F-5E Tiger II - the planes the Patrouille Suisse pilots use to perform their aerial displays. The inscription "Tribute to Patrouille Suisse" and the consecutive numbering on the case back indicate the exclusivity of this special edition limited to only 250 pieces.

The Big Pilot's Watch Edition "Patrouille Suisse" will be available from September 2015 at IWC boutiques in Switzerland and from Swiss retailers, then later at IWC boutiques worldwide.

During the world-renowned art fair Art Basel in Miami Beach, Swiss luxury watch manufacturer IWC Schaffhausen showcased its new Portofino Midsize collection.

Actress Emily Blunt was joined by supermodels Karolina Kurkova and Adriana Lima for the US opening of the "Timeless Portofino" exhibition, the result of an exclusive photo shoot by famous photographer Peter Lindbergh which involved a host of stars and was organized by IWC especially for the watch launch. Together with fellow actors Cate Blanchett, Christoph Waltz, Ewan McGregor, and Zhou Xun, the three posed for photographer Peter Lindbergh, who stylishly captured the new Portofino Midsizetimepieces with the stars in the picturesque harbor town of Portofino, Italy.

"IWC is thrilled to be in Miami during such an expressive festival, celebrating the artwork of Peter Lindbergh and our new Portofino Midsize collection through our 'Timeless Portofino' exhibition," said Georges Kern, CEO of IWC Schaffhausen. "My friend Peter Lindbergh has succeeded in capturing these very special moments and in showing both our cast and our watches in their very best light."

To celebrate the occasion, IWC CEO Georges Kern welcomed guests to an
elegant gala dinner with special host Jason Alexander at the well-known W South
Beach hotel.

The Pilot's Watch Chronograph Edition "The Last Flight" has been designed to commemorate 70 years since the tragic death of celebrated writer and pilot Antoine de Saint-Exupery. The sale of the watch will take place during Sotheby's auction of Important Watches on 11 November 2014, and all the proceeds will benefit the Antoine de Saint-Exupery Youth Foundation, dedicated to supporting young people around the world. The fund will help to build a library for young patients in the Hospital Pequeno Príncipe in Curitiba, Brazil's largest children's hospital.

The IWC Pilot's Watch Chronograph Edition "The Last Flight" (Ref. IW388005) number 01 out of 17 pieces - features a silicon nitride ceramic case with a special engraving goes under the hammer, a brown dial and a calfskin strap in the same colour, echoing the tobacco colour of the pilot's flying suit. The crown, buttons and case back are in platinum.

Georges Kern, IWC Schaffhausen's CEO, commented: "Last year's auctioning of a Big Pilot's Watch Perpetual Calendar Edition "Le Petit Prince" generated a breathtaking CHF 173'000 that was channeled towards the construction of a school with a library in Cambodia, a project brought to life by the Antoine de Saint-Exupery Youth Foundation. We would like to continue our support of this charitable organization with the auctioning of another Special Edition timepiece: the Pilot's Watch Chronograph Edition "The Last Flight" in platinum, with an exquisite engraving on the case back in memory of Antoine de Saint-Exupery. As a globally successful company with a b commitment to social responsibility, we are proud to have found a partner in the Saint-Exupery Youth Foundation which relies on a vast international network and does incredible work for disadvantaged children with its local projects."

The moonphase display has a number of uses, from the practicality of assisting sailors with tide predictions to the more mundane reminder of why we might be having more trouble sleeping than unusual. The IWC calibre 35800 self-winding mechanical movement used in the new Portofino Midsize collection incorporates just such a moonphase display into its workings and offers a power reserve of 42 hours.

Even though the five moonphase models are the stars of the new Portofino Midsize collection, the Portofino itself is no stranger to the moonphase complication, which it offered in the very first Portofino collection when it was launched 30 years ago. The new models, which are available in white gold, red gold or steel, sport a feminine interpretation of the moon phase on a star-studded disc visible beneath an aperture in the dial at 12 o'clock.

Christian Knoop, Creative Director at IWC, describes the overall design of the new collection, with the use of diamonds and mother-of-pearl as "something of a renaissance in the Portofino family." Indeed, after a period of overtly masculine communication, almost to the point of chauvinism, the brand now seems to be mellowing with a new collection geared almost exclusively to women but whose design and discreet stone settings could well appear to male customers in certain regions of the world.

"For us, it is discreet and unpretentious," Mr Knoop says of the design. "The Portofino from IWC has retained the clean lines for which it has become so well known and so popular. It is underscored by the mother­of­pearl dials, as well as those with a sun­pattern finish, both of which give the watches a wonderful depth and life of their own."

It's worth dwelling in particular on the attention to detail in this moonphase indication. Rather than opt for simple colour contrasts on each model, IWC instead offers a tone-on-tone blue/blue display on the stainless-steel version that not only matches the blue alligator leather strap (all the leather straps in the collection are supplied exclusively to IWC by renowned Italian shoe manufacturer Santoni) but also makes the moon appear to float on the dial and disappear magically shortly before the new moon phase.  The same effect is achieved on the white-gold version with a tone-on-tone black/black indicator and the added sparkle of diamond hour markers and an additional inner circle of diamonds on the black lacquer dial, for a total of 174 diamonds encrusting this top-of-the-range model.

But luxury need not necessarily mean pricey. In addition to the moonphase models, the new Portofino Midsize collection offers day/night models with a second time zone display over 24 hours, as well as automatic models available in steel, still with a discreet setting of 12 diamonds on the dial, starting from a very reasonable 5,600 Swiss francs.

The new boutique flaunts large windows that cast light on the various watch families on display. Characteristic dark woodwork, chrome and leather flawlessly complement the timepieces. Warm shades invite boutique visitors to enter and discover the fascinating world of the heritage and history of IWC Schaffhausen's timepieces. Objects such as the miniature Mercedes-Benz Silver Arrow model car decorate the boutique and instil a masculine and inviting mood. The refurbished boutique also features a charming lounge - the perfect space in which visitors can relax. The upgraded boutique features a novel window display, fashioned to depict the unique worlds of each IWC Schaffhausen watch family by exciting moving images. The outstanding window animation honours the Ingenieur family, relaunched this year, especially in light of the new partnership struck with the MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One™ Team. 
Boutique visitors will be treated to a wide range of limited editions solely available at IWC boutiques.  Another noteworthy aspect of the boutique is the space dedicated to IWC's most complicated timepieces; the Portuguese Siderale Scafusia. The Siderale is the first watch from IWC to feature a patented constant-force tourbillion together with many other complications and individually calculated astronomical displays. Made to order and combining multiple functions such as sidereal time, a perpetual calendar and a customized celestial chart, every eye-catching Siderale watch is unmistakably unique, like every IWC timepiece. Karoline Huber, Brand Director IWC Middle East & India commented: "Our refurbished boutique in The Dubai Mall is very special to us. It not only reflects our unique identity and provides an exceptional customer experience, but also marks our commitment to the region. We are looking forward to welcoming visitors to our boutique and inviting them to experience IWC's spirit and philosophy."

IWC Schaffhausen is proud to announce a new global partnership with the MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team. 

When IWC Schaffhausen and AMG, the performance brand of Mercedes-Benz, signed a long-term partnership agreement in 2004, their cooperation was founded on a shared commitment to pushing back the boundaries of mechanics and high technology. Both companies looked back on a long and fruitful history in precision engineering to the highest degree. Since then, they have consolidated their positions at the top of their respective industries and the partnership is set to move to a new level.
 

As an indication of the foundation the two companies have in common, IWC Schaffhausen and the Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team are joining forces in a venture that confirms the Swiss watch manufacturer as the Official Engineering Partner of the team. The agreement becomes effective in January 2013, two months before the first race of the 2013 Formula One season in Melbourne, Australia. Shared passion, shared expertise Commenting on the role as Official Engineering Partner, Georges Kern, CEO of IWC Schaffhausen, explains: "The partnership with Mercedes AMG Petronas will enable us to share our passion for high-level engineering, our quest for ultimate perfection and our aim for top performance with a global audience. We look forward to being part of Formula One."

Nick Fry, CEO of Mercedes AMG Petronas, mirrors Georges Kern's sentiments: "It is a privilege to find another company that espouses the same principles, with the same insistence on absolute perfection, as our own. We firmly believe that the partnership with IWC Schaffhausen will be enormously beneficial to us both."
Mercedes AMG Petronas Team Principal Ross Brawn emphasizes the advances in engineering made by Formula One in the past few years: "It is widely recognized that motorsport serves as a testing ground for technologies that ultimately benefit us all. As the pinnacle of global motorsport, Formula One is at the forefront of such development, and that leading role is set to continue in the years ahead."

Two brands: many features in common
Like the engineers at Mercedes AMG Petronas, IWC's designers, technicians and master watchmakers are relentless in their pursuit of a level of perfection referred to by both companies as "performance engineering". IWC has a tradition stretching back many years of working with materials previously unknown in watchmaking, including titanium and ceramics. And the push towards miniaturization made necessary by Formula One calls for skills and ingenuity similar to the groundbreaking approaches adopted in IWC's first wristwatch-size Grande Complication.
As Georges Kern sums up the new partnership: "This is a win-win situation for everyone involved. Both our companies attach importance to craftsmanship and innovation and are driven by a pioneering spirit that underpins all we do." This spirit is embodied by the designers, technicians and engineers behind the scenes, whose know-how and experience push technology forward at IWC Schaffhausen and Mercedes AMG Petronas. They are the unsung heroes who have the ideas and inspiration, build the prototypes and finally, put new technologies into action on the world stage.
 

With a limited special edition for the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, IWC  Schaffhausen is showing its support for the sixth time to children and adolescents who are confronted with the most trying conditions in the course of their everyday lives. The watch manufacturer is launching the Portofino Chronograph in characteristic Laureus blue as a symbol of hope for a better future.

"As a Global Partner of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, IWC Schaffhausen is launching another watch with a mission that goes well beyond keeping the exact time," says CEO Georges Kern. "The Portofino Chronograph Edition Laureus Sport for Good Foundation is an ambassador for children and young people from all over the world who lead lives that are far from blessed and are in urgent need of our support. We are able - and willing - to lend a helping hand." Since 2005, the Schaffhausenbased company has been a driving force behind Laureus, which supports over 90 projects worldwide that give socially underprivileged children and adolescents the hope of a better life and show them ways of helping themselves. Every year, in keeping with a revered tradition, IWC Schaffhausen selects a model from its collection as a means of supporting the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation. In 2012, it is the Portofino Chronograph's turn to sustain this sport-inspired range of watches.

The watch that gives fresh heart

The Portofino Chronograph Edition Laureus Sport for Good Foundation in stainless steel is available in a limited edition of 2,500 watches. The exclusive timepiece in the hallmark shade of blue combines understated elegance with a distinctive sporting flair and is a perfect example of successful design and modern technology. The stopwatch elements have been so skilfully integrated that the simplicity typical of the Portofino is retained. The chronograph dial, too, is equally restrained without sacrificing any of its functionality. The aggregate timing displays are joined by a small seconds at "9 o'clock", which elegantly counterbalances the day and date displays on the opposite side of the dial.

The Portofino Chronograph Edition Laureus Sport for Good Foundation is powered by the tried-and-tested 79320 calibre with a 44-hour power reserve and automatic winding with a ballbearing rotor. A special engraving embellishes the back of the case. This year, in keeping with tradition, IWC Schaffhausen organized its annual children's drawing competition among all the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation projects worldwide.

The subject "Time to inspire" motivated children and young people all over the world, aged between 4 and 16, to take part. The jury finally chose an illustration by 7-year-old Kumara Wadu Parami Apsara from Sri Lanka, who is part of the Seenigama Sport for Life project. The young girl, who was born exactly a month before the devastating tsunami, took inspiration from the subject to depict four young girls happily playing and enjoying themselves without a care in the world. The winning entry is engraved into the case back of the special edition and serves as a reminder that part of the proceeds from sales will help children all over the world come to terms with their difficulties and find renewed courage despite all the setbacks and losses

Sri Lanka struggles to create a new life 

The last three decades in Sri Lanka have been marked by fear and suffering. A 30-year civil war that ended only in 2010 destroyed a large proportion of the island and violently ripped many communities apart. The effects of the horrendous tsunami that hit in December 2004 are still keenly felt, even 7 years later. In April 2005, 4 months after the catastrophe, representatives of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation first paid a visit to the devastated southern province of Sri Lanka around Galle. Under the leadership of cricketing legend and Laureus World Sports Academy member Sir Ian Botham, the team looked into ways of using sport to give children and adolescents in the crisisstricken region something they could count on and use, to make a large contribution to rebuilding the country. Following its visit, the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation began cooperating with the locally active Foundation of Goodness and set up the Seenigama Sport for Life project as a means of actively supporting the region.

While the first priority was to heal the mental wounds and rebuild the country and its infrastructure after the tsunami, the focus today is on a long-term commitment. The Seenigama Sport for Life project offers coaching in cricket, volleyball, swimming, basketball and badminton from which more than 1,400 children and young people in eight village schools now benefit. Sport is also used as a means of tackling the many social problems, and this is having a positive effect on the entire region. The Foundation of Goodness has also extended its efforts to the north of the country. It is the only non-governmental organization involved and, together with the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, is fostering post-war development in Sri Lanka.

New sports facilities are being built in the former wartorn zone of Mankulum in the north of Sri Lanka. In March 2011, Ian Botham paid a visit to the project region, which is still plagued by landmines. "Sri Lanka has had to face a number of challenges over the years including the tsunami and conflict, and I never cease to be inspired by the strength of the human spirit to deal with the challenges that affect communities," said a visibly moved Ian Botham. 

Sport will continue to play a key role in the attempt to have a positive influence on the lives of as many children and adolescents as possible in Sri Lanka and to pave the road to a better future. 

Further information can be found at: www.laureus.com/foundation/projects

Together against poverty

Seenigama Sport for Life is just one of over 90 worldwide projects supported by the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation. A charitable foundation, it has already assisted over 1.5 million children and adolescents who are victims of poverty, homelessness, war, violence, discrimination, drug addiction, racism and HIV/Aids. IWC Schaffhausen is a Global Partner and worldwide representative of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation. With the support of the Laureus World Sports Academy, an association of sports legends who between them hold over 100 Olympic medals, 100 world championship titles and 200 world records, the aim is to help children and young people find a way out of drugs, poverty and violence. Following this principle, the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation is active in crisis areas all over the world, including the slums of Mumbai and Uganda, the South Bronx in New York and in the region torn by the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

As the official partner of the "Plastiki" expedition, IWC Schaffhausen is commemorating the successful mission with an addition to the Ingenieur watch family: a limited special edition of the Ingenieur Automatic Mission Earth Edition "Plastiki". This watch is the Schaffhausen watchmaker's homage to the feat of the British adventurer David de Rothschild and his crew, who sailed across the Pacific in 2010 in their pioneering and one-of-a-kind catamaran, the "Plastiki".
The "Plastiki" expedition made environmental history. Weighing 12 tons and held afloat by 12,500 reclaimed plastic bottles, the catamaran sailed from San Francisco to Sydney on a mission to draw global attention to the health of our oceans, in particular the colossal amounts of plastic waste choking the waves. A remarkable man full of bright ideas, David is a lateral thinker and, by passionate conviction, an environmental pioneer. He and his team undertook the project as a practical realization of their vision of a society that views waste as a resource. The Swiss watch manufacturer IWC Schaffhausen backed the adventure as official partner, endorsing its efforts to draw attention to the untold quantities of plastic waste that litter our oceans.

This partnership is celebrated with the Ingenieur Automatic Mission Earth Edition "Plastiki", Reference 3236, which is limited to 1,000 timepieces.

A chronograph fit for an expedition
More than 30 gruelling tests have proved it: the Ingenieur Automatic Mission Earth Edition "Plastiki" is extremely robust and made for adventurers. The stainless-steel case is waterresistant to 12 bar and protects the crown with its firm protective shoulders. Nestling inside is the IWC-manufactured 80110 calibre with selfwinding, which is fitted with a soft-iron inner case for protection against magnetic fields up to 80,000 A/m and protected by an integrated shock-absorption system against impacts. The back engraving commemorates the "Plastiki" expedition and depicts the catamaran and its sea route from San Francisco to Sydney. This masculine timepiece is worn with a blue rubber strap. In fact, David and his crew were wearing watches from the robust Ingenieur family on their arduous sailing expedition, which took over four months. The team overcame innumerable challenges on board the avant-garde catamaran "Plastiki", whose hull consisted of over 12,500 reclaimed plastic bottles.

The mission of the environmental pioneer
It is David and his team's mission to captivate the imagination, motivate and ultimately activate individuals, groups, organizations and industry to act more responsibly towards our planet using adventure, expedition and exploration. David has no intention of merely pointing out the problems but is committed to driving the innovative real world solutions. "To sustain our ability to live on this planet as we know it, we are going to need to dream bigger, undertake bolder adventures, and deliver more compelling Environmental ambassador Ingenieur Automatic Mission Earth Edition "Plastiki" stories around why Nature voice needs to be heard more clearly," says David with conviction.
"As individuals and citizens travelling on spaceship Earth, we must not only learn to reconnect back into Nature and the web of life but we must as a matter of urgency prioritize the activation of the many pioneering solutions that are available to us today." The environmental adventurer's solution-oriented thinking also convinced IWC Schaffhausen. "David is a pioneer and passionate fighter for an intact environment," notes Georges Kern, CEO of IWC Schaffhausen. "He provides the stimulus for innovative ideas on ways of solving the ecological problems of our time. Such commitment deserves to be encouraged. That is why we had already decided on a cooperation in 2007." The avant-garde thinker and his organization are sure to find further unconventional ways of persuading people, companies and industry to eliminate the problem of disposal by understanding waste as a resource.

The Volvo Ocean Race is quite simply the "Everest" of sailing. The race is the ultimate mix of world class sporting competition, on-the-edge adventure and technology. It is a unique blend of onshore glamour, offshore drama and endurance and is, undeniably, the world's premier ocean race and one of the most demanding team sporting events in the world. The Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12 will start in the Spanish port of Alicante in October 2011 and finish in Galway, Ireland, in July 2012. During the nine months of the race, the teams will sail 39,270 nautical miles of the globe's most treacherous seas.
"It's my pleasure to welcome IWC Schaffhausen as the Official Timekeeper of the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12," said Knut Frostad, CEO Volvo Ocean Race. "IWC Schaffhausen will also sponsor the prestigious 24-hour record competition in the race. With its pioneering and innovative attitude, the celebrated watch brand IWC Schaffhausen is a perfect match for the Volvo Ocean Race."

The partnership between IWC Schaffhausen and Volvo Ocean Race will provide another opportunity for the Swiss watch manufacturer to demonstrate its expertise in terms of engineering, technology and quality. Only a company able to set such high standards of precision, perfection and durability would have a chance of prevailing in arguably the toughest offshore race of them all. "IWC Schaffhausen and the Volvo Ocean Race share the same spirit: unique brands, known for inventiveness, technical excellence, outstanding craftsmanship, masculinity and adventure.
The partnership evolved naturally, and IWC is very proud to participate in this global sports event. We are looking forward to an exciting and successful Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12," said Georges Kern, CEO IWC Schaffhausen, of his company's commitment.
IWC Schaffhausen will present the 24-hour record prize per race leg, which will be awarded during the prize-giving ceremony at each host port. They will also award a special prize for the fastest team over 24 hours in the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12. This prize will be presented at the end of the race in Galway, July 2012.
In the past two editions of the race, Volvo Open 70s have broken the world 24-hour monohull record. Ericsson 4, the overall winner of the Volvo Ocean Race 2008-09, sailed an impressive 596.6 nautical miles in one day. There is every chance that this achievement will be surpassed in the forthcoming race and every Volvo Ocean Race team will be striving to reach this goal. A prospect that is naturally very exciting for IWC.

Volvo Ocean Race
The next Volvo Ocean Race will start in the Spanish port of Alicante in the autumn of 2011 and finish in Galway, Ireland, during the summer of 2012, and will be the 11th in series. The course will include stopovers in Cape Town (South Africa), Abu Dhabi (UAE), Sanya (China), Auckland (New Zealand), Itajai (Brazil), Miami (USA), Lisbon (Portugal) and Lorient (France). The first 31,250-nautical-mile race took place over 37 years ago (as the Whitbread Round the World Race 1973-74), testing the crews against some of the most ferocious elements that man can encounter. The design of the boat is regulated and the boat is built for speed.
For more information on the Volvo Ocean Race please visit www.volvooceanrace.com

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.

An online auction organised by watch manufacturer IWC Schaffhausen for a unique and valuable timepiece ended on a high note last weekend. IWC is donating the entire proceeds from the highest bid of 30,800 euros for the unique Ingenieur Automatic Mission Earth Edition "Adventure Ecology" in platinum to the "Sculpt the Future Foundation". For official partner IWC Schaffhausen, the auction was a way of paying tribute to the successful Plastiki expedition.

On 23 July 2010, 3 days before the arrival of the Plastiki expedition in Sydney, an auction for the unique platinum timepiece opened on the expedition website at www.theplastiki.com. The reserve price for the only platinum version of the Ingenieur Automatic Mission Earth Edition "Adventure Ecology" from IWC Schaffhausen was 30,000 euros. When the hammer finally came down at 12.00 hours CET on 7 August 2010, this unique, valuable timepiece went to a watch lover from UK for 30,800 euros. IWC is donating the entire proceeds from the auction to the "Sculpt the Future Foundation", which will be channelling the funds into the ongoing Plastiki project by the name of "The Plastiki Pod". "As a CO2-neutral company, we are particularly pleased that the proceeds from the auction will be used to support inspiring ideas in the struggle against environmental pollution," commented IWC CEO Georges Kern, following the successful auction. "It means that the basic idea behind the Plastiki expedition will live on."

A watch on a mission
The Ingenieur Automatic Mission Earth Edition "Adventure Ecology" is the expedition watch par excellence. Water-resistant to 12 bar, the case features protective shoulders for the crown and houses the IWC-manufactured 80110 calibre, which has a soft-iron inner case to shield it against magnetic fields and a shock absorption system as protection against impacts. For their voyage lasting several months, the members of the Plastiki were equipped with the stainlesssteel model, which is limited to 1,000 pieces.
Aboard the Plastiki, an 18-metre-long catamaran made almost entirely of reclaimed plastic bottles, they sailed approximately 8,000 nautical miles across the Pacific Ocean from San Francisco to Sydney. Adventurer and environmentalist David de Rothschild used the expedition to draw attention to the health of our oceans, in particular the devastating consequences of plastic pollution. His aim is to bring about a change in attitude and persuade people to see garbage as a valuable resource. The spectacular Plastiki, with its solar panels, wind turbines and bicyclepowered electricity generators embodies Adventure Ecology's vision of a future in which everything is possible as long as we are prepared to get off the beaten track.

The "Sculpt the Future Foundation"
The "Sculpt the Future Foundation" is a UKregistered charitable organisation that supports creative and innovative anti-pollution projects designed to bring about a reversal of thinking and a future-oriented form of environmental protection.
The foundation's work is based on the belief that investment in grass-roots organisations and small-scale initiatives is worthwhile because these tend to be driven by young people whose greatest asset is their passion and commitment. www.sculptthefuturefoundation.org

WORLDTEMPUS - 17 March 2010

When IWC invited the established watch press to Schaffhausen yesterday to introduce a new book, few of the guests were really prepared for what it was they were about to be introduced to; watch company catalogues are after all a dime a dozen.

Knowing Georges Kern's penchant for prominent artists, however, it might have been clear that this would be no ordinary project. In fact, it is probably safe to say there has never been anything like this before in the watch world. At the launch event staged at the manufactory located on the Rhine, Kern explained that the objective was to try to get a broader audience interested and educated. Thus, three years ago Kern and Manfred Fritz, IWC's "house journalist," a German newspaperman responsible for much of the company's founded written communiques, embarked upon a project that would end up being a "book in book" concept featuring six fictional short stories on the subject of time by the Brazilian bestselling author and illustrations by the Parisian cartoonist.

Coelho explained in his emotional way that he first said no to the book project when approached in 2007. However, the more he thought about it, the more the stories on the subject of time began to formulate in his head and he ended up agreeing. "I write my books out of passion, and this is the first for me based on this subject," he explained.
The three men collaborated on the book from a distance and without meeting for most of the three years it took to complete. Fritz's portion of the book constitutes a narrative history from a journalist's point of view, and he describes it as something "that should be fun to read."

Some of the six short stories that Coelho created for his fictional portion of the project are available as podcasts, otherwise fans will have to wait until the end of April to buy one of the 10,000 copies of the 536-page hardbound book being printed in a run of 10,000 copies in English, French, and German versions. Coelho's stories were written in his native Portuguese, thus his normal literary translators were utilized to render the works in the desired languages. IWC Schaffhausen. Engineering Time since 1868 will be available for 250 Swiss francs on the company's own website or through regular bookstores.