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IWC - New boutique
The IWC boutique at Bahnhofstrasse 61 is no longer the only one in Zurich - the Schaffhausen luxury watch manufacturer now has a second store in the city at Weinplatz 10. The new IWC boutique is located in the Haus zum Schwert opposite the Hotel Storchen at the famous Gemusebrucke. "We're happy about this opportunity to expand our presence in Switzerland's largest city and increase the visibility of our brand. In the future, even more watch lovers will have the chance to discover our mechanical timepieces. And they will do so in an exclusive environment with other luxury brands in one of Zurich's most beautiful shopping areas," says Linus Fuchs, IWC Managing Director Switzerland, explaining the reasons for the move. The boutique will operate as a joint venture with watch and jewellery specialists Zett Meyer. "We are pleased and proud that we can now write another chapter in our many years of cooperation with IWC", said Adrian Bindella, Managing Director of Zett Meyer.
IWC boutique at historic location
The latest IWC boutique is located at a site steeped in history. The Haus zum Schwert is first mentioned in records of 1406. It was for many years an inn and hostelry famous throughout Europe, whose celebrated guests include the composer Johannes Brahms and Germany's greatest literary figure Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. The interior of the new store has been designed to adequately reflect the prestige of this special building: dark wood, glass and natural stone create elegant surroundings for the presentation of the luxury watches from Schaffhausen. The interior combines tradition with innovation, and with its clear design language echoes the engineering ethos that has made timepieces from Schaffhausen so much sought after the world over. The display comprises current models from all six watch families - the Pilot's Watches, Portugieser, Ingenieur, Aquatimer, Da Vinci and Portofino - but also includes limited-edition models that are available exclusively at IWC boutiques. During the run-up to the festive season, the store will have special window decorations designed to get passers-by into the pre-Christmas spirit.
IWC Boutique Zurich
Weinplatz 10
8001 Zurich
Tel. +41 (0)43 521 14 85
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IWC - Portuguese Chronograph
Since 1998, the Portuguese Chronograph has been the most sought-after model in the Portugieser family With a frequency of 28,800 beats per hour, the movement is extremely precise, and times can be recorded on the high-precision calibrated scale running round the dial to an accuracy of one-eighth of a second. As a timeless watch designed for everyday use, it has an understated, unmistakable design that makes it a genuine classic combining elegance with a distinctly sporty touch.
This timepiece owes its popularity to, among other things, its moderate 40.9-milimetre diameter, which makes it idealfor a more slender wrist. Thanks to its proportions and elegant design, it is equally popular with men and women. Everything is integrated harmoniously on the clearly organized dial: the recessed totalizers, the embossed Arabic numerals and the perfectly proportioned feuille hands for hours and minutes. The push-buttons for stop times and resetting provide the sporty highlights that are simply de rigueur in a chronograph.
The Portuguese Chronograph is available in a choice of five different designs. The various cases, dials and hands together with the alligator leather straps give each model a personality of its own. In the Reference IW371482, the most striking feature is the stark contrast between the warm glow of the 18-carat red gold case, controls and displays and the cool, slate-coloured dial and black strap. The shimmering sun-pattern finish on the dial creates a multitude of captivating reflections. The classically designed Reference IW371480 in its 18-carat red gold case is available with a silver-plated dial and dark brown strap. The small blue seconds hand in the counter at "12 o'clock" enhancesthe dial's attractiveness, as in the Reference IW371445 in its stainless-steel case. In the Reference IW371447, the consistent use of stainless steel and black gives the watch a cooler and more technical feel, while the stainless-steel Reference IW371446, which features blue hands and appliques together with a blue leather strap, has a modern, sporty appearance.
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IWC - Aquatimer Automatic 2000
The titanium case of this timepiece and its reduced design are reminiscent of a model with iconic status: the Ocean 2000 created by Ferdinand A. Porsche in 1982.
IWC started its success story with the manufacture of diver's watches in 1967 with the first Aquatimer, which boasted a revolutionary pressure-resistance of 20 bar. In the 1980s, when IWC was commissioned to make watches especiallyfor commando frogmen and mine clearance divers, its excellent reputation as a manufacturer of professional diver's watches was already well established. At this time, IWC was also the only watch company in the world able to mill titanium, a corrosion-resistant, light and virtually indestructible material particularly suitable for diver's watches. In partnership with Ferdinand A. Porsche, the designer of the legendary Porsche 911, IWC created six versions of diver's watches for military use, including a watch for mine clearance divers, with the first completely nonmagnetic mechanical movement.
Parallel to this, in 1982, IWC began producing the Ocean 2000 sports diver's watch with an external rotating bezel, likewise designed by Ferdinand A. Porsche. It was the first seriesproduced diver's watch in titanium with tested pressureresistance to 200 bar, which is equivalent to a depth of 2,000 metres. There was also the austere functional design, the new case material and a screw-in crown with triple sealing, all of which marked an important step forward in the development of IWC's diver's watches.
In 1998, IWC reinstated the traditional Aquatimer name and launched the Aquatimer GST Automatic 2000 in titanium as part of a new sports watch line. Six years later, the Aquatimer Automatic 2000 offered an internal rotating bezel that was set via a self-sealing crown at "4 o'clock". But with its next generation of the Aquatimer Automatic 2000, in 2009, IWC had already reverted to the tried and tested external rotating bezel. Before the watch's market launch, the team formerly around Jacques Cousteau tested the functionality of the new "2000s" in the Red Sea and gave it their seal of approval.
A reliable dive buddy
The Aquatimer's main job is to provide a reliable way of measuring dive time, which is limited by the amount of compressed air in the tank. Digital diving computers long ago took over the job of continuously tracking dive time, but experienced divers still swear by an additional timekeeper as a backup system for underwater missions.
The reliable IWC-manufactured 80110 movement is eminently suited to this purpose. The case's water-resistance to a depth of 2,000 metres should be viewed as a safety reserve.
Like all the new IWC diver's watches in the current collection, the Aquatimer Automatic 2000 in titanium is fitted with the innovative external/internal rotating bezel system. The internal rotating bezel can only be turned anticlockwise. This ensures that even if a diver moves the bezel accidentally, he does not exceed the time at which he can return safely to the surface without the need for decompression stops. A sliding clutch system concealed under the cover at "9 o'clock" transmits the movement of the external bezel to the interior of the case and the internal rotating bezel. In the rounded recessed grips on the titanium bezel and the extremely reduced dial design, watch lovers will spot references to the Porsche design for the Ocean 2000. The milled-out sections typical of the design not only make it easier to turn the external rotating bezel when wearing gloves; they also give the Aquatimer Automatic 2000 an optical sensation of lightness, despite the fact that the case, at 46 millimetres, is 2 millimetres wider than its predecessorin stainless steel.
The traditionally elaborate finishing on the case, with its contrasting polished and satin-finished surfaces, helps underscore the upmarket appearance of the new collection. The black dial has a three-dimensional structure that creates an optical balance to the imposing size of the case. Leaning on diver's watches of the past, the indices with their green luminescent coating are divided by a fine strip. In order to exclude any chance of confusion underwater, the Super-LumiNova®* coating comes in two different colours: green for the displays relevant to the dive and blue for the hour display. The watch also features a rapid-advance date display. The central hacking seconds can be stopped simply by pulling out the crown.
Patented IWC bracelet quick-change system
The corrugated rubber strap adjusts flexibly to fluctuations in the girth of the wrist. Thanks to the IWC bracelet quickchange system, swapping the strap for a bracelet or vice versa is a snap. A longer version for use with a dry dive suit is included with the watch.
In the new Aquatimer collection,IWC reverts to its earlier practice of showing water-resistance on the back of the watch: the impressive pressure-resistance is shown in bar alongside the stylized fish. The back is also embellished with the engraving of a classic helmet for deep-sea divers.
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IWC - Eco-friendly building technology
Introduced in 2005 as a pioneering project within the East building, the use of heat pumps and groundwater for heating and cooling lies at the core of endeavours for a positive energy balance. As the new West building enters service, this innovative system has now been extended with three more heat pumps to meet its energy requirements. For creating the building's interior environment, this pumping system can produce 6 °C cooling or 58 °C heating supplied separately or in tandem.
In addition, IWC extracts heat from the city's sewer system using a 60-metre long heat exchanger, thus obtaining additional energy for heating and cooling purposes. Furthermore, groundwater pumped from two well shafts and fed to indoor chilled beams for cooling plays a major role in the overall system. Use of these innovative technologies massively reduces the need for fossil fuels.
Cladding the building is a triple-glazed skin; its high insulation factor is a significant help in reducing energy requirements. Rainwater collected from the roof of the new West building goes to flush toilets, another measure that is in keeping with IWC's policy of active climate protection.
Thanks to IWC's trailblazing practices with renewable energy resources, CO2 emissions from production facilities could be halved even before the West wing was occupied. The new building will be of major help in further improving this balance, and it underlines the company's drive to actively contribute towards climate protection.
"We have economic, social and environmental responsibilities", asserted CEO Georges Kern.
This commitment, revealed not only in sustainable construction practices but also in employee programmes, is continually adjusted and kept up-to-date. Each year, the company provides a budget of 250,000 Swiss francs for employee initiatives to reduce the environmental burden. For example, IWC offers financial support for ecological measures in private building-conversion projects of their staff.
CO2 emissions accruing from deliveries, business travel and events are subject to constant review and reduction. In case that proves infeasible, IWC makes good on the shortfall by financial means - compensation contributions from the Schaffhausen company are helping to promote a wind-energy project in China.
Such addressing of environmental issues earned IWC certification as a CO2-neutral company in summer 2007. Looking ahead, modernisation of its premises alone will enable IWC to achieve a 90 percent reduction in CO2 emissions by 2010.
Innovative and ecologically sound
Active climate protection and environmental responsibility are mainstays of the company philosophy at IWC Schaffhausen, just as much as the b presence of its watches.
This longstanding business has put prolonged effort into improving its environmental track record, which led to certification as a CO2-neutral company last year. In its new West building, IWC likewise uses the latest technologies to reduce CO2 emissions:
• Eco-friendly heat pumps for heating and cooling
• Chilled beams fed by groundwater
• Use of heat from wastewater in Schaffhausen's sewer system
• Use of rainwater
• Heat recovery from exhaust air
• Use of "Clean Solution" hydroelectricity
• State-of-the art slat blinds to shade the building façade from the sun's rays
• Triple-skinned glass façade with a high insulation factor
Symbolic architecture
As with the East wing, Schaffhausen architects Hofer and Kick have chosen a contemporary, international language of form and materials for the new West building. Its four storeys symmetrically complement the manufactory's East wing and together they extend out to the Rhine, framing the main building erected by Florentine Ariosto Jones, the company's founder. "The West building was conceived as being formally analogous to the existing East wing", wrote the architects in their construction report, "while rigorously refining the high technical standards already in place."
The glass façades create expansive, high-ceilinged workspaces, suffused with light. The open plan structure encourages interaction among employees. Generous dimensions in the indoor lounge areas and an open-air terrace between the old and new building bear witness to a contemporary, communicative corporate culture. Says CEO Georges Kern, "A company's building architecture does more than radiate an outward statement, it also affects employees' sense of well-being and motivation."
The company's status as a producer of luxury goods with understated cachet is also apparent in the choice of materials for the new West building. Glazed concrete symbolises architectural coolness, high-grade wooden floors signify consummate Swissness, while the application of glass and metal promotes an unassumingly elegant yet self-assured reverence for Schaffhausen's tradition as a long-established industrial centre.
At those moments when the watchmakers' manufactory becomes bathed in the reflected flicker of sunlight playing on the waters of the Rhine, it is possible to experience the romance that during the 19th Century transformed this craft into a coveted occupation. In this respect, the new West building stands as an architectural icon of a renaissance in the art of watchmaking.
Looking ahead
The concentration of all production at the Schaffhausen site is one of the most commercially and ecologically sound recipes for success in this prospering watchmaking manufactory. Throughout the years of steady construction activity, IWC has given shape to ambitious plans for expanding its premises. In 2005, the East building opened as a modern production facility that set standards for sustainability and harmonious integration with the urban landscape. In the second phase, IWC remodelled its watch museum. Since 2007, mechanical watches past and present have found a stylish home in a contemporary lounge setting within the main manufactory building. The adjoining IWC boutique, opened concurrently with the museum, has developed into a further magnet for visitors. With the new West building completed, one of the most innovative building systems around today is now in operation. The ecological measures implemented in its construction translate into a considerable reduction in CO2 emissions from the premises.
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IWC - Embarks on the Volvo Ocean Race
To coincide with the official start of the high-calibre Volvo Ocean Race 2011-2012, IWC Schaffhausen, Official Timekeeper of this "Everest" of sailing, pays tribute to the courage and team spirit of six participating crews with a special edition: the Portuguese Yacht Club Chronograph Edition "Volvo Ocean Race 2011-2012". As the Official Sponsor of the Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing team, IWC also makes its debut in team sport.
"This uncompromising round-the-world race is one of the most demanding team sporting events of them all and promises a competition full of drama and adventure," is the way Georges Kern, CEO of IWC Schaffhausen, summarises the company's commitment as a partner to the Volvo Ocean Race. "The professionals taking part will be pushing themselves to the limit every day, and IWC Schaffhausen is dedicating a watch to their extraordinary team spirit and sportsman-ship that is virtually ideal for rough conditions on the high seas." Only the world's most intrepid sailors embark on the Volvo Ocean Race, an adventure that takes them around the world in nine race legs. Probably the toughest and most spectacular of all offshore races, The Volvo Ocean Race gets under way with the In-Port Race at the Spanish port of Alicante and takes in six continents and four oceans before the crews tie up for the last time in the summer of 2012 in Galway, Ireland.
In the course of the voyage of 39,270 nautical miles (72,728 km) through some of the world's most treacherous waters, the crews can look forward to extreme challenges and adrenaline rushes in their battle against ice-cold storms, 15-metre-high waves and seemingly endless calms. In their bid to beat records, the 11-b crews will be living on minimal sleep, with virtually no privacy and on nothing but freeze-dried meals. In honour of this unparalleled race and the crews' outstanding achievements over a period of no less than 9 months, watch manufacturer IWC Schaffhausen is launching a special edition: the Portuguese Yacht Club Chronograph Edition "Volvo Ocean Race 2011-2012".
A trophy made of titanium
A watch designed to pay tribute to the "Everest" of sailing and the achievements of the extreme sportsmen taking part calls for technical qualities that will withstand immense stresses and strains. The Portuguese Yacht Club Chronograph Edition "Volvo Ocean Race 2011-2012" from IWC Schaffhausen is a functional, highly reliable and elegant sports watch made of titanium that has all the precision of nautical instruments in its make-up and has been created to perfection, even to the tiniest detail. With water-resistance to 6 bar and a screw-in crown with crown protection, the watch is rugged enough to take anything in its stride. It is equipped with the IWC-manufactured 89361-calibre movement, one of the most robust and advanced chronograph movements, and features a flyback function as well as an analogue display with two hands in a subdial for long stop times.
The watch is secured to the wearer's wrist with a black rubber strap with a folding clasp. The sapphire-glass back provides a clear view of IWC's double-pawl winding, while the engraving "Edition Volvo Ocean Race 2011-2012" leaves no doubt as to whom this masterpiece is dedicated. Luminescent hands and indices combined with the large, well-organised dial, contemporary design and forward-looking mechanics make this timepiece the perfect chronograph.
Official Timekeeper of the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-2012
"The partnership between IWC Schaffhausen and the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-2012 will provide another opportunity to demonstrate our expertise in terms of engineering, technology and quality," says Georges Kern enthusiastically. "Only a company able to set such high standards of precision, perfection and durability can meet the exacting demands of this unique offshore race." IWC is not only the Official Timekeeper of the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-2012, but will also be awarding a prize at the end of each race leg as part of the IWC Schaffhausen Speed Record Challenge. The IWC trophy will go to the team that travels the furthest distance over a 24-hour period during the leg in question. The race includes stopovers in Cape Town (South Africa), Abu Dhabi (UAE), Sanya (China), Auckland (New Zealand), Itajaí (Brazil), Miami (USA), Lisbon (Portugal) and Lorient (France). At the end of the race in Galway, Ireland, the Swiss watch manufacturer will present the 11 crew members of the boat that has set the fastest of all the 24-hour records throughout the duration of the event with a Portuguese Yacht Club Chronograph Edition "Volvo Ocean Race 2011-2012".
The record currently stands at an impressive 596.6 nautical miles (1,105 km) in one day and was set by Ericsson 4, the overall winner of the most recent Volvo Ocean Race 2008-2009. Each team will stretch themselves to the limit every day of the race to break this record. It is not without good reason that the ultra-high-tech Volvo Open 70 monohull yachts are built to state-of-the-art engineering standards and enable the crews to maintain incredibly high speeds even in the most difficult conditions.
Sponsor officiel de l'equipage Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing
Apart from its function as Official Timekeeper of the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-2012, IWC Schaffhausen is also the Official Sponsor of the Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing team.
The team, owned by Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA), is the first-ever Arabian challenger and is sailing under skipper and two-time Olympic silver medal winner Ian Walker of Great Britain. For Swiss luxury watch manufacturer IWC Schaffhausen, sponsorship of this high-calibre team also heralds a new era. "This partnership has brought together two organisations that are dedicated to perfection and are passionate about exceeding the goals they set themselves," says Georges Kern in summary. "Together, we are firmly on course for success." The gleaming black yacht which sails under the name Azzam (Arabian: determination) bears the IWC logo emblazoned across its mainsail together with a soaring falcon, the national emblem of the United Arab Emirates. Among the top international sailors who make up the Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing team are also two UAE nationals, 22-year-old Olympic sailor Adil Khalid and 27-year-old Butti Al Muhairi, who triumphed over more than 120 other hopefuls in a tough competition to earn their places on the team. When the race pulls into Abu Dhabi for a stopover lasting from 1 to 14 January 2012 after the extremely demanding leg from Cape Town, Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) will be waiting to greet them with emirate-wide celebrations. One of the biggest attractions will undoubtedly be the Azzam, a revolutionary, state-of-the-art racing yacht whose creation required no fewer than 49,000 construction hours. Developed by Farr Yacht Design in the USA and built by Persico SpA in Italy, this 14-tonne masterpiece made of carbon fibre is the distillation of the very best in yacht design and the most advanced technologies. The mast is 31 metres high and the top speed around 72 km/h. With this first-class yacht and its undaunted sports-manship, Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing is upholding the maritime heritage that rests on a centuries- old tradition of Arabian seafaring.
Further information about the Volvo Ocean Race and the Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing team can be found at www.volvooceanrace.com and www.volvooceanraceabudhabi.com
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IWC - Volvo Ocean Race Yacht
Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) unveiled its Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing team's state-of-the-art Volvo Open 70 racing yacht in Portofino, Northern Italy, as it charts a historic course to contest for top honours in the Volvo Ocean Race 2011/12.
The yacht - which was developed by the USA's Farr Yacht Design and built by Italy's Persico S.p.A, in Bergamo - is one of the most sophisticated ever constructed. Conceived in March 2010, it is the combination of more than 7,000 design and 49,000 build hours.
Emblazoned with a striking falcon, the national emblem of the United Arab Emirates of which Abu Dhabi city is the capital, soaring across its bow and main sails, the brilliant black yacht is tasked with carrying the 11-b Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing through the nine-month, 39,000 nautical mile 'Everest of Sailing', which begins in Alicante, Spain this October.
"We have invested in the very best yacht design and build technology available to underpin the expertise of the highly-skilled Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing team we have formed," said His Highness Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, Chairman, ADTA and Team Principal, Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing. "This level of commitment is a clear signal of our intention to deliver a first-class performance in our debut Volvo Ocean Race and in our podium ambitions."
The yacht's international debut, set against the spectacular backdrop of the Italian Riviera, was attended by VIPs from Volvo Ocean Race, the Mayor of Portofino and Official Team Partner, the luxury Swiss brand IWC Schaffhausen.
Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing, which boasts one of the most international crews ever assembled since the Volvo Ocean Race began in 1973, will now undergo final training in Europe, having spent the winter in the UAE capital.
Over the last few months, the team - the first Volvo Ocean Race Arabian challenger - has been spread all over the globe with weather training in the USA, wind-tunnel sail testing in New Zealand, race practice in the UK and Hong Kong, as well as mast construction in Spain and yacht build in Italy. The team - which is skippered by double-Olympic medallist, Ian Walker of Great Britain - has set its sight on a rigorous Atlantic Ocean sailing programme, before heading to the race start in Spain this October.
"To get to this stage has been a phenomenal international effort which has, in many ways, set new benchmarks. With just under three months to go until the start, we have a demanding time ahead yet with the full team assembled and our new yacht raring to go, we are more than ready to meet it head on," said Walker.
Representing five continents, the outfit also boasts two UAE nationals - 22-year-old Olympian Adil Khalid, and 27-year-old Butti Al Muhairi - who beat off more than 120 hopefuls to earn their places on the sailing and shore teams respectively. Their participation will mark the first time an Emirati has competed in this ultimate endurance race.
The 2011/2012 Volvo Ocean Race will be contested around six continents and across four oceans before ending in Galway, Ireland, in summer 2012. Abu Dhabi will welcome teams from 1-14 January 2012 after they complete a punishing leg from Cape Town.
ADTA has committed to staging a fortnight-long, emirate-wide celebration to mark the Volvo Ocean Race arrival - from headline concerts and interactive race villages for the whole family to great holiday packages across Abu Dhabi's plethora of 4- and 5-star resorts.
The emirate is well progressed with plans for a specially-designed 55,000m² 'Destination Village' being built on Abu Dhabi's picturesque Corniche breakwater. The 'Destination Village' - which will be around the size of eight football pitches - will open free-of-charge to the public daily from December 30 this year to January 14, next year. ADTA anticipates welcoming more than 100,000 visitors through the gates.
The village will be highly interactive and will leverage the emirate's rich maritime heritage. It will be packed with activities and entertainment including exhibitions, shows, simulators, hospitality, game zones, food & beverage outlets and merchandise shops.
The Volvo Open 70 racing yacht is sailed by professional athletes, who race around the world with the prevailing winds.
About the Volvo Ocean race
The Volvo Ocean Race traces its origins back to 1973 and is the world's premier offshore sailing race. The Volvo Open 70 racing boat is sailed by professional athletes, who race around the world with the prevailing winds.
• 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
• The first 31,250-nautical-mile race first 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 2011-12 race will be the 11th edition of the event
• This will be the first time the Middle East has formed part of the route for the Volvo Ocean Race
• Lying on the Arabian Gulf, Abu Dhabi has a rich maritime tradition as a trading port. Throughout its history, the iconic dhow has plied the trade routes between the city and its neighbouring countries
• Facebook www.facebook.com/abudhabioceanracing
• YouTube www.youtube.com/abudhabioceanracing
• Twitter www.twitter.com/abudhabioceanracing
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