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IWC Schaffhausen - Aquatimer Chronograph Edition "La Cumbre Volcano"
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.
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IWC - Aquatimer Chronograph Edition "Expedition Jacques-Yves Cousteau"
In 1971, for his film "The Dragons of Galapagos", Jacques-Yves Cousteau, undertook an expedition to the remote islands in the Pacific. He not only succeeded in capturing sensational underwater footage of the Galapagos marine iguanas: he also learned much about the mysteries of their way of life. In honour of this enlightening journey of discovery, IWC unveils the Aquatimer Chronograph Edition "Expedition Jacques-Yves Cousteau".
With Jacques Cousteau, IWC Schaffhausen shares the commitment to an intact environment worth living in. For this reason, the company has already devoted six special editions to the visionary champion of the oceans.
The Aquatimer Chronograph Edition "Expedition Jacques-Yves Cousteau" is immediately recognizable as a typical "Cousteau": the sea-blue dial with its internal rotating bezel and small coral-red seconds hand in the subdial at "9 o'clock" are a tribute to Cousteau's lifelong passion for coral reefs. The timepiece comes in a stainless steel case and is technically identical with the Aquatimer Chronograph.
The newly developed external/internal rotating bezel with its IWC SafeDive system prevents the watch's settings from being accidentally changed and, together with the increased water-resistance (from 12 to 30 bar), makes it even more practical. As a chronograph, it records stop and aggregate times up to 12 hours, naturally underwater as well.
The Super-LumiNova®* luminescent coating guarantees outstanding underwater legibility in darkness or poor visibility conditions. In order to eliminate any confusion, the relevant hands and indices glow in different colours: green for those specific to the dive and blue for the hour display, while the small seconds hand glows coral red, even in the dark, to indicate that the watch is functioning normally. The watch comes with a day and date display.
The watch is supplied with a black rubber strap and fitted with the new IWC bracelet quick-change system.
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Auction - Focus on Breguet, Patek Philipe, Vacheron Constantin and IWC
Marking the 190th anniversary of Abraham-Louis Breguet (1747-1823), Sotheby's Geneva auction of Important Watches on 12 November 2013 will celebrate the legacy of the father of modern watchmaking. The sale will be led by a highly important and rare pocket watch made circa 1831 by Breguet and coming directly from the descendants of the great collector Sir Richard Wallace (1818-1890). This prime example of Breguet's creative genius will be presented alongside an impressive offering of 330 timepieces, covering 200 years of watch history. Further highlights from the sale include exclusive vintage and modern wristwatches as well as rare complicated timepieces.
Pocket watches
Pocket watches feature bly in this autumn sale. The centerpiece - an extra flat pair cased gold half quarter repeating pocket watch with equation of time, power reserve, indication calendar and moon phase based on chronometer principles - was bought from Breguet by Lord Henry Seymour Conway in Paris in 1831 and thereafter bequeathed to his brother Richard Seymour Conway, 4th Marquis of Hertford and then to Sir Richard Wallace (1818-1890), his illegitimate son. Sir Richard Wallace - who inherited his father fortune and immense art collection - is widely known for the world-famous eponymous 'Wallace Collection' in London.
This watch boasts an exceptionally large number of complications for a watch of this time, including equation of time complication, power reserve indication, calendar and moon phase based on chronometer principles. Only three watches of this period by Breguet are known to pertain to such a specific complication type and design: one is currently part of the collection of L.A. Mayer Museum for Islamic Art in Jerusalem; the other once belonged to Saïd Pacha the Viceroy of Egypt and was passed on to his successor Ismaïl Pacha. With their highly complex movements contained within an extra slim case, these impressive watches count among the most expensive timepieces created by the celebrated French watchmaker. Their original price ranged from 7,000 to 8,800 Francs, a substantial sum of money at the time.
It is reported that Sir Richard Wallace wore this watch until his death. Coming directly from his descendants, the watch - lot 330 in the sale - will appear for the first time on the market with an estimate of CHF 600,000-1,000,000 ($650,000-1,080,000).
The sale will pay tribute to Breguet and present a series of items that belonged to both Abraham-Louis Breguet and his son Antoine Louis. The property of their descendants, these lots include an oil portrait and a bronze bust of Abraham-Louis Breguet dating respectively from circa 1800 and 1830 (lot 325, est. CHF 20,000-40,000/$21,600-43,200, and lot 327, est. CHF 2,000-3,000/ $2,200-3,250) as well as Antoine Louis Breguet's notebook from circa 1820, containing sketches, horlogical calculations and notes on his daily life and work (lot 326, est. CHF 6,000-10,000/ $6,500-10,800).
The fine selection of rare pocket watches also includes a chronometer (ref. 923) made by Patek Philippe in 1985 (lot 170). Offered for sale by its original owner, this minute repeating keyless open face pocket chronometer with detent escapement was purchased from the famous Milanese retailer, Orologeria Luigi Verga in 1989, on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of Patek Philippe. It is the largest of the only two known examples of the reference 923 and comes to the market in immaculate condition with an estimate of CHF 100,000-200,000 ($108,000-216,000, illustrated right).
Testament to Vacheron Constantin's long tradition in the manufacture of complicated pocket watches, a fine yellow gold chronograph chronometer from circa 1925 is among the very few watches by the Swiss watchmaker with perpetual calendar, minute repetition and split seconds chronograph known to the market (lot 268, est. CHF 80,000-120,000/ $86,500-130,000).
Vintage wristwatches
The offering of vintage wristwatches is spearheaded by a rare model of Patek Philippe's reference 1518 made in 1951 (lot 289). Together with the reference 1526, the reference 1518 was the first perpetual calendar wristwatch ever produced in series by the prestigious brand. Only 281 reference 1518 wristwatches were created between 1941 and 1954 and this yellow gold wristwatch with register tachometer and moon-phases carries an estimate of CHF 150,000-250,000 ($162,000-270,000, illustrated left).
Highlighting this section are also two chronograph wristwatches from the 1940s. The first is a very rare example in stainless steel of the reference 3666 by Rolex dating from circa 1940 (lot 262, est. CHF 25,000-35,000/ $27,000-37,800). The second - a superb stainless steel and pink gold chronograph wristwatch by Audemars Piguet - is one of some ten examples of the reference 1533 produced by the watchmaker in 1941 (lot 261, est. CHF 15,000 - 25,000/ $16,200-27,000t).
In 1930's, the Italian Navy ordered from Panerai a water and pressure resistant watch with luminous numeral and index hour markers for their secret unit the "10a Flottiglia MAS" (10th MAS Fleet). The result was the "Radiomir" which included movements, cases, and crowns made by Rolex. The sale will include a rare example of stainless steel diver's wristwatch made by Rolex for Officine Panerai in circa 1940 (lot 293, est. CHF 30,000-50,000/ $32,400-54,000, illustrated right).
Modern wristwatches
Complementing the offer is a fine group of modern timepieces, led by a Grande and Petite Sonnerie wristwatch made by F.P Journe in circa 2006 (lot 97). This piece in stainless steel comes to the market with an estimate of CHF 250,000-350,000 ($270,000-378,000).
A further highlight of this group is to be found in an exceptional prototype of the RM038 "Bubba Watson" by Richard Mille dating from circa 2011. Made in honour of the golf's champion, Gerry Lester Watson Jr. called 'Bubba', this tonneau skeletonized tourbillon in a magnesium case features a movement designed to withstand the extreme G force created while playing golf (lot 147, est. CHF 280,000-450,000/ $303,000-486,000).
The sale will also include complicated modern wristwatches. Among them are an important platinum split seconds chronograph wristwatch (ref. 5959) by Patek Philippe (lot 158, est. CHF 180,000-280,000/ $195,000-303,000) and an impressive "Bugatti Type 370" model in white gold made by Parmigiani Fleurier circa 2005 and inspired by the renowned French automobile company Bugatti (lot 146- est. CHF 40,000 - 60,000 / $43,200-65,000, illustrated p.5).
Coinciding with the 70th anniversary of the first publication of "The Little Prince" - Antoine de Saint-Exupery's bestselling novel, the sale will present a unique version of the Big Pilot's Watch Perpetual Calendar Edition "Le Petit Prince" (ref. IW502801) in platinum with a mid-night blue dial. All the proceeds from the sale will benefit Antoine de Saint-Exupery Youth Foundation and contribute to the construction of a school in Cambodia.
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IWC - The Big Pilot's Watch Edition Muhammad Ali
Having long been supported by The GreatestTM*, Muhammad Ali, the star-studded gala event was established to raise funds for the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center. This was the 18th time that the former heavyweight champion had invited his friends from show business to come along and demonstrate their support for his charity. The live auction for IWC's Big Pilot's Watch Edition Muhammad Ali in white gold attracted an impressive winning bid of USD 60,000.
"The man is an icon: simply one of the world's greatest sporting personalities of our time," said IWC CEO Georges Kern. "That was the reason we decided to mark Muhammad Ali's 70th birthday in January with a special watch in white gold in honor of the man who was once voted Sportsman of the Century." As a fitting tribute to this exceptional sportsman, IWC Schaffhausen selected a legendary watch from its own illustrious history: the Big Pilot's Watch. IWC has been making professional Pilot's Watches for more than 70 years, and one of the most successful models in their portfolio is the largerthan- life Pilot's Watch, which has been boosting the adrenalin levels of watch lovers and aviation buffs since it was first unveiled in 1940. A unique version of this amazing timepiece in white gold was auctioned off at the annual Celebrity Fight Night in Phoenix, Arizona, with the proceeds going entirely to the Muhammad Ali Center in Louisville, Kentucky. The Center's mission is to preserve and communicate the legacy and ideals of Muhammad Ali, to promote respect, hope, and understanding, and to inspire adults and children everywhere to be as great as they can be. IWC donated this watch alongside another tribute in the form of a monumental tome: "GOAT - Greatest of All Time." Weighing 75 pounds and measuring 20320 inches, with over 3,000 illustrations by more than 150 photographers and artists, the book is a celebration of Ali's life and a literary event in its own right. The auction package found its new owner for the enormous bid of USD 60,000. Lonnie Ali expressed her appreciation: "IWC created more than a beautiful watch - they honored my husband, his dedication to charity, and at the same time helped support the Muhammad Ali Center."
Celebrity Fight Night Meets IWC's Social Commitment
This was the 18th occasion on which the former heavyweight champion had invited guests to Celebrity Fight Night. Well-known faces like soul legend Lionel Richie, actor and comedian Billy Crystal, five-time heavyweight world champion Evander Holyfield, and many other famous faces from the world of showbiz supported the gala. Many of them made a personal gesture of support for the good cause. Oscar winner and Hollywood actress Halle Berry, for instance, and tenor Andrea Bocelli offered a dinner in their company to the winning bidder. Over the years, the gala has been a resounding success, drumming up over USD 70,000,000 for good causes.
Many charitable organizations have profited from the enormous generosity of its guests, and countless people's lives have been changed for the better. For Swiss watch manufacturer IWC Schaffhausen, corporate social responsibility is a top priority, as is active commitment to climate protection and to the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation. The latter is globally active and uses sustainable sports projects to give disadvantaged children the prospects of a new and more independent life. "Muhammad Ali's greatness wasn't restricted to his career as a boxer," says Georges Kern. "He's done an enormous amount outside the ring for his fellow men."
The Big Pilot's Watch Edition Muhammad Ali is a fitting tribute to the great man's achievements in sports and in society as a whole. The dial design of the Edition Muhammad Ali is modeled unmistakably on the historic Big Pilot's Watch of 1940. The clearly organized matte-black 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. It features an unusual combination of hands and appliques, highlighted with signal-red Super-LumiNova®**, which gives the watch a unique, sporty, and distinctly masculine look. The red is mirrored on the inside of the black alligator leather strap and its selection was no coincidence: in fact, it references the favorite color of Muhammad Ali, who often wore red boxing gloves for his fights. The case back shows the signature of the Sportsman of the Century and an inscription reading "Edition Muhammad Ali, ONE OUT OF ONE."
Inner Values
As any watch lover will tell you, the beauty of an exclusive timepiece designed and produced in the manufacturer's own workshops lies not only in its looks: ticking away inside the case is the highly sophisticated mechanism that makes the Big Pilot's Watch a hero in its own right. Its 51111 caliber - the largest automatic movement ever manufactured by IWC - contains all the features that have proved their worth in the long history of IWC mechanical watches. Within no time at all, the spring-mounted rotor and Pellaton pawl-winding system build up a power reserve of over 7 days, before the movement is mechanically brought to a halt by a complex train in the power reserve after exactly 168 hours. Stopping the movement before the tension in the spring is 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. The enormous crown is a memento of those pioneering days of aviation when pilots were exposed to the elements in unheated - or even open - cockpits. To combat this, they wore quilted flying suits and thick gloves, which made it difficult for them to wind and set their watches, hence the need for an unusually large, chunky crown. IWC CEO Georges Kern is proud of the auction's outstanding result: "We are absolutely delighted that this exclusive and unique timepiece has been able to make such a significant contribution to Muhammad Ali's charitable causes."
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IWC - New Portofino collection
For more than a quarter of a century now, the Portofino watch family has held a firm place in the collection from IWC Schaffhausen. It is not only the entry-level model to the exclusive world of IWC watches, but also the epitome of a classical wristwatch for individuals with style. In the same way that the picturesque harbour town of Portofino stands for the dolce vita of the 1960s, Portofino watches are a combination of rare beauty and simple elegance.
Portofino attracts them all: musicians and millionaires, actors and aesthetes. Back as early as the 1950s, when elegant men's watches from Schaffhausen were already taking the world by storm, celebrities like Maria Callas or film stars like Ingrid Bergmann and Clark Gable had already discovered the natural beauty of the small harbour town. A decade later, in the 1960s, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton relaxed there during breaks from filming "Cleopatra" in Rome. Even one-time American First Lady Jackie Kennedy used to feel very much at home on the peninsula on the Ligurian coast. The unique combination of beautiful landscape with the easy-going Mediterranean way of life has made Portofino a magnet for people with a finely developed sense of aesthetics. Small wonder, then, that many prominent friends of the brand were delighted to receive an invitation from IWC and the legendary photographer Peter Lindbergh to a shoot in Portofino in summer 2010.
The results of this extraordinary get-together, in which Lindbergh used his famous subjects to resurrect the spirit of the sixties, will be seen soon as part of an unusual travelling exhibition that goes on the road during the year of the Portofino collection and stops at some of the biggest venues around the world.
It was not without reason, then, that the picturesque little harbour town inspired the name of a watch family without which the collection from IWC Schaffhausen would be unthinkable. When the first Portofino watch from Schaffhausen took the world by storm in 1984, it was the result of a happy union between the pocket watch and wristwatch. In its own perfect and inimitable way, it successfully blended a rare beauty with simple elegance. In other words: Mediterranean lifestyle sculpted for your wrist. Sporting a diameter of 46 millimetres, the original Portofino with moon phase display (Ref. 5251), powered by the slim 9521 pocket watch calibre, was something of an attention-grabber. Despite this, with its reduced, uncluttered design, it was the essence of simplicity. This particular style goes back to the classical men's watches from IWC that had become so enormously popular in the 1950s and later continued their success by the name of Portofino. IWC Schaffhausen has been making its Portofino models without interruption since 1984 and any modifications have been extremely understated. Its genealogy has always been unmistakable, as is clear from the Portofino Hand-Wound launched in 1993. The ongoing success of this watch family is conclusive proof that discreetly designed watches with classical forms, going way beyond shortlived fashion trends, will always be popular.
This also applies to the new Portofino collection which IWC Schaffhausen will be launching in 2011 and which consists of four models, each with its own individual character. The least conspicuous way of wearing an IWC is the Portofino Automatic (Ref. 3565). For many years, its timeless exterior and reliable mechanical movement have assured it a place in the hearts of many watch devotees. Hours, minutes, seconds and a discreet date display, all powered by a solid mechanical automatic movement: the epitome of good taste, it needs no more. And in all likelihood it is precisely this expression of understatement that has enabled it, over the years, to become the unassuming star it is today. In 2011, the year of the Portofino collection, the classic model now comes in a 40-millimetre case which, thanks to a meticulous reworking of the design, makes the watch look even slimmer. Its shape, classical as ever, is reminiscent of the IWC models from the 1960s, without necessarily making it a retro design. The Portofino Automatic in red gold with its silverplated dial radiates understated luxury. Needless to say, the watch is also available in stainless steel with a choice of silver-coloured or black dials.
The Portofino Chronograph (Ref. 3910) is a perfect example of a design that works. The cumulative stopwatch elements have been so skilfully integrated that the simplicity, so typical of the Portofino family, is guaranteed. But unlike a car with ultra-wide tyres and big spoilers, the Portofino Chronograph doesn't make an exhibition of its sports pedigree. If anything, it has the same exciting but, somehow, understated dynamism of an Italian sports car from the 1960s. In 2011, the Portofino Chronograph is even more finely balanced, with softer lines than ever before. The diameter has increased minimally by one millimetre to 42, while the more rounded contours of the case and gently flowing strap horns are very pleasing on the eye. They are complemented by slim chronograph pushbuttons with eye-catching heads of the type you might find in the cockpit of an Italian sports car. The chronograph dial, too, looks equally restrained but is likewise perfectly functional. The cumulative stopwatch displays are joined by small seconds at "9 o'clock", which elegantly counterbalances the day and date displays on the opposite side of the dial. The colour of the displays matches the colour of the dial in question. The buyer has a choice of a silver-plated or black dial in a stainless-steel case. The Portofino Chronograph is powered by the tried-andtested 79320 calibre with a 44-hour power reserve and automatic winding with a ball-bearing rotor.
Both the Portofino Automatic and the Portofino Chronograph can be individualised with either a strap or bracelet. IWC now gives owners the option of a Milanese mesh bracelet like the ones so popular in the 1960s. As the name suggests, they were invented in Milan and are thus the perfect complement to watches that exude Italian lifestyle. A Milanese bracelet is robust and made of tightly woven wire mesh, which fits snugly and comfortably around the wrist. At one time, these bracelets were soldered directly onto the case, but in 2011, the year of the Portofino, the Milanese mesh bracelets as well as the fine leather straps are secured to the watch with spring bars. The Milanese mesh bracelets, incidentally, are available in three different lengths and can be adjusted to the width of the wearer's wrist in five-millimetre stages, guaranteeing a perfect fit.
The new Portofino Dual Time (Ref. 3610) is the ideal choice for globetrotters or frequent flyers. Time zones can be changed and the date reset simply via the crown. The 24-hour display, discreetly positioned in the upper half of the dial, reliably informs the wearer of the correct time back home. A red hand completes a full revolution once a day, while the index markers and imprinted figures show the time from 0 to 24 hours.
Local time is displayed conventionally on the hour and minute hands. It is set using the crown, which first needs to be pulled out to position 1. The hour hand can then be advanced or turned back in one-hour steps. If in the process the hour hand moves into another day, the date at the destination in question is likewise adjusted, either forwards or backwards. Two barrels ensure a power reserve of 72 hours when the watch is fully wound. A bidirectional pawl-winding system starts transmitting energy to the barrels as soon as the wearer moves his arm. The rotor with the engraving "Probus Scafusia" - "Good, solid craftsmanship from Schaffhausen" - and the exquisitely finished movement can be viewed through the transparent sapphire-glass back. The Portofino Dual Time is available in a fabulous solid red gold case with a black dial and red gold indices and numerals or in simple stainless steel with a choice of either a black or a silver-plated dial.
Thanks mainly to its technological sophistication, the Portofino Hand-Wound Eight Days (Ref. 5101) has established itself as the flagship of the Portofino family. Its reputation is founded not so much on outward appearances but internal values: ticking away inside the case is the new IWC-manufactured movement from the 50000-calibre family. With its 37.8-millimetre diameter, the 59210 calibre is the same size as a pocket watch movement, but its design is incomparably more modern. The contemporary movement design, with its large bridges and plates, is highly robust and reliable, and designed to meet all the exacting demands of watch devotees in the 21st century. Despite its undisputed elegance, the Portofino Hand-Wound Eight Days is a watch designed for everyday use, not least because of its incredible stamina: it will run for precisely 192 hours - that's 8 days - without any external help. Just how long the watch will continue to run before its owner needs to wind the movement can be read off from the power reserve display on the dial. IWC's designers have remained true to the classical Portofino style, not only in the circular case with its smooth, flowing strap horns, but also in the design of the dial. The placing of the displays - small seconds at "6 o'clock", date at "3 o'clock" and power reserve between "8" and "9" - ensures that the dial layout is finely balanced. The red gold Portofino Hand-Wound Eight Days comes with a slate-coloured dial, which likewise features indices made of solid red gold. There is also a choice of two models in steel, with either a black or silver-plated dial.
Leather straps by quality Italian shoe manufacturers Santoni underscore the delicate Italian touch that runs throughout the Portofino collection. Two models in the new collection, the Portofino Hand-Wound Eight Days and the Portofino Dual Time, are secured to the owner's wrist with these unusual straps, which are available in two different shades of brown and black. The renowned Italian shoemakers use a complex process to give some of their elegant men's shoes a slight patina before they even leave the workshop. The technique makes brand-new leather look as if it has already been lovingly cared for over a period of several years.
Apart from this attractive feature the straps, made by Santoni exclusively for IWC, also come with the characteristic colour gradations and orange leather lining typical of Santoni products. Top-quality Italian straps on top-quality watches that stand for the Italian dolce vita style: a highly successful combination. Particularly since Giuseppe Santoni, the second generation of his family to run the company, has been a fan and collector of IWC watches for many years.
[Rating: 5 / 5 stars]
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