IWC

IWC

International Watch Co., called IWC (or IWC Schaffhausen), is a luxury watch company based in Switzerland. IWC is the only large watch manufacture in eastern Switzerland (all other brands are in western Swiss regions).

IWC Schaffhausen was founded 1868 by the U.S. watchmaker Florentine Ariosto Jones to merge the craftsmanship of Switzerland watchmakers with the engineering skills from the U.S. to manufacture movements and timepiece parts for the USA. IWC is unique among similar companies for keeping detailed records for every watch produced since 1885. Since 1885, caliber, materials used and cases are tracked. Younger IWC watches are shown in the records with reference number, delivery date and the name of the authorized dealer. Every IWC collector can request this information for all watches older than ten years. IWC says it can service and repair all watches produced since 1868. IWC Schaffhausen movements in more affordable watches and chronographs (IWC Portuguese Chronograph) are from ETA. Non-ETA IWC calibers are: Caliber 5000, Caliber 8000, pocket watch movements. Notable watch models include the Aquatimer, Ingenieur, Portuguese, Da Vinci, Portofino as well as Pilot’s Watches.

IWC Launches Pilot’s Watch Timezoner Top Gun and Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Top Gun in New Ceratanium Editions

IWC famously pioneered the use of both titanium and ceramics as watchmaking materials as early as the 1980s. In 2017, the Schaffhausen-based watchmaker melded the most desirable attributes of both materials in a new, proprietary substance called Ceratanium, debuting it on a model from its Aquatimer dive watch family. Since then, IWC has expanded the...

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Oct 27, 2021 by Mark Bernardo

5 Under-the-Radar Watch Releases from the Last Few Months of 2021

WATCH REVIEW

All Fired Up: Reviewing the IWC Pilot’s Watch Automatic Spitfire

FEATURE

Flying Ace: Tracing the History of the IWC Big Pilot’s Watch

2021, The Watch Year in Review: Seven High-Flying Pilots’ Watches

IWC Crowns a Year of Pilot Milestones with Big Pilot’s Watch Monopusher Edition “Le Petit Prince”

A Brief History of the Mechanical Watch’s Fight Against Magnetism

TIMEPIECE TIMELINE

The Evolution of the Men’s Wristwatch: A Decade-by-Decade Guide

WATCH LIST

Splendid Splitters: 5 Noteworthy Rattrapante Chronograph Watches

The Long and Winding Road: How Porsche Design Became a Watchmaking Manufacture

Small Seconds’ Big Moment: Five Watches with Independent Seconds Displays

Military Issue: IWC Introduces Spitfire Editions of the Big Pilot’s Watch 43 in Titanium and Bronze

FEATURE

Touching the Past: Six Modern “Retro” Watches and the Historical Pieces That Inspired Them

No Date, No Problem: Six Watches Without Date Displays

FEATURE

Dive Watches in Depth: A Dive Watch FAQ

WATCH REVIEW

Change of Course: Reviewing the IWC Pilot’s Watch Timezoner Chronograph

Time Jumpers: Five Luxury Watches with Jumping Hours

IWC Launches Pilot’s Watch Timezoner Top Gun and Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Top Gun in New Ceratanium Editions

PORTFOLIO

Time Machines: 7 Automotive-Inspired Retro Watches

IWC Teams with Hot Wheels at Goodwood to Launch New “Racing Works” Collectors’ Set

Gentleman Sailor: Testing the IWC Portugieser Yacht Club Chronograph