Sesquicentennial Sensation
IWC Schaffhausen celebrates its 150th birthday with a smashing new 27-strong collection
This is a big year for IWC Schaffhausen, as the brand marks its 150th with a commemorative Jubilee collection. Comprising 27 new models, these draw on iconic innovations throughout its illustrious history, from new movements to limited editions of bestselling collections. While retaining the design code, each features a dial in white or blue lacquer — a nod to the enamel faces of the original Pallweber pocket watches from the 19th century.
With IWC Tribute to Pallweber Edition “150 Years”, the watchmaker also directly references the historic pocket watch. Available in platinum, red gold or stainless steel, this is also a limited edition, and houses jumping hours and minutes as well as subsidiary seconds within its newly streamlined aesthetic.
The watch also uses an original in-house IWC 94200 calibre. It comes with a patent-pending digital display of the hours and minutes, which uses a separate wheel train for the single minute disc, hence ensuring the power flow in the main wheel train remains uninfluenced. As such, the movement enjoys an impressive 60-hour power reserve, no mean feat considering jumping time complications are usually a drain on energy.
This year, IWC also welcomes technical innovations, such as Portugieser ConstantForce Tourbillon Edition “150 Years” (Ref 5902). This platinum-cased timekeeper is driven by a new Iwc-manufactured hand-wound 94805 calibre that unleashes 96 hours of power reserve. A highly complex creation, it is IWC’S first to combine a constant-force tourbillon with a simple moon phase display, the latter to be adjusted only after 577.5 years.
Likewise, the 50-piece Portugieser Perpetual Calendar Tourbillon Edition “150 Years” (Ref IW504501) is the first to offer a perpetual calendar alongside a tourbillon on the dial, thanks to a new in-house automatic 51950 calibre. By integrating the moon phase with the month display disc at 6 o’clock, the calendar advance ring opens to reveal the tourbillon at 12 o’clock. The watch is limited to only 15 pieces each for the blue or white dial.
In the relaunched Da Vinci collection, where its trademark tonneau-shaped case has been replaced with an Eighties-inspired circular case, are two new limited editions: The Da Vinci Automatic Edition “150 Years” (Ref 3581), which features sub-seconds at 6 o’clock, debuts a new IWC 82200 calibre, an automatic movement with a Pellaton winding system and a 60-hour power reserve. The Da Vinci Automatic Moon Phase 36 Edition “150 Years” (Ref 4593) is a glorious gem-set statement ladies’ timepiece paved with 206 diamonds for a total of 2.26ct.
The Jubilee collection culminates in three commemorative Pilot’s Watches.
The first, Big Pilot’s Watch Annual Calendar Edition “150 Years” (Ref IW502708), is a 100-piece-only watch — and the only one of this range — with an annual calendar. Bearing a stainless steel case with a lacquered blue dial, it follows the American format for month, date and day apertures, and runs on the Pellaton winding in-house calibre 52850.
IWC also sends out its first Big Pilot with a big date display and manual winding in-house calibre 59235. The Big Pilot’s Watch Big Date Edition “150 Years” (Ref 5105) is backed by an 8-day power reserve and enclosed in a soft iron cage with a circular display window so you can admire the movement.
Of course, this foundational product range wouldn’t be complete without a classic: The commemorative Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Edition “150 Years” (Ref IW377725), presented in stainless steel with white lacquered dial and blued hands. Limited to 1,000 pieces, it is driven by a self-winding chronograph movement 79320 calibre, and comes with a stopwatch function with hours, minutes and seconds.