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The Creation History of IWC Watches

  • Posted on June 30, 2010 at 3:23 pm

In 1868, an American engineer and watchmaker Florentine Ariosto Jones (1841–1916)  who had been a director of E. Howard & Co, in Boston, then America’s leading watchmaking company, founded the International Watch Company with the intention of combining the craftsmanship of the Swiss with the modern engineering technology from the U.S. to manufacture movements and watch parts for the American market.At the time, wages in Switzerland were relatively low although there was a ready supply of skilled watchmaking labor” mainly carried out by people in their homes. Jones encountered opposition to his plans in French-speaking Switzerland because people feared for their jobs  and the work they did at home because Jones wanted to open a factory.

In 1850 the town of Schaffhausen was in danger of being left behind in the Industrial Age. It was at this stage that watch manufacturer and industrialist Johann Heinrich Moser stepped in and did the region a huge service. As a pioneer of white coal, he built Schaffhausen’s first hydroelectric plant and laid the cornerstone for future industrialization.” He probably met F.A. Jones in Le Locle and showed great interest in his plans. Together, they laid the foundations for the only watch manufacturers in north-eastern Switzerland: The International Watch Company in Schaffhausen.

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Powerful and reliable Chronograph from IWC

  • Posted on February 3, 2010 at 11:58 am

1New model from IWC is designed especially for strong men, capable of facing difficulties of nature tests and feeling like indoors in the severe fortune. Model is called Big Ingenieur Chronograph. New IWC watch is extremely well designed and looks spectacular. It is based on two directions: first – enormous variety of functions, which made this timepiece suitable for almost all types of unsettled weather, second – sport style, created especially for powerful men, who feel themselves ready to fight any weather conditions.

New model of IWC watch is accomplished of red gold, rustless iron and platinum. It’s modern not only due to its design, but also due to the exceptional harmony of functionality and artistic approach. Inner details, made of soft iron, make this timepiece light and pleasant to wear. Usually such functionality and outrageous design is made for watch of everyday use, but here we can surely say that this timepiece will be a desired decoration for the rich watch collection.

Besides the primary functions, which were listed above – you can actually observe the inner world of the timepiece due to the transparent back of the watch and certainly, the details are fascinating.

Luxurious and sport watch is a prize for many people, especially for men, who are quite aware that qualitative watch is the symbol of success in life. But, it happens that we can’t afford to buy such expensive timepiece, because we have too many other holes to cover. The ideal choice in such situation will be IWC replica watch. Why? Because replica watch is the exact copy of the original famous brand watch, plus it’s pretty cheap. You can be sure that no one will spot the difference, all the details are skillfully labored, and that is why replica can compete in quality with the original famous brand watch.2

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Review of IWC Portuguese Yacht Club Chronograph

  • Posted on January 26, 2010 at 3:00 pm

IWC Schaffhausen showcase the Portuguese Yacht Club Chronograph at the SIHH 2010. Like the legendary and highly successful model under the Yacht Club name it is based on, this new IWC watch cause quite a sensation at the watch show.  While injecting a fresh sporty elegance to the Portuguese family, the model has not a few impressive technical features thanks to the IWC in-house made  89360-calibre movement. It is no exaggeration to say, this watch is highly reliable with flawless functionality. Meanwhile, it is a nautical precision instrument that will do great help when you navigate in the rough seas.

IWC Portuguese Yacht Club Chronograph

To my knowledge, the Portuguese Yacht Club Chronograph is the most sporty timepiece in the Portuguese family that has more than 70 years history. It provides most convenient and easiest to read chronograph functions thanks to as well. The chronograph can record up to 10 hours aggregate time on its minutes and hours counters. And it is always ready to measure a new time since the flyback function allows the chronograph be reset to zero at anytime while running. What is more, the movement is able to maintain normal fluctuations and accuracy when measuring long stop time. The red center stop watch hand plays a central role as well. It can accurately measure short interval time with the help of the the supplementary flange for seconds and fractions of a second

The dial, for the first time in Portuguese family, has luminescent indices and hands. And It features railway track-style chapter ring as well. And like other Portuguese models, the dial is very neat and keeps Arabic numerals.

Portuguese Yacht Club Chronograph is available in there versions: steel case with silver-plated dial, steel case with black dial and  18 carat red gold has an slate-colored dial. The steel versions are fitted with rhodium-plated luminescent hands and appliqués, while the red gold version is more refined with sun pattern ground finish gold-plated hands and solid red gold appliqués. And the red gold version. The cases are water-resistant to 6 bar and have screw-in crowns of crown protection. And they are completed by black rubber straps with folding clasps.

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New IWC Portuguese Perpetual Calendar Watches Review

  • Posted on January 26, 2010 at 2:54 pm

IWC has enriched its Portuguese Perpetual Calendar line with four new models-two in red gold and two in white gold. There is actually very small room for this line to improve technically. In the watch industry, it already represent highest level in perpetual calendar watch field. These new offerings are born to further increase the model options for IWC watches lovers.

IWC Portuguese Perpetual Calendar

These new members to IWC Perpetual calendar line 25-year old houses that is IWC-manufactured 50000-calibres with seven-day power reserve. They carry on the line’s famous complexity and versatility. This highly complicated watch has date, day, month, year displays and perpertual moon phase indicator all in one. It neads just one leap day correction in February. That is to say, in 80 years from now, the watch displays advance independently without any intervention by the wearer. The watch just need the wearer provide kinetic energy through the Pellaton winding system of the automatic movement when wearing it.

The attractive new-born classic in shape of the Portuguese Perpetual Calendar keeps its two familar face: one model of this watch is set with a quasi-universal hemisphere lunar display (Ref. 5021), where the miniature version of the Earth’s satellite is pictured twice. Same as moon phases show up when you look at from northern or southern hemisphere. The unique visual characteristic depends on the optical angle and point of survey. The number of days remaining decreases till the new full moon appears on the subsidiary countdown scale. Compared with the earlier rose gold model, the new Portuguese Perpetual Calendar in rose gold has warmer hue. And I love the other new model that has white gold case and midnight blue dial. No one will deny that the silver-plated small hands and moon disc adds points to its already very nice color using.The two moons functions work simultaneously. The moon disc does not move itself. Instead, the engraved globe disc with two blue circular surfaces moves. In this manner, the southern hemisphere is shown reversed in relation to the moon in the northern hemisphere.

Another version of the Portuguese Perpetual Calendar is equipped with the classic moon phase display when observed from the northern hemisphere (Ref. 5023). The Earth’s satellite waxes onto this miniature stage from the left behind the semicircular setting becomes visible in the middle as a full moon and wanes on the right side behind the second semicircle. The moon disc also has some small stars. The two models has same case construction(44.2mm) as their sister models (Ref. 5021): one with 18 carat red gold with a silver-plated dial, and another one with 18 carat white gold and state coloured dial.

The moon is the most important astronomical indication of these watches. And it boosts same accuracy as scientific instruments. As far as I know,  the gearring has been modified to allow the moon display reaches the adorable accuracy. You know, the very small residual error of 12 seconds each lunar perios will amount to only one day after 577 years. It is no exaggeration to say, only the real moon is more precise than it.

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IWC Launches Holiday Watches

  • Posted on December 15, 2009 at 9:58 am

IWC (the International Watch Company) was founded in 1868 by American expatriate, Florentine Ariosto Jones, in the town of Schaffhausen, Switzerland. For 140 years, the philosophy behind the IWC brand has been one of “good, solid craftsmanship”. IWC_vintage_family_gold

IWC takes what it has done well and makes it better, hence new versions in rose and white gold of the Vintage Collection. Called the “Jubilee Edition”, the release of these men’s watches is timed perfectly for the holiday season.

The IWC Vintage Collection from 2008 included models made in stainless steel and limited edition platinum and whose inspiration for design was taken from the first Special Pilot’s Watch from 1936, the original Portuguese from 1939, the Ingenieur from 1955, the Aquatimer from 1967, the first Da Vinci from 1969 and, the first Portofino from 1984.

The Jubilee Edition, otherwise known as the “Golden Age”, due to the precious metals used in the production of these watches, come in unlimited editions of the famed Pilot’s Watch, Portuguese, Ingenieur, Aquatimer, Da Vinci and Portofino models. The only differences in these new versions are that some are made in rose gold while others are made in white gold and they are technically updated. However, the appeal of these timeless designs still stands.

IWC has only ever really made men’s watches, of which there are many. The flagship is the Big Pilot from the Pilot’s Watches Classics collection, which also houses the Spitfire, named after its split-seconds hand, has the ability to measure time with down-to-the-second precision. The Vintage collection offers watches with a classic cockpit look, and the Specialties collection includes the Grande Complications model, with 21 functions and displays, including a perpetual calendar for the next 500 years.

Add some holiday cheer to your wrist with one of these newly releasedIWC watches.

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IWC 2009 Aquatimer Watches Defeat Early Gripes To Win Over Watch Collectors

  • Posted on November 23, 2009 at 10:15 am

2009 IWC Aquatimer 2000MNo matter what their preferred watch brands may be, devotees of sports watches all seem united when it comes to the issue of dial design. Make ‘em big, make ‘em bold, and oh yes–make sure there’s plenty of luminous applications that keep a brilliant glow for more than just a few minutes.  With that last point in mind, I have to sing the praises of the IWC’s 2009 Aquatimer line, which I’ve recently been able to see live for the first time this year.    

Both the dial and the rotating sapphire bezels of the 2009 IWC Aquatimer models are most impressive; the glow is intense, for certain, but what grabs you the most is the way in which IWC watches has combined different colors of illumination.  Of course, it looks as cool as all get out in the darkness, but its also useful for the watch’s mission as a diver’s tool–hours and minutes are impossible to confuse, and the bezel simplifies the essential task of marking off diving intervals such as safety stops.  

When IWC announced a new series of Aquatimer watches in early 2009, excitement was rampant among the IWC faithful.  However, there was also a certain amount of immediate grumbling from those who felt that IWC had created a watch that was not as “sophisticated” as the outgoing internal bezel models, and represented cost-cutting by IWC.  Others felt let down by the bright colors, opining that these made the watches look overly trendy.  Happily, these sentiments are not heard on watch forums much these days, as the new Aquatimer models finally make it to IWC retailers, and the collections of happy owners–some of which were former critics that changed their mind instantly when they got their first in-person exposure to the line. (It just goes to show, you can’t judge a watch design by an image alone.  There’s just no substitute for seeing and handling “in the metal”.)  

In person, it becomes clear that the 2009 IWC Aquatimer collection is  unquestionably a successful iteration of IWC’s line of water-worthy sports watches.  The ‘09 Aquatimer watches exude tremendous quality in every detail, meet all the qualifications of a real professional divers watch, and have the keen good looks to stand out among their competition in the high-end mechanical dive watch genre.

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New Vintage Portofino and Other Models By IWC

  • Posted on November 17, 2009 at 11:01 am

IWC Vintage PortofinoLast year IWC company celebrated its 140 year anniversary. In honor of this event the company released almost precise duplicates of its most popular models: Portuguese, Ingenieur, Pilot’s Watch, Da Vinci, Aquatimer and Portofino. These watches were popular in the past. Today they are not a bit less popular.

Taking into account popularity of vintage style IWC watches company decided not to limit itself to release of 140 sets that consist of 6 models in platinum case. These models can be bought apart. Only platinum versions are limited to 500 pieces. Stainless steel versions with black dials are not limited, so anyone can by a jubilee watch.

Actually, jubilee remakes cannot be called precise duplicates of previous models. In spite of the fact that new watches are very similar to legendary originals, they are more likely new versions of old classic models. Original models were released in small cases, while jubilee versions have bigger and more eye-catching cases.
Ones of the greatest watches in jubilee collections are, of course, new IWC watches Portofino.

IWC Portofino

Portofino is one of the most elegant collections by IWC. These watches are direct descendants of elegant pocket watches Lepine that had been released by IWC during a few decades. The case of new Portofino looks the same as the one in old models. IWC Vintage Portofino uses mechanism that was developed on the base of Caliber Jones 98. Additional moon phases and side seconds dials are positioned traditionally at 12 o’clock and 6 o’clock correspondingly. Vintage Portofino features an improved moon phase indicator. The previous one required correcting once in 2 months, while moon calendar in the new version must be corrected only after 122 years. Sapphire crystals allow to admire the splendidly decorated Caliber 98.

Six piece platinum set costs 186 000 euro. IWC watches are not Coca-Cola, there is no reason buying 6 pieces at once in order to save money. The set is designed for collectors who long ago bought 140 sets. The set comes ina luxurious case that houses a very beautiful leather bag with watches. This is a real wonder.

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IWC 2009 Aquatimer Watches Defeat Early Gripes To Win Over Watch Collectors

  • Posted on November 13, 2009 at 3:30 pm
2009 IWC Aquatimer 2000MNo matter what their preferred watch brands may be, devotees of sports watches all seem united when it comes to the issue of dial design. Make ‘em big, make ‘em bold, and oh yes–make sure there’s plenty of luminous applications that keep a brilliant glow for more than just a few minutes.  With that last point in mind, I have to sing the praises of the IWC’s 2009 Aquatimer line, which I’ve recently been able to see live for the first time this year.    (Click here to read a summary of the 2009 IWC Aquatimer collection)

Both the dial and the rotating sapphire bezels of the 2009 IWC Aquatimer models are most impressive; the glow is intense, for certain, but what grabs you the most is the way in which IWC has combined different colors of illumination.  Of course, it looks as cool as all get out in the darkness, but its also useful for the watch’s mission as a diver’s tool–hours and minutes are impossible to confuse, and the bezel simplifies the essential task of marking off diving intervals such as safety stops.  

When IWC announced a new series of Aquatimer watches in early 2009, excitement was rampant among the IWC faithful.  However, there was also a certain amount of immediate grumbling from those who felt that IWC had created a watch that was not as “sophisticated” as the outgoing internal bezel models, and represented cost-cutting by IWC.  Others felt let down by the bright colors, opining that these made the watches look overly trendy.  Happily, these sentiments are not heard on watch forums much these days, as the new Aquatimer models finally make it to IWC retailers, and the collections of happy owners–some of which were former critics that changed their mind instantly when they got their first in-person exposure to the line. (It just goes to show, you can’t judge a watch design by an image alone.  There’s just no substitute for seeing and handling “in the metal”.)  

In person, it becomes clear that the 2009 IWC Aquatimer collection is  unquestionably a successful iteration of IWC’s line of water-worthy sports watches.  The ‘09 Aquatimer watches exude tremendous quality in every detail, meet all the qualifications of a real professional divers watch, and have the keen good looks to stand out among their competition in the high-end mechanical dive watch genre.

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