This week, I went to Geneva for the 23rd Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie – SIHH 2013. Of course, my first stop had to be the IWC Schaffhausen booth that had been once more the most impressive one seen at the famous watch fair. Do you remember the amazing Italian ’50s/’60s theme for the Portofino watches in 2011 or the aircraft carrier for the Pilot watches in 2012?
Speaking of IWC Schaffhausen, you are talking superlatives which is entirely in keeping with the creative spirit that reigns at the Swiss watchmaking company. After the amazing launches and events of the last years, I had been pretty curious if this could be topped. And yes, they did it! As director Marc Forster said, “arriving at the IWC booth feels like arriving at a film set”. And this time, I arrived at a race track. The booth was filled not only with the most exquisite watches, but with the most stunning race cars you can imagine.
So ladies and gentlem, start your engines. In 2013, IWC Schaffhausen embarks on the Formula One season as the Official Engineering Partner of the MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One™ Team and relaunches the Ingenieur family that appears in a new, modern and very impressive light.
Georges Kern, CEO of IWC Schaffhausen, puts his finger on it when he says: “Three outstanding quality features set the new Ingenieur collection apart: top-quality IWC movements, sophisticated functions and innovative materials.”
The story of the Ingenieur is strongly connected to the rapid progress made during the 1950s when technological progress dramatically increased the presence of magnetic fields. The Ingenieur, a pure and simple man’s watch, became famous as the antimagnetic watch of that time. When in 1976, IWC Schaffhausen unveiled the “Ingenieur SL” designed by Gérald Genta (above on display at the booth), an icon was born.
In 2013, the Ingenieur has become the perfect watch for the racetrack as the set-up of a Formula One™ racing car and the assembly of a high-precision timepiece, both exemplify the art of engineering at the highest-possible level. Materials used in motorsport, such as carbon fibre, ceramics and titanium, are the hallmarks of the new design line.
My favourite model: The Ingenieur Automatic Carbon Performance (Ref. 3224) features a rubber strap with a textile inlay, which is stitched with signal-yellow or red thread.
Personally speaking, it’s one thing to look at those photos and read all about those new must-have timepieces, but it’s quite another to strap them on your wrist and examine them up close. The new Ingenieur watches will surely be a hit for IWC, so better race to the next IWC dealer and get your hands on them. The pole position will be all yours, at least style-wise.
What a beauty: The Ingenieur Perpetual Calendar Digital Date-Month (Ref. 3792) features a perpetual calendar together with a digital date display and leap year indicator.
Have fun exploring whom I spotted at the booth and stay tuned for more photos coming up, especially from the amazing IWC Race Night with top celebrities from all over the world.
LoL, Sandra
Michela Cerruti, daughter of Aldo Cerruti, an Italian racing driver that might be soon spotted driving the Formula One tracks.
German soccer goalkeeper Jens Lehmann
German actor Thomas Kretschmann
Former French soccer player Zinédine Zidane with me
Actor Ralf Moeller
From left to right: Zinédine Zidane, Ralf Moeller and Jean Reno
Boris Becker with me
Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht, Photos of 2nd collage: Courtesy of IWC
Photos: Courtesy of IWC