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IWC Brand Reviews & Prices

BRAND HISTORY
A marriage of American and Swiss heritage, the International Watch Company was founded in 1868 by Boston watchmaker Florentine Ariosto Jones in Schaffhausen. Jones wanted to pair progressive American production techniques with the craftsmanship of Swiss watchmakers. 

In 1885, the brand introduced its innovative Pallweber pocket watches with cutting-edge digital display for hours and minutes, and later on towards the end of the 19th century, they launched their first wristwatches with the 64-calibre ladies’ pocket watch movement.

In 1936, the first Special Pilot’s Watch was launched, featuring a rotating bezel with an arrowhead index and antimagnetic escapement. Three years later, two Portuguese importers ordered a series of wristwatches with the precision of marine chronometers. The Portuguese watch (now known as the Portugieser) was then unveiled with a 74-calibre hunter pocket watch movement in a wristwatch case.

14 years later, technical director Albert Pellaton designed the 85 calibre which featured IWC’s first proprietory automatic winding mechanism and in 1955, the self-winding Ingenieur was launched. That same year, Hans Ernst Homberger became the last private owner of IWC before it was acquired by German instrument manufacturer VDO Adolf Schindling AG in 1978.

To celebrate the company’s 125th anniversary, IWC produced what was then the world’s most complicated mechanical wristwatch in a limited edition of 125 pieces. Complications featured in the watch included a tourbillon, minute repeater and perpetual calendar. 

In 2000, IWC was acquired by the Richemont group, which it remains with till the present day. 

KEY WATCHES

BOUTIQUES
#02-06, ION Orchard, Singapore

#B1-126, The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore

AMBASSADORS
Nico Rosberg, Lewis Hamilton, Adriana Lima, Karolina Kurkova