LA Insider - IWC Schaffhausen Feature

7/28/2019 LA Insider - IWC Schaffhausen Feature

1/4

t

L A i n s i d e r

O C T O B e r 2 0 1 0 4 2 LiFesTYLeAsiAMAG.COM

BY PAuL jOhn CAA

Timeless Craftsmantravels to Scha hausen, Switzerland and

discovers the citys links with ne watchmaker IWC

he panoramic windows

at the fourth oor conference room of the IWC headquarters

in Scha hausen frame a majestic and serene river Rhine.It ows unhurriedly past the smalltown before picking up speedand gushing into the rampaging Rhine Falls, Europes largest anda major tourist draw in this part of Switzerland. The story of IWC is

Scha hausen traces its origins asfar back as the ninth century, whenaccording to historians, early settlers werealready manufacturing their own coins. A

Benedictine monastery was also founded

in the town around the year 1050. Statearchives in the city had entries on a Guildthat included watchmakers dating as far back as 1583, proving that the watchmaking trade existed in Scha hausen even then.Many Huguenots, or members of theProtestant Reformed Church in France, were also accomplished watchmakers. They ed to Switzerland to escapepersecution for their beliefs. There arerecords of them producing movements for watches in the 16th century.

closely linked with Scha hausen

in many respects. A visit to thiscorner of the western continent provides insight into the luxury watchmaker and its contributionsto the history of horology. It isalso a time-traveling experience inmore ways than one.

The IWC headquarTersIn sChaffhausen,

sWITzerland

The IWCGrande

ComplICaTIon

The JonesCalIbre, named

afTer IWCsfounder

ThIs anTIquepoCkeTWaTCh Is

JusT one of manyTImepIeCes found aT

The IWC museum

la_oct10_lainsider(iwc)_FA.indd 2 9/17/10 4:19:16 PM


2/4

O C T O B e r 2 0 1 0 4 3LiFesTYLeAsiAMAG.COM

p h o T o s C o u r T e s y o f I W C S C H

A F F H A U S E N ;

a d d I T I o n a l p h o T o s b y P A U L J O

H N C A

A

ChALLenGer The burgeoning timepiece industry inSwitzerland, as well as comparatively lower wages, probably attracted Florentine Ariosto Jones to relocate there fromhis native United States in the 1860s. The engineer had been a director at a watchmaking company in Boston beforehe decided to try his luck in Europe. TheRhine itself not only stands witness to thestory of IWC but has played a major part in its development, particularly during theearly years. Jones met a man named JohannHeinrich Moser, who built Scha hausens

rst hydro station powered by water fromthe Rhine. The energy it generated wastransmitted via shafts and cables to thenewly built IWC factory and supplied thepower needed to drive the machines. It was this partnership that resulted in the

foundation of IWC, or the International Watch Co. in 1868. While Switzerlandhas a long and proud tradition of artisanal watchmaking, most manufacturers arebased in the Western, French-speaking part of the country. IWC is unique in that it is the only one located in the northeast,near the border with Germany.

The companys Creative Director,Christian Knoop sees this as an indicationof IWCs positioning as a challenger and outsider in the global watch industry. When you look back at the companyshistory, F.A. Jones went to Switzerlandlooking for people to produce the watchesin a really industrial way. He didnt succeedin the Western part, but found people herein Scha hausen who were willing to follow that vision, who would buy into that, try out new processes and enter a new era in

The IWC-manufaCTuredCalIbre In The bIG pIloTs

WaTCh has a seven-daypoWer reserve

The alTsTadTor old ToWn

dIsTrICT ofsChaffhausen

The book enGIneerInG TIme Tells The

sTory of IWC andIs a CollaboraTIon

beTWeen WrITersmanfred frITz and

paulo Coelho, as Wellas arTIsT enkI bIlal

TheporTofIno

handWoundfrom The

2009 vInTaGeColleCTIon



3/4


4/4

O C T O B e r 2 0 1 0 4 5LiFesTYLeAsiAMAG.COM

of the movements and complications.Precision and quality-control are key

and both are present in every step of the watchmaking process.

Theres little wonder then that IWChas retained its motto, which it adopted in1903.Probus Scafusia is Latin for good,solid craftsmanship from Scha hausen. Despite acclaim earned through the years for their timepieces, much likeScha hausen, IWC has managed toremain a connoisseurs secret. We are stilla very small brand, globally speaking, says Knoop. A person, then, who choosesto buy an IWC, he adds, is looking for something special, well away from themainstream. There are other brands more visible, more opulent than we are. Anyone who picks up an IWC, I think, is moreindividualistic. He is a non-conformist.Hes someone who is interested in buying a certain timeless piece and looking for the true value of a technical piece withdeep roots in the history of a brand rather than something that is the latest trend of a fashion item. The IWC boutique is located at the ground foor oGreenbelt 5. or more in ormation on IWC, visit

Adolf Schindling AG, which bought thecompany in 1978. Gnter Blmlein was

appointed director in 1981 and instigatedmassive changes that strengthened IWCsposition in the market. Even today, IWCemployees speak highly of Blmlein andhis far-reaching in uence in contributing to the unprecedented growth in thecompany. He founded the LMH Group in1991 which absorbed IWC and two other luxury watch brands. Nine years later,LMH was acquired by luxury goods groupRichemont, which funneled fresh resourcesinto IWC.

Today the IWC manufacture stillstands tall and proud by the river Rhinein Scha hausen, over 130 years since it was built. The structure houses over 600employees, including some of the most skilled watchmakers in Switzerland andthe world. The IWC Museum at theground oor assembles over 200 of themost iconic pieces from the companysstoried past, including one of the very rst pocket watches created by F.A. Joneshimself. The most stringent quality controlprocesses goes on within its walls; from theshaping of the frames to the development

The IWC museum houses a vasTColleCTIon of ITs TImepIeCes

ThrouGh The years

one ofThe fIrsT

porTuGueseWaTChes: ThIs

model WenTon sale WITh

The 74-CalIbrepoCkeT WaTCh

movemenTIn 1942

novelties that gradually found a market soon after the devastating e ects of the war. The Aquatimer that was launched in1967, for example, marked the beginning of a successful series of divers watches, while the Da Vinci, introduced in 1969, was the rst to feature the Beta 21 quartzmovement developed by IWC, causing a revolution in the watch industry.

OverCOMinG ChALLenGesBy the 1970s however, IWC faced twosigni cant challenges: the growing popularity of electronic movementsand the steep rise in gold prices. Thecompany survived through continuousinnovations in its movements and designs,as well as a fresh investment from VDO


LA Insider - IWC Schaffhausen Feature

Documents

Transcript of LA Insider - IWC Schaffhausen Feature