International Watch Company (IWC) was founded in 1868 and is a high-quality Swiss watch manufacturer that is housed in Schaffhausen, Switzerland. IWC is a member of the Federation of Swiss Watch Industry FH. Florentine Ariosto Jones, founder of IWC, was an engineer and watchmaker from the United States. He established IWC in Switzerland and employed qualified Swiss watchmakers. He also utilized contemporary machines from the United States in hopes of making top-quality technical timepieces.
In 1885, IWC crafted the first pocket watch with a digital indication. IWC developed pocket watch mechanisms, which maintains the accuracy of a chronometer. Currently, these antique pocket watches are very rare and sought out by watch collectors all over the world.
The first pocket watch, which featured an atimagnetic mechanism, was developed for aviators in the 1930s. The Special Pilot’s Watch included a rotating bezel, which used an arrowhead index to register take-off times.
In 1948, the Pilot’s Watch Mark 11 was launched. The Mark 11 was the first timepiece, which featured armor that protected the watch from magnetic fields. This timepiece was the official watch for the British Air Force for 25 years. The Mark 11’s successors were the Mark XII, the Mark XV, the Mark XVI, and the Pilot’s Chronograph.
Another specialized aviator watch, the Big Pilot’s Watch, was also manufactured in the 1940s with features to protect the timepiece against magnetic fields. The 1940s was also the decade when the watch manufacturer produced a patented automatic spring, which was the first automatic mechanism that allowed the timepiece to be winded on both sides. To this day, the patented automatic spring has not been matched by any other watch manufactures.
The Igenieur was launched in 1955, and it was considered the most advanced timepiece during this time. The timepiece was so durable that it is was worn by Sir Edmund Hillary, world famous mountain climber, while climbing some of the highest mountains in the world including Mount Everest. The Ingenieur is one of IWC’s most wanted antique timepieces. The Ingenieur SL that was produced in the 1960s was even more durable than the previous model.
The 1960s was an innovative decade for the watch company.The Aquatimer was launched in 1967 in response to the growing popularity of water activities. The Aquatimer came equipped with a revolving ring to keep track of time of immersion in the water, and it was water-resistant up to 200 meters below water surface level. The Da Vinci was released in 1969, which was the first quartz wristwatch the company ever produced.
The first titanium watchcase and bracelet were launched in 1978 by IWC. This was an innovative breakthrough in the watch industry because it was thought an impossibility to use titanium due to the oxygen-free environment the metal must have to stay stable.
1993 marked the release of the Destriero Scafusia, which translates to war horse in English, featured a split-second hang, minute repeater, and perpetual calendar. The extremely complicated timepiece also featured a high-quality tourbillon. This timepiece was designed to commemorate the watch company’s 125th anniversary. There were only 125 Destriero Scafusia models produced.
In 2002, IWC launched an updated version of the Big Pilot’s Watch, which featured a 7-day movement and an automatic winding function. The updated Big Pilot’s Watch was the premier watch at the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie in Geneva.
IWC developed an Ingeniuer collection in 2013, which was inspired by the Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team. The 2 signature timepieces included the Ingeniuer Constant-Force Tourbillon and the Ingenieur Perpetual Calendar Date-Month models. The case materials for these models included carbon, titanium, and titanium aluminide, which were inspired from materials that are commonly used in Formula One.