Trailblazing IWC
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Christophe Roulet
Editor-in-chief, HH Journal
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As early as 1986, IWC presented a Da Vinci watch with a zirconium oxide case. In doing so, it pioneered the use of this extremely dense ceramic, just a year after launching its new collection named after the Italian polymath. However, machining techniques in the mid-1980s were not sufficiently advanced to produce large volumes of ceramic parts, and only limited numbers of the watch were made.
Nothing so today. After two “classic” Pilot’s watches with ceramic, an Ingenieur Automatic 44mm with ceramic dial and case bezels (2007) and the much talked-about Double Chronograph Edition Top Gun in black ceramic (2008), just a few months ago IWC revealed its Da Vinci Chronograph Ceramic with a zirconium oxide case, and bezel, case back, crown and buttons in grade 5 titanium. Besides the three-dimensional quality of the dial, its distinctive feature is that the movement mounting and the seats for the operating parts are machined directly into the ceramic casing ring. After 25 years of research, ceramic can finally reveal all its secrets.
