45 posts tagged Schaffhausen

Here at IWC Schaffhausen we talk a lot about craftsmanship and quality, because we believe if you create something it should be the best. We share this idea through updates about some of our favorite timepieces: the Portuguese Minute Repeater, Portofino Automatic, and many more.

But it is especially satisfying to hear others describe our watches – and this week Mr. Angus Davies did just this for the renowned watch blog Escapement. Mr. Davies provided an in-depth look at a very unique and limited edition piece, the IWC Ingenieur Automatic.

A particularly exclusive version of the IWC Vintage Ingenieur

As pointed out in his post, this particular version comes with a brown face and band, setting it apart from the more commonly seen white face and black band. In fact Mr. Davies compares the watch’s hue to cocoa, a rich and textured color and with only 500 pieces produced worldwide, not one that will be often seen.

The rich brown hue that Mr. Davies likens to cocoa

With its inclusion in the Vintage collection, this timepiece “harks back to the mid 1950’s and the brown dial has an endearing personality with an understated appeal.” It also includes “delicate dots to indicate minutes” which perhaps due to their contrast with the deep brown face “look like miniscule diamonds, twinkling with a comely brilliance.”

Mr. Davies goes on to celebrate the proportionally sized case of this Vintage Ingenieur, respecting tradition and sophistication. However tradition marries innovation with the inclusion of the 80111 calibre, providing improved shock absorption and technical acumen from the original model.

A peek at the modern innovation included in the Vintage Ingenieur

In describing the way in which the components come together we read: “This watch is a rarefied timepiece with a restrained persona. It is not garish or brash, but is the reserved sartorially suited gentleman in the corner of the room in quiet conversation.” We couldn’t have said it better ourselves.

Here at IWC Schaffhausen, we often note that the rich heritage of our brand is due in large part to you, our customers and fans. It is for you that we strive for innovation and stay true to the craftsmanship that has been a hallmark of our product. To pay tribute to the relationship we have with our customers, we have created the Money Can’t Buy Experiences, truly one-of-a-kind opportunities.

This past year, we offered the chance to attend a part of the Volvo Ocean Race. More recently a lucky winner received a trip to the Galapagos Islands as part of our partnership with the Charles Darwin Foundation. That Money Can’t Buy Experience went to Michel Clessens of Belgium, and he wrote us a fascinating report of his trip, which we bring to you here:

Departure:

Time, Time , Time. Get up at 5 in the morning to catch the flight Brussels Madrid. Then departure at 12.30 to Guayaquil, Ecuador for an arrival at 02.00 (cet) – 18.00 (local time). So in total we had a travel time of 21 hrs.

After a good night at the Hilton hotel we were ready to discover Guayaquil. Using this day to get rid of our jetlag, we enjoyed the local scenery : a walk along the river, the historical park where we learned about planting cacao & the iguana park.

Up to the islands

After a short flight to the Galapagos islands we boarded the Eclipse. A very comfortable mid size cruise ship. In the afternoon we already made acquaintance with  Santa Cruz Island. In the Mangroves of Black turtle Cove we encountered  the first  sea lions and witnessed a Pelican chasing a flying fish. And from time  to time we could see  the head of a sea turtle breaking the surface of the ocean.

No, this seal is not dead. He is just relaxing.

On the 19^th August we had a wet landing on Rabida Island, with is red sand shores.  We had our first Galapagos magical experience with the sea lions, laying around on the beach  and accompanying us during our first snorkeling.  It’s  really amazing how close the animals come to you without feeling scared or expecting anything from humans.

Exotic friends.

In the afternoon we drove to Santiago island where we saw lots of sea iguanas and crabs.

On the 20^th , we went kayaking - and it wasn’t long before we were joined by some penguins that tried to race the kayak (actually they did more than try, because they easily won). We spotted our first whale: a Byrd’s whale.  While hiking on Isabela island (Tagus cove) we saw lots of Blue footed boobies. My daughter immediately made me promise then whenever given the chance we would buy a souvenir of these birds with their magnificent blue feet.

In the afternoon we went to Fernandina Island, an island with a lava rocked bottom. Here we saw lots of young sea lions being fed by their mothers. A great happening to witness.

An Iguana at rest.

Day 4, back on Isabela island (Urbina bay & Puenta Vincenta Roca). Time to meet some new inhabitants of the islands. The guides said that if we were lucky we would see some, but it seemed we were real lucky. We saw several land iguana’s. We even saw two males ‘fighting’ for their territory.  Again a typical Galapagos experience, once the animals have other things on their mind, they don’t notice your presence at all. Even the Galapagos Hawk stayed calm and nearly gave us a glimpse when we passed it.

It was a real top day snorkeling where we encountered lots of endemic Galapagos species : sea tortoise’s, Galapagos  penguins, spotted eagle rays, golden rays & 2 giant mola mola fishes.

Day 5 we landed on Puerto Ayora. After visiting some giant land tortoises in the highlands, we visited the Charles Darwin foundation. We saw the breeding centers for tortoises and were warmly greeted by Roslyn Cameron our host during the visit. We met with Gustavo Jiménez, the scientist responsible for  amongst other animals the Galapagos penguins. He explained the difficulties he was facing and the efforts needed to preserve  the penguins in these difficult times (altering sea current temperatures).  It was really great to see how driven and enthusiastic all the people at the foundation were. They don’t only take dearly the preservation of the animals but off course also the islands as an eco-system, and they also try to involve local inhabitants in all their projects. We also saw the team dealing with the shark tagging program, supported by IWC. I want to thank the people at the foundation again for the warm welcome they gave us.

On the 23th we went to Genovesa Island, an island flooded by birds. Not knowing any land predators they all nest on the ground without fear.

The evolution theory as developed by studying the finches became clear.  Amongst others we saw the Nasca Boobies, red footed boobies, fregat birds, short eared owls, … Lots of birds were nesting, so funny to see the boobie chicks.

Already day 7. Time really flies by on these magnificent islands. While having a very nice sun we enjoyed the spectacular  views on the volcano top on  Bartalome island. 371 Steps certainly worth the climb. After snorkeling with some white tipped sharks, a magnificent  animal that people give a bad name for all the wrong reasons, we visited Cerro dragon. Again some land iguanas crossed our path, and in this beautiful lagoon we could see some flamingo’s hanging around. A beautiful scene to never forget.

In conclusion, the Galapagos islands are a great place to visit. It lets you come close to nature, and makes you aware that as humans we have certain obligations. It’s magical how one can approach the animals and how the animals react to humans- not as their enemies or something they should be afraid of, but just as other inhabitants of our planet earth.

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For all of his Galapagos adventures, Michel Clessens was wearing an IWC Aquatimer Chronograph Galapagos Islands Edition watch. With water resistance to 12 bar, it is perfect for underwater exploring, and the luminescent elements on the face help you keep track of the time even in dim conditions. This timepiece was created in concert with and support for the Charles Darwin Foundation, which works to educate visitors on ways to protect and preserve the islands, and also advocates against poaching and overfishing. 

The Aquatimer Chronograph Galapagos Islands Edition

This week,  we catch up with IWC friend Ben Clymer of watch blog Hodinkee, as he reports from the annual Goodwood Revival Festival- known to be the “largest assembling of fine vintage automobiles on planet Earth”.

Held 60 miles outside of London in a town called Chichester, Goodwood Revival is an immense showcase of finely crafted and exquisitely maintained vintage automobiles, and,  as organizers put it, is the place to “revel in the glamour and allure of motor racing”. The event focused this year on the peak of racing, between the years 1948 – 1966.

Ferrari GTO’s, Rolls Royce, and even Mercedes Benz iconic Silver Arrows participated and were featured in the event’s circuit. Adrenaline ran through the air, as the sound of mighty motors roared during the Festival’s three days.

Cars on display at the 2012 Goodwood Revival (image courtesy Goodwood Revival)

In addition to the cars on display, festival participants were encouraged to dress the part and “leave the modern world behind”- with the style suggested called “Fancy Dress”. Event goers gladly acquiesced, and as a result,  there was a good deal of tweed, racing caps, fur, and hats about. 

Traditional tweed on display at the event (photo courtesy Hodinkee)

In addition to motor-ready attire, attendees brought out their finest timepieces, including a number of beautifully maintained IWC watches. As Ben Clymer documented in Hodinkee, this made for “absolutely epic watch spotting”.

A vintage IWC timepiece photographed by Ben Clymer (photo courtesy Hodinkee)

The same thread runs through the admiration for a well-crafted automobile and a well-crafted watch: both are a sophisticated pursuit for those who seek authenticity, innovation, and respect for tradition.

Another fantastic vintage IWC spotted at the Revival (photo courtesy Hodinkee)

We look forward to more reports from Ben Clymer, as he seeks out interesting and rare timepieces, and stay tuned as we continue to report on more global IWC journeys.