IWC Schaffhausen Showcases Its Watchmaking Expertise at Watches and Wonders Shanghai 2023

On September 13th, the third "Watches and Wonders" Shanghai Exhibition opened at the West Bund Art Center in Shanghai. After two previous editions characterized by excitement and consolidation, the 2023 edition of the "Watches and Wonders" is smaller than before, such as the exhibition's size, the number of visitors, and social media attention. However, the overall quality has increased, especially evident in the attendees: more brand headquarters staff were present, more specialized content media provided in-depth coverage, and more seasoned collectors came with clear objectives. This signifies that this exhibition has truly become established and taken root in the Chinese market, allowing it to begin pursuing "quantity" and "efficiency" while building on a foundation of a discerning audience. In this context, the ability of participating brands to plan and execute a comprehensive marketing event becomes crucial.

In line with the grand and luxurious brand night and the concise yet substantial exhibition area, IWC Schaffhausen (hereafter referred to as IWC) successfully accomplished this task. 

On the opening night of the exhibition, IWC hosted a brand night with the theme "Engineering for Eternity" at the 1862 Fashion Art Center, an iconic landmark in Shanghai. The opening performance featured a dance portraying the work scenes of the brand's watchmakers, serving as an ode to engineering craftsmanship and the spirit of artisans. Nine large screens at the event not only created a strong atmosphere but also used videos in conjunction with presentations by the brand's top executives to vividly showcase IWC's development journey from over 150 years ago to the present.

After the show, Christoph Grainger-Herr, CEO of IWC, and Christian Knoop, Chief Design Officer at IWC, shared fascinating insights into IWC’s history, areas of watchmaking expertise and iconic collections. Among the more than 200 VIP guests attending the event were celebrities like IWC Brand Ambassador Ruoyun ZHANG, friend of the brand Tian QIU, as well as famous actors Yang WANG and Celina JADE.

One of the key highlights of the exhibition was the Ingenieur collection, emphasized by Chief Designer Christian Knoop. Among these, the new Ingenieur Automatic 40 was the star at the IWC booth. This ergonomic and versatile luxury sports watch with integrated bracelet is inspired by the iconic Ingenieur SL, designed by renowned Geneva watch designer Gérald Genta during the 1970s. As this was also an era of powerful industrial design, IWC presents the Ingenieur under the motto of “FORM UND TECHNIK.” By using the German words for “form” and “technology”, IWC is referring to its roots in Schaffhausen in the German-speaking part of Switzerland.

In the 1970s, designers like Dieter Rams created many enduring classic household and industrial design works characterized by simplicity, progressiveness, and strong functionality. The new Ingenieur Automatic 40 collection includes three models in stainless steel and one in titanium and is presented integrated into a large steel plate, all meticulously polished to impart a sculptural architectural beauty. 

On display are, for example, different versions of the Portugieser Chronograph. Thanks to its perfect blend of elegance and sportiness, this model has become one of the most iconic designs from IWC. The exhibition also features the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 with its typical cockpit instrument design. Finally, visitors can admire the classic and pure design of the Portofino Chronograph. All these chronographs feature movements from the IWC-manufactured 69000 caliber family, ensuring precision, durability, and powerful performance.

Beyond presenting individual pieces, IWC designed an exhibition space dedicated to showcasing the brand's history.

The Ingenieur was originally launched in 1955 and marked IWC’s first anti-magnetic wristwatch for civilian use. It was targeted at professionals who were exposed to strong magnetic fields in their line of work. Therefore, it featured an innovative soft-iron inner case to protect the movement from the effects of magnetic fields. The 1832 Ingenieur, featured strong aesthetic codes like a screw-on bezel with five recesses and a structured dial with a unique pattern. These strong design elements have shaped the history of the Ingenieur across generations and can also be found in the new Ingenieur Automatic 40.

This part of the exhibition content interacted vividly with the narrative focus of the brand night.

In the category of complicated function watches, IWC presented the perpetual calendar function developed by watchmaking genius Kurt Klaus. With only about 80 components, this watch displays the date, day of the week, month, four-digit year, and moon phase, all adjustable with a single button. Additionally, on display at Watches and Wonders in Shanghai is also Portugieser Perpetual Calendar. This masterwork of precision engineering features IWC’s patented double moon phase display, which shows the moon as seen from the northern and southern hemispheres.