IWC Just Launched Their 150 Year Jubilee Collection

SIHH 2018 is officially off and running and we’re currently here in Geneva scouting some of the finest wristware to grace the spotlight at this year’s exhibition.

First up is IWC Schaffhausen who are celebrating a milestone 150th anniversary in impeccable style with their Jubilee collection.

Read about each model below and then take a closer look at the details in the gallery above.

Big Pilot’s Watch Big Date Edition

It wouldn’t be a celebration of IWC without the latest version of the wildly popular Big Pilot’s timepieces. Three limited edition Pilot’s Watches made the show this year and a favourite of ours was the Date Edition.

This particular piece comes in two variations which feature characteristic dials produced using a complex lacquering process in white or blue.

The Big Pilot’s Watch Big Date Edition “150 Years” (Ref. 5105) is the first Big Pilot’s Watch from IWC to wear a date display featuring large numerals beneath the triangular index at the 12 o’clock mark.

Movement is catered to by the IWC-manufactured calibre 59235, a mechanism derived from the hand-wound calibre 59210 with a date function added in by the watch designers.

An extensive 8 day power reserve is afforded by this movement with the power reserve display moved to the caseback in order to preserve the uncluttered style of the dial that is signature to Pilot’s Watches.

Two limited-edition models will be made available with 100 pieces allocated to each dial colour. Ref. IW510503 and Ref. IW510504 will individually retail for AU$20,700.

IWC Tribute To Pallweber Edition

Joining the Jubilee celebration is a stunning trio of watches in the form of the limited edition Tribute to Pallweber wristwatches complete with jumping numerals.

Arguably one of IWC’s most innovative showings to date, this timepiece incorporates a digital hours and minutes display in a wristwatch for the very first time. Tradition wasn’t lost through innovation though as IWC utilised this form of time/date display on their pocket watches way back in 1884.

Today the forgotten dial design has been revived for the brand’s anniversary alongside an equally pioneering movement. The IWC-manufactured 94200 calibre features cutting edge engineering that merges intricate mechanics with a sophisticated digital display complete with a high 60-hour power reserve.

A total of 25 watches will be made in platinum (Ref. IW505001), 500 in stainless steel (Ref. IW505003) and 250 in red gold (Ref. IW505002), the latter of which retails for AU$52,000.

Portugieser Perpetual Calendar Tourbillon Edition

Our final favourite from IWC this year comes in the form of a stunning tourbillon piece.

The Portugieser Perpetual Calendar Tourbillon Edition “150 Years” brings a perpetual calendar together with a tourbillon on the dial for the first time ever in the watchmaker’s history.

In total there are five new limited-edition Portugieser watches this year and it’s a clear sign that IWC is keen to highlight its Haute Horlogerie expertise during this important anniversary year.

As such, all timepieces feature the design of the Jubilee collection which is the aforementioned dial characteristics produced using a complex lacquering process in white or blue.

On the Portugieser Perpetual Calendar Tourbillon Edition “150 Years” we have an 18-carat red gold case paired with a white dial with lacquered finish and blued hands.

A newly developed IWC- manufactured 51950 calibre is utilised here as an extension of the 51900 calibre which sees the addition of a perpetual calendar.

The complex movement is made of 82 individual components and weighs just 0.635 grams. The tourbillon itself sits at the 12 o’clock mark alongside an integrated moon phase in rhe month display disc at 6 o’clock.

A solid gold rotor along with an automatic winding system generates a power reserve of 7 days. Only 50 pieces of the limited edition watch will be made with a retail price of AU$153,000 a pop.