IWC Schaffhausen welcomed new brand ambassador, former Formula One™ world champion Lewis Hamilton and MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Team Principal Ross Brawn at the launch of their two-week pop-up exhibition in the Selfridges Wonder Room in London.
The renowned Swiss luxury watch manufacturer became the Official Engineering Partner to the MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One™ Team earlier this year.
The IWC Schaffhausen exhibition at the Wonder Room celebrated the completely remodelled 2013 IWC Ingenieur watch collection, as well as the new partnership with the MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One™ Team. IWC Schaffhausen transformed the Wonder Room’s concept store into a virtual wind tunnel, a first in the UK within a department store, taking consumers on a journey which offers an exclusive “behind the scenes” glimpse into the synergies between watches and the automotive sector.
“The engineers who work within our two companies have many things in common”, comments IWC CEO Georges Kern on the global partnership with the MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One™ Team. “They share a passion for precision technology and innovation. They are the heroes behind the scenes: their craftsmanship and expertise with high technology lay the foundations for our success. Their pioneering spirit and know-how push the boundaries of mechanical engineering and continuously redefine the achievements of precision technology. And together we have a name for this untiring quest for perfection: performance engineering.”
Team Principal of the MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One™ Team Ross Brawn confirms these common values: “Both IWC Schaffhausen and MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS place great importance on precision engineering. Our partnership reflects this and highlights our shared commitment to pushing boundaries – both in motor racing and watchmaking.”
Exclusive Exhibition Launch
At the well attended launch, MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One™ Team driver Lewis Hamilton and Team Principal Ross Brawn were given the full “customer experience” and were quick to try out the MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One™ simulator show car, which allows visitors to immerse themselves in the dynamic world of racing. Lewis Hamilton is a declared aficionado of fine watchmaking and clearly recognizes the similarities between his profession and the watches made by IWC Schaffhausen:
Lewis commented: “I love wristwatches, and it seems to me that those made by IWC have a lot in common with FORMULA ONE drivers: they’re unique, high-performance watches and are among the best in their field.”
The IWC pop-up exhibition will be in Selfridges’ Wonder Room until 7 July 2013.
For the new Ingenieur collection
IWC’s design engineers took their inspiration from FORMULA ONE racing. Materials typically used in motorsport, such as carbon fibre, ceramic and titanium, are the hallmarks of a new design line in the Ingenieur watch family. The technologically demanding workmanship confirms the reputation of IWC Schaffhausen as a company that has been manufacturing high-quality timepieces for more than 140 years.
You must be logged in to post a comment.