Sandra‘s Closet

This week, I went to Geneva for the 23rd Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie – SIHH 2013. Of course, my first stop had to be the IWC Schaffhausen booth that had been once more the most impressive one seen at the famous watch fair. Do you remember the amazing Italian ’50s/’60s theme for the Portofino watches in 2011 or the aircraft carrier for the Pilot watches in 2012?

Speaking of IWC Schaffhausen, you are talking superlatives which is entirely in keeping with the creative spirit that reigns at the Swiss watchmaking company. After the amazing launches and events of the last years, I had been pretty curious if this could be topped. And yes, they did it! As director Marc Forster said, “arriving at the IWC booth feels like arriving at a film set”. And this time, I arrived at a race track. The booth was filled not only with the most exquisite watches, but with the most stunning race cars you can imagine.

So ladies and gentlem, start your engines. In 2013, IWC Schaffhausen embarks on the Formula One season as the Official Engineering Partner of the MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One™ Team and relaunches the Ingenieur family that appears in a new, modern and very impressive light.

Georges Kern, CEO of IWC Schaffhausen, puts his finger on it when he says: “Three outstanding quality features set the new Ingenieur collection apart: top-quality IWC movements, sophisticated functions and innovative materials.”

The story of the Ingenieur is strongly connected to the rapid progress made during the 1950s when technological progress dramatically increased the presence of magnetic fields. The Ingenieur, a pure and simple man’s watch, became famous as the antimagnetic watch of that time. When in 1976, IWC Schaffhausen unveiled the “Ingenieur SL” designed by Gérald Genta (above on display at the booth), an icon was born.

In 2013, the Ingenieur has become the perfect watch for the racetrack as the set-up of a Formula One™ racing car and the assembly of a high-precision timepiece, both exemplify the art of engineering at the highest-possible level. Materials used in motorsport, such as carbon fibre, ceramics and titanium, are the hallmarks of the new design line.

My favourite model: The Ingenieur Automatic Carbon Performance (Ref. 3224) features a rubber strap with a textile inlay, which is stitched with signal-yellow or red thread.

Personally speaking, it’s one thing to look at those photos and read all about those new must-have timepieces, but it’s quite another to strap them on your wrist and examine them up close. The new Ingenieur watches will surely be a hit for IWC, so better race to the next IWC dealer and get your hands on them. The pole position will be all yours, at least style-wise.

What a beauty: The Ingenieur Perpetual Calendar Digital Date-Month (Ref. 3792) features a perpetual calendar together with a digital date display and leap year indicator.

Have fun exploring whom I spotted at the booth and stay tuned for more photos coming up, especially from the amazing IWC Race Night with top celebrities from all over the world.

LoL, Sandra

Michela Cerruti, daughter of Aldo Cerruti, an Italian racing driver that might be soon spotted driving the Formula One tracks.

German soccer goalkeeper Jens Lehmann

German actor Thomas Kretschmann

Former French soccer player Zinédine Zidane with me

Actor Ralf Moeller

From left to right: Zinédine Zidane, Ralf Moeller and Jean Reno

Boris Becker with me

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht, Photos of 2nd collage: Courtesy of IWC

Swiss luxury watch manufacturer IWC Schaffhausen opened its first US Flagship Boutique in New York City this month – with 3,000-square-foot the largest of its kind worldwide.

“The opening of this Flagship Boutique in New York City marks a major milestone for IWC Schaffhausen,” says CEO Georges Kern. “It not only reflects the success of the brand, but also pays tribute to the home country of the company’s founder and to our American heritage. We are looking forward to welcoming our customers at this marvelous location at Madison Avenue and inviting them to experience IWC’s spirit and philosophy.”
In fact, IWC founder Florentine Ariosto Jones, an American entrepreneur who launched the brand in 1868, was born only a few miles away from the company’s new landmark.

Today, customers can explore the brand’s watch families – Aquatimer, Pilot’s Watches, Portofino, Ingenieur, Da Vinci, and Portuguese at this outstanding bi-level boutique.

I would like to invite you to check out IWC’s newly launched NYC Globetrotter Guide that offers lots of insider tips for the city that never sleeps. Just click on the highlighted text.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of IWC

IWC Schaffhausen’s gala event under the motto “TOP GUN” was the absolute culmination of this year’s SIHH (Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie).What a night! 

“Our aim this evening was to create an emotional experience for our guests, based on the story of our Pilot’s Watches: a story that started in 1936 with the Special Pilot’s Watch and has been part of IWC Schaffhausen’s DNA ever since,” said IWC CEO Georges Kern.

Many A-list Hollywood celebrities followed his invitation to celebrate the launch of the brand’s new Pilot’s Watch collection.

In the presence of celebrities like Cate Blanchett, Jean Reno, Ewan McGregor, Ronan Keating, sporting legends Boris Becker, Luís Figo and Zinédine Zidane, German actors Herbert Knaup, Thomas Heintze and Moritz Bleibtreu as well as top model Adriana Lima, I enjoyed an unforgettable gala evening in a stunningly decorated Palexpo Exhibition Hall rounded off with a performance from the legendary Bryan Ferry. And not only actor Ewan McGregor was entranced by Adriana Lima’s stunning long legs… (see photo below).

From left to right: Ronan Keating, Herbert Knaup, Ewan McGregor, Sebastian Koch, Marc Forster, Thomas Heinze, Adriana Lima, the evening’s host IWC CEO Georges Kern, Boris Becker and Moritz Bleibtreu (Photos: Photopress/Getty Images).

My look: Sequined dress with feathers by Matthew Williamson, oversized clutch by Miu Miu, python sandals by Gucci and earrings by Louis Vuitton.

Actor Ewan McGregor with me

Two Brazilians getting along very well…

Supermodel Adriana Lima and author Paulo Coelho

Adriana Lima with me (Photo: Maren Krass)

Cate Blanchett

Jean Reno and Rosamunde Pike

Jean Reno with me

Bryan Ferry on stage

Lily Becker

Tim Jeffries

German Actor Moritz Bleibtreu with me

Dancing all night… here with Italian blogger Filippo Fiora (Photo: Filippo Fiora)

If you are interested to see the photos from IWC’s SIHH 2011 gala event “A Night in Portofino”, click here for the previous post.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Every year, IWC Schaffhausen is lauded at SIHH (the Salon International de l’Haute Horlogerie in Geneva), for having the biggest and most spectacular booth. Remember last year’s Portofino theme which was truly amazing? (If not, please click here.)

This year is no different. The booth turned out even more spectacular than ever before, designed to look and feel like a US Aircraft Carrier. The highlight was a spectacular, real-life flight simulator in the body of a real fighter jet.

No wonder that many celebrities came to see the booth and to explore the newest collection of Pilot’s watches.

Please enjoy my photos below!

LoL, Sandra

German actor Sebastian Koch listening carefully to his “flight instructions”

Singer Ronan Keating with me

Famous actor Ewan McGregor (Star Wars prequel trilogy, Trainspotting, Moulin Rouge)

CEO of IWC, Georges Kern, with his wife Monika Kern and Ewan McGregor

Gorgeous Victoria Secret supermodel Adriana Lima…

…had a lot of fun.

From left to right: Ewan McGregor, Ronan Keating, Marc Forster and Georges Kern.

What have those gentlemen in common?

They all wear IWC watches.

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

I just got back from the SIHH (the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie) in Geneva which is a truly exclusive event. The world’s leading luxury watch brands are presenting their newest collection those days. Stay tuned for the upcoming posts on what has caught my eye. Let’s get started today with one of my favourites: IWC Schaffhausen!

IWC Schaffhausen gets off to a powerful start in 2012: the year of the Pilot’s Watch.

With five new models, the TOP GUN collection establishes itself as an independent formation within the IWC Pilot’s Watch family.

The year’s high-flyer is the TOP GUN Miramar: a tribute to the place in California where the myth of the elite pilots was born. In the 89365 calibre, the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph TOP GUN Miramar (Ref.3880) is equipped with one of the most advanced and robust chronograph movements available.

The high-quality Top Gun engraving on the titanium case back is a tribute to the world’s best pilots and an indication that this is the technological highlight of IWC’s Pilot’s Watch family.

And two Pilot’s Watches featuring many of fine watchmaking’s greatest achievements prepare for take off:

The Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar TOP GUN (Ref. 5029) comes with a wealth of complex technological features, including a perpetual calendar with a four-digit year display, moon phase display and 7-day power reserve and…

…the Spitfire Perpetual Calendar Digital Date-Month (Ref. 3791) combines tasteful design with the art of watchmaking at its finest. It is the first IWC Pilot’s Watch to show the date and month digitally, in the form of four large numerals.

Enjoy those beautiful mood photos. For further information, I invite you to visit the IWC homepage, by clicking here.

The military-style design and IWC’s long tradition in the manufacture of so-called deck watches inspired IWC Schaffhausen during its creation of the TOP GUN Miramar line. The desired visual effect is achieved – among other things – by the shimmering metallic grey of the ceramic case, the beige of the hands and chapter ring and the green textile strap.

The Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar TOP GUN’s imposing ceramic case is a repository of some of watchmaking’s greatest-ever achievements.

Launched in 2002, the Big Pilot’s Watch (Ref. 5009) has maintained its high-flying trajectory ever since. Its IWC-manufactured 51111- calibre movement – the largest automatic movement from IWC – contains all the features that have proved their worth in the long history of mechanical watches from IWC Schaffhausen.

The city ring on the Pilot’s Watch Worldtimer (Ref. 3262) bears the names of 23 places around the globe, each of which represents one time zone.

The Pilot’s Watch Mark XVII (Ref. 3265) is available, among other things, with the newly developed stainlesssteel bracelet featuring a folding clasp with fine-adjustment clasp.

Since its initial launch in 2006, the Spitfire Chronograph has enjoyed increasing popularity. Now, with the slate-coloured dial, it has taken on a chic new face.

Gentlemen, discover your inner pilot and enjoy those beauties on your wrist. You will surely have the ladies’ attention.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: ©PHOTOPRESS/IWC