IWC

From Watch Wiki

Jump to: navigation, search
IWC Logo
IWC

IWC - International Watch Co. Schaffhausen

Swiss watch manufacturer

Contents

Distinctive originals of the timing, that is the undisputed specialty nordostschweizerischen watch manufactory IWC Schaffhausen: The famous Da Vinci with perpetual calendar counts as well as the Grande Complication no less than the first for the wrist. But the super-antimagnetic e engineer or diving s, which even the pressure of 2000 meters water depth to keep up, and the [[IWC GST Deep One | GST Deep One] ] as the first dive watch with mechanical depth gauge were mentioned here. From IWC coming decades professional Fliegeruhr en. And since the founding year 1868: the unsurpassed, hochfeinen pocket s of the IWC.

Company founded by an American

The fact that an American engineer from Boston, Florentine Ariosto Jones in 1868, the "International Watch Co." going to be in Schaffhausen was founded, it was no coincidence. The name and the existence owes the factory on the Rhine - so far away from the centers of the West watches Switzerland - the Americans. He was there, near the famous Rhine Falls, a newly built hydroelectric power for its machines: ideal conditions for his passion, perfect mechanical movements for an international market to build. When he learned his plan, probably in Le Locle, the clock manufacturer and industrialist Johann Heinrich Moser know. And he was in Schaffhausen watchmakers whose profession already had a long tradition. Because in Staatsarchiv Schaffhausen find a of 29 January 1583 dated entering the guild of fireworks, gun forgings, clocks and wind-maker to the City Council. It proves that in Schaffhausen even then the craft of watchmaking the case may be. And the beginnings of Schaffhauserstrasse clockmaking even further back could move up to the year 1409, in which a monk from the nearby monastery Rheinauhafen striking the church of St. John built.

After bankruptcy twice on the road of success

IWC, factory building (historical engraving of the 19th century.) [1]

Jones failed, partly because of the high U.S. import duties, with his trial, which his company produced watches in his home country to export. The subsequent owner, the Schaffhauserstrasse commercial bank, with another American named Frank Frederik Zealand as the new director, had to capitulate.

1874 was the IWC into a corporation. After bankruptcy was twice IWC 1880 by the Schaffhauserstrasse Landmaschinen industrialist John Rauschenbach over. The new employee Haenggi Urs, in the year 1883 in the company, was an important pillar by on business trips valuable contacts established. Another Angesteller responsible for the technical direction competent, Johann Vogel, ensured the smooth running of the watch production, which is now steadily rising. It was he who established a new numbering system for the IWC caliber introduced.

In 1889, the factory had 104 employees, and in the year 1901, it was already 190th

At the death of Bach's son Rausch 1905 was the IWC Others at Ernst Homberger-Rauschenbach, and 25% of the psychoanalyst Carl Gustav Jung and his wife Emma Marie Rauschenbach-Jung inherited and trades under 'J. Rauschenbach's heirs '. The former, she 1929 in the exclusive possession and led them to 1955, during this time under the name "Uhrenfabrik Ernst Homberger Rauschenbach.

During the 2nd World War II, 1 April 1944, escaped the IWC factory site just to total destruction. The by an American pilot abgeworfene bomb was exactly in the adjacent building and set this on fire.

Ernst Homberger was founded in 1952 by awarding an honorary doctorate of the University of St. Gallen honored for his services. He died 1955 at the age of 85 years.

From DB Homberger Mannesmann AG

Hans Ernst Homberger, son of Ernst Homberger-Rauschenbach, sold the gold price and dollar fall ailing family business 1978 to the German VDO Adolf Schindling AG, also the traditional factory Jaeger-LeCoultre belonged. Both watch brands were 1991 to Mannesmann. Hans Ernst Homberger died 1986 at the age of 77 years.

The era Günter Blümlein

IWC Destriero Scafusia
IWC Destriero Scafusia back

In the severe turbulence in the Swiss watch industry at the end of the seventies were in Schaffhausen under their gifted patron Günter Blümlein the course - against the electronic age - on mechanics, on innovation and on the technically demanding Männeruhr asked. For this self-understanding has developed the winking message: 'IWC - since 1868. And as long as there are still men. "After long Männeruhr is also a women's issue.

A classic model, the engineer, the 1955 was first published, and 1975, by the famous designer watches Gérald Genta redesigned again is open. Other well-known models are the 1948 presented, in magnetic fields protected Fliegeruhr Mark XI, which for 25 years as Dienstuhr of the British Air Force was in use, and their successors gradually appear ( Mark XII Mark XV Mark XVI), the Flieger Chronograph and of course by Ferdinand Alexander Porscheseries created by Porsche Design IWC. This includes Titan watches as the Ocean 2000 and the famous, 1978 published in Kompaßuhr. 1980 is the world's first titanium chronograph presents.

1985, the Da Vinci on the market, a sophisticated and patented Chronograph with perpetual calendar and lunar phase nanzeige. For 125-year anniversary appears 1993 the Destriero Scafusia (in German:Schaffhausen Schlachtroß). It brings together all 22 complication s in itself, making it the world's most complicated watch in the series built. It is limited to 125 pieces and sold out soon.

1991 establishes the IWC Director Günter Blümlein the LMH group based in Schaffhausen. It holds 100% interest in the IWC, 60% of the traditional factory Jaeger-LeCoultre and 90% interest in the revived Saxon Uhrenfabrik A. Lange & Söhne, and employs approximately 1440 employees.

In the year 2000, the sale of Mannesmann to the British, followed by Vodafone takeover of Mannesmann watches group LMH by the South African Richemont Group (Rupert Fam) at a price of 2.8 billion francs [2]. The takeover is the independence and continuity of LMH brands as a closed unit under the existing management continues to ensure. 2001 IWC has 400 employees and an annual production of about 44,000 watches.

Technical innovations

IWC GST Deep One - the world's first mechanical diving watch with depth gauge

Originals of chronometry are soon after the founding of the company emerged, such as 1885 the Pallweber-pocket with digital display of hours and minutes, now a coveted collector's item. As one of the first watch manufacturer IWC recognized the end of the 19th Century, the great potential of the emerging Watch, for the new plants have been developed. But on the other hand they also built the original pocket works in wristwatches, when the market in the thirties demanded large precision watches. Thus, upon request of two Portuguese businessmen to IWC, the Portugieserlinie - Trendsetter of the wristwatch in the "king" format until today.

IWC was there when the clocks with the pioneers of aviation flying learned - and now has an extensive program of professional Fliegeruhr s, with a special magnetic field protection equipped. And in the fifties when they stopped the race for the first self-winding movement e not only at the top with, but developed with the so-called Pellatonaufzug an unmatched elevator system, which is now back in their exclusive big automatic Manufactory works works.

The special position of IWC

The special position of IWC is fundamental not only in history, but also in geography. So it remains the only watch factory in eastern Switzerland, and therefore it is important for the factory commitment and passion at the same time, even for qualified talent in the manufacture of mechanical watches them. The apprenticeship with the federal diploma of completion Horlogercompletis at IWC performance since 1950. This led 1968, to match the 100-year anniversary of the company, establishing its own training center with 15 training and two training courses. 2001, a new training regulations in force, the prospective watchmakers and clockmakers flexible interior features.

The craft perfection, the training of its specialists, the renunciation of the production of bulk products: all this is the old principle of the IWC, watches for a few to make, but it is of the highest quality. That is also why the clocks in decades of careful nursing survive. And why they are now rare collectors are everywhere in the world, lovers prices.

Since the company come from IWC always important impulses for the mechanical clock. With about 500 employees, produces the factory and the coveted piecese sets despite a substantial annual production of about 70,000 watches more emphasis on classical and high-quality watchmaking as a piece of high pay. [3]

Literature

Address

International Watch Co.
Baumgartenstr. 15
CH-8200 Schaffhausen
Tel. +41 (0) 52/635 65 65

Weblinks

Resources

  1. ↑ Source: Gerd-Lothar Reschke The sense of time-clocks book , Leipzig 2005, p. 104; all rights to IWC, with the permission of the author
  2. ↑ see report of 21 July 2000 in www.news.ch: reserves + + + LMH watches for +3 + + + billion Franken/8701/detail.htm Richemont acquires LMH watches for 3 billion Franks (as at 26.1.2008)
  3. ↑ Parts of this contribution has been to my knowledge of Franz Mattes created, so he was here as part of resource into account.
Retrieved from "http://watch-wiki.net/index.php?title=IWC"

If page is in German,
please translate here

Social Bookmarking
Find my site on Google Ad Planner

Valid XHTML 1.0 Transitional