News

IWC Schaffhausen unveils a striking new F1 team watch

• The Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One™ Team is the new team watch for its namesake F1 team. • It is a tribute to the Singapore Grand Prix. • The deep purple dial is inspired by Singapore’s national flower. • The green accents are the F1 team’s signature colour. • The watch is housed in a 41 mm Grade 5 titanium case and powered by an IWC-manufactured column wheel chronograph movement.

What is the new Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One™ Team?

It is IWC Schaffhausen’s (“IWC”) new team watch for the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team and a tribute to the Singapore Grand Prix. The latter is a 62-lap night race held on the “iconic Marina Bay Street Circuit” being held during 3rd-5th October. The Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team is a “longstanding partner” of IWC.

Also Read: IWC Schaffhausen celebrates Mercedes-Benz with a handsome new watch

What are its dial and case features?

IWC Schaffhausen Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One™ Team.
Image: The Pilot’s Watch Chronograph is one of IWC’s iconic designs. The three subdials with the vertical layout has been around for more than 40 years. The F1 team’s PETRONAS green shade contrasts well with the deep purple shade. The black hands are coated with luminescent material. The Grade 5 titanium case features a brushed finish highlighting its “silver-grey lustre.” Choice of this Grade 5 titanium is apt for this watch, “a material prized throughout Formula One for its favourable strength-to-density ratio and resistance to heat. Titanium tips the scales at roughly half the weight of steel and does not corrode. The metal is not only used in engine components such as connecting rods and valves but also plays a direct role in ensuring drivers’ safety on the racetrack: the Halo device, which arches over the cockpit as a protective roll structure, is likewise machined from a high-strength titanium alloy.”

The deep purple dial shade is inspired by an orchid called Vanda Miss Joaquim, Singapore’s national flower. The green shade is the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team signature colour.

“The defining feature of this edition is its dial in a deep, saturated purple. The color is a tribute to the city of Singapore and its national flower; an orchid bred in 1893 by Armenian-Singaporean horticulturist Agnes Joaquim. It serves as Singapore’s national emblem and is said to represent resilience, boldness and innovation – traits and values that are also found in the shared universe of IWC and the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula OneTM Team. Under its colourful surface, the Vanda Miss Joaquim hides the enormous complexity of nature – just like the pure, instrument-style dial of the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 hides the complexity of the mechanical movement underneath.”

The case is made from Grade 5 titanium, measuring 41 mm (diameter) * 14.5 mm (thickness). Dial side features a convex sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on both sides and caseback features a sapphire crystal. It is water resistant to 10 bar or approximately 100 metres. It comes with a purple rubber strap with the brand’s EasX-CHANGE® system and is fitted with a titanium pin buckle.

Is it powered by an automatic movement?

IWC Schaffhausen Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One™ Team.
Image: Movement finishing includes Geneva stripes and circular graining. A bidirectional pawl winding system provides the power reserve of 46 hours. Notice the open worked automatic winding rotor and the name of the watch showcased around the sapphire crystal in PETRONAS Green.

Yes. It is powered by IWC-manufactured calibre 69385, an automatic column wheel chronograph movement that drives the central hours and minutes, small seconds with a stop second function (6 o’clock), chronograph functions: central seconds, 30-minute counter (at 12 o’clock) and 12-hour counter (at 9 o’clock) and day and date (apertures at 3 o’clock). It comprises 242 parts and 33 jewels and beats at a modern frequency of 4 Hz or 28,800 vph and delivers a power reserve of 46 hours.

What do we think?

The Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One™ Team is another tempting interpretation of a motorsport-inspired watch from IWC. It will likely appeal to both motorsport fans and collectors seeking one of the brand’s iconic designs in a unique dial colour.

Also Read: IWC Schaffhausen debuts impressive new Ingenieur models

Also Read: IWC Schaffhausen introduces the new Ceralume® luminous ceramic technology

Also Read: IWC Schaffhausen unveils the new Pilot’s Venturer Vertical Drive

Additional Details

Name: Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One™ Team

Reference: IW388121

Price: Swiss Franc (CHF) 7,700 (includes VAT)

Warranty: 2-Years. Extendable up to 6 additional years by registering the watch under the My IWC care program.

Please click here to learn more.