In 2017 IWC returns to the round case that was successfully established by the Da Vinci Perpetual Calendar in 1985 and therefore says goodbye to the tonneau Da Vinci-case.
As a preview to the new Da Vinci collection that will be officially launched during the SIHH in January 2017, today I will start with the new IWC Schaffhausen Da Vinci Perpetual Calendar Chronograph
In the following days I will then show you the IWC Schaffhausen Da Vinci Automatic 36 and IWC Schaffhausen Da Vinci Automatic Moon Phase 36.
In these days IWC amazed the audience with a “perpetual” calendar & chronograph which required hardly any adjustments up to the year 2499 and was set using the crown only.
It no longer requires mentioning that the ingenious mechanism was developed by former master watchmaker Kurt Klaus.
And in keeping with the inventive tradition of the Da Vinci, IWC unveiled another first in 1986: the Da Vinci Perpetual Calendar (Ref. 3755) was the world’s first wristwatch to feature a case made of scratch-resistant and wear-free black zirconium oxide ceramic.
Then in 2007 IWC launched a completely revised Da Vinci collection replete with tonneau case. The success of this collection kept within limits.
31 years after the launch of the legendary reference 3750 …
IWC Schaffhausen Da Vinci Perpetual Calendar Chronograph
The 2017 Da Vinci Perpetual Calendar Chronograph is the first watch from IWC to combine the mechanical chronograph with a perpetual moon phase display on a subdial in a new complication module.
The Da Vinci Perpetual Calendar Chronograph in red gold …
Ref. IW392101: Case in 18-carat red gold, silver-plated dial, dark brown alligator leather strap by Santoni, folding clasp in 18-carat red gold
The moon phase is displayed by a disc, partly silver- or gold-plated, partly dark blue, which rotates to show the shadow of the earth and the waxing or waning moon below an aperture in the dial.
In order to achieve this, IWC’s watchmakers had to design the in-house 89630 calibre that powers the perpetual calendar’s other functions: the date, month, day and four-digit year display.
The Da Vinci Perpetual Calendar Chronograph in steel …
Ref. IW392103: Stainless-steel case, slate-coloured dial, black alligator leather strap by Santoni, stainless-steel folding clasp
At a glance …
Mechanical chronograph movement IWC calibre 89630 – Perpetual calendar with displays for the date, day, month, four-digit year and perpetual moon phase – Stopwatch function with hours, minutes and seconds – Hour and minute counters combined in a single counter at “12 o’clock” – Flyback function – Small hacking seconds – Glucydur beryllium alloy indexless balance with high-precision adjustment screws on balance rim – 18-carat red gold rotor – See-through sapphire-glass back – Diameter 43 mm – Height 15,5 mm
What do you think? You like the new Da Vinci Perpetual Calendar Chronograph?
I like this new Da Vinci, it is a lush and luxurious watch, for a bit of a different audience than the Portuguese, that is quite a bit more subdued. I will not buy it though, I have my fair share of watches and if any, I prefer the simple three hands watches more and more: is it age? And the price: I guess it is fair, but too much for me anyway.
Kind regards,
Paul
The ref. 3750 Da Vincis were beautiful watches, not overly large nor thick, but with a certain heft and nice proportions.
Seeing the dimensions of the new Da Vinci is a real shocker: +16% in case diameter and +10% in thickness, resulting in 50% higher total case volume.
I’d be really interested if IWC would produce watches in a size one would actually want to wear.
My humble opinion is that this new watch looks gorgeous. Especially the lugs have now a modern ans solid look. In my opinion the way IWC can bring on the relay baton is to improve the design which in most cases looks obsolete. The second one if everybody is runnig after in house movts my advice is to build competitive price in house calibers for the cheapest versions e.g. pilot mark . Cheers
IWC Da Vinci Perpetual Calendar Chronograph looks truly fantastic though it is quite expensive even in steel, but then almost all the IWC timepieces are quite expensive.
IWC lost the innovative and technical touch they had before Mr. Kern came on board.
Up then the brand became exchangeable and lost the spirit.
Maybe the numbers work but I do not see the brand successful 5 years down the road.
But as Mr. Kern left the company something could change but as he is on the way to become CEO for the mother company I think the ohter brands (Lange, JLC) will have to fight for their spirit.
best regards,
stefan
You’re right. Old watches have a soul.
IWC lost a few things, I agree… But Georges Kern (GK) brought a lot to IWC. He developed the brand to today be an international player and no longer a local one. Before GK came IWC was nothing else than this. IWC was innovative and technical yes, but unfortunately for a very small group of buyers. In this micro size the brand today would no longer exist. IWC literally would have been blown away by its competitors. Yes, size matters!
GK will now being the groups responsible for the watchmakers save the life of some of the brands at Richemont. Some of them can not continue their business in the way they did it before. GK will clearly give the brands an identity and help them to distinguish them from others. GK will have to grow them and make them fit for the future again. And guys do expect a real tsunami in digital! GK will revolutionise this industry with his digital strategy… You can quote me on this if you wish!
A really nice watch especially in steel but IMHO the prize is excessive. For 32000 CHF e.g. an old Second Hand DaVinci Rattrapante in Platinen can be bought
Miss Tonneau isn’t a happy lady any more. After eating every day in IWC restaurant she has put on lot of weight and the stomach has become round. Her boyfriend has dumped her, can’t get attention any more and have joined an online dating site.