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The Thin Watch War | The Watch Files: January 12, 1979

February 23, 2021 By Stephen 2 Comments

On January 12, 1979, the Swiss watch industry announced the thinnest watch ever made: The Delirium, developed by Ebauches SA for Concord, Eterna, IWC, and Longines, measured just 1.98 mm thick. It wasn’t a big seller, but was a PR exercise to show the world that the Swiss were innovating like the Japanese. And the novel design paved the way for another announcement four years later, the Swatch.

Filed Under: Commentary, The Watch Files Tagged With: André Beyner, Anthony Kable, Anton Bally, ASUAG, Citizen, Citizen Exceed Gold, Concord, Delirium, Ebauches SA, Elmar Mock, Ernst Thomke, Eterna, Europa Star, Gerry Grinberg, Jean Lassale, Longines, New York Times, Paul Renggli, Renata, Seiko, Tiffany

The History of the IWC Da Vinci via Europa Star

June 5, 2020 By Stephen Leave a Comment

Regular Grail Watch readers might have noticed that I have begun using the archives of Europa Star rather heavily in my research. The editors noticed as well, and have invited me to be a contributing writer to that fine journal. My first piece was published today, and delves into the history of an iconic model, IWC’s Da Vinci. The archive brought me fantastic information and illustrations, as we will discuss today.

Filed Under: Commentary Tagged With: Beta 21, CEH, Chronograph, Europa Star, IWC, IWC Da Vinci, IWC Da Vinci Perpetual Calendar, Mechaquartz, perpetual calendar, quartz

The Current IWC Ingenieur Lineup is a Travesty

December 5, 2018 By Stephen 4 Comments

My enthusiasm for various watch models tends to wax and wane as I see something interesting, and lately my attention has turned to the IWC Ingenieur range. From the original Milgauss competitor to Gerald Genta’s remarkable Ingenieur SL to the chunky Mercedes-AMG racing models, the Ingenieur lineup has always been worth a look. Yet today’s lineup is beyond bland and not deserving of the name. Good thing, too, since IWC seems to be eliminating that, too!

Filed Under: Grails Tagged With: Albert Pellaton, Chronograph, Flyback, Gerald Genta, Ingenieur, Ingenieur SL, IWC, IWC Ingenieur, perpetual calendar

Celebrating Leap Year with the Ultimate Modern Perpetual Calendar: IWC’s Da Vinci Perpetual Calendar Edition Kurt Klaus

February 29, 2016 By Stephen Leave a Comment

Today is a special day for watch enthusiasts: Watching a perpetual calendar watch tick over to February 29th and then March 1st represents a major accomplishment for horology. So today we will celebrate by highlighting a special perpetual calendar watch: IWC’s Da Vinci Perpetual Calendar Edition Kurt Klaus. Named for one of the masters of modern watchmaking, this watch features a novel perpetual calendar mechanism that really sets it apart!

Filed Under: Grails Tagged With: Chronograph, Grey Market, IWC, IWC Da Vinci, IWC Da Vinci Perpetual Calendar, IWC Da Vinci Perpetual Calendar Edition Kurt Klaus, Kurt Klaus, Lombard Perspectiva, perpetual calendar, Wonder Invest

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