IWC

History of IWC

International Watch Company started Florentine Ariosto Jones in 1868. Jones was an American engineer and watchmaker that was only 27 when he founded the company. He had worked as deputy director and manager of the E. Howard Watch and Clock Co. in Boston.  His goal was to combine outstanding Swiss craftsmanship with modern engineering technology from the US and produce high-quality pocket watches for the American market.

Jones started the company in Schaffhausen, Switzerland with the help of many skilled Swiss watchmakers. He utilized modern technology and hydropower from the nearby Rhine river to manufacturing his high-quality watch movements.  Jones ultimately decides to return to the states and industrialist family from Schaffhausen, the Rauschenbachs take over IWC. The company produces high-quality pocket watches as well as wristwatches in the early years.

In 1905, Schaffhausen industrialist Ernst Jakob Homberger takes over the company following the death of Johannes Rauschenbach.  His tenure with the company was very influential as he began the production of two watch families that are still icons of the company today.  The first of these icons being the pilot’s watches, which were very popular due to their unmistakable design.  The second was the first Portugieser model (Portuguese) which was a large wristwatch with high precision pocket watch calibre movement.

In 1944, Hans Ernst Homberger takes over as head of IWC.  This year saw the addition of many influential design additions.  The company began making watches for use by the British Army.  These watches were the first IWC’s to bear the letters “W.W.W.” on the case back which stood for “watch, wrist, waterproof”.  In that same year, the company launched its first Ingenieur.  Its simple round design was very popular and still is to this day. In the late 1940’s the company launched its Aquatimer, the first in a long line to come of dive watches.  IWC also plays a key role in developing the first Swiss-made quartz movement, “Beta 21”.

In the 1980’s the company creates the worlds first watch case made from titanium.  This made IWC experts in the watch world with case materials.  A few years later the company introduces its first Grand Complication, cementing its name in the world of Haute Horlogerie. In 2000, IWC was acquired by Richemont, a Zug based luxury goods group. The company produces some of the finest watches in the world and their commitment to precision and quality hold true to this day.