Need For Speed: IWC’s Mercedes-AMG & Petronas Pilot’s Watch Performance Chronograph 41s
The watchmaker once again joins forces with the performance car manufacturer and its F1 team to create a pair of race-ready chronographs with a ceramic bezel tachymeter.
For nearly two decades now, IWC Schaffhausen and Mercedes-AMG – the high-performance sports car wing of Mercedes-Benz Cars – have been partners, resulting in a number of collaborative timepieces, shared brand ambassadors, and mutual visibility.
Then, as a natural extension of this partnership, ten years ago, IWC became the “Official Engineering Partner” of the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team. As a result, IWC’s logo has since become a regular feature of the hugely successful team’s cars, paddock, and livery as the watchmaker has released eye-catching Tiffany green-tinged Mercedes-AMG Petronas special-edition watches.
A few weeks ago, ahead of the November 19th F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix, IWC introduced two new sleek Pilot’s Watch Performance Chronograph 41s – one dedicated to Mercedes-AMG, the other devoted to the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team.
The five red lights are out, so let’s take a closer look at them!
Tantalizing Guises
Packing IWC’s robust and reliable 69385 automatic movement with day and date at 3 o’clock, the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 has already appeared in various tantalizing guises: Stainless steel, bronze, and IWC’s own light, scratch-resistant alloy Ceratanium, each time combined with a range of neat dial colors and contrasting dial finishes.
What’s more, one of last year’s hottest releases was the IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team edition with a high-tech matte titanium case and jet black dial that helped set off dial accents and a rubber strap in vivid Tiffany green, Mercedes-AMG Petronas’ signature hue.
Race-Ready Twist
For its new Pilot’s Watch Performance Chronograph 41 AMG and Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team editions, IWC has taken some of the best bits that have come before (like case materials and colors) and added a race-ready twist in the form of a black ceramic bezel with tachymeter scale, allowing the wearer to measure average speed based on distance traveled.
Both models feature glossy black dials, recessed totalizers, applied indices and numerals filled with white Super-LumiNova, and tinted display casebacks that show off the manufacture calibre within. Additionally, both are available on either a sporty black rubber strap or an integrated H-link bracelet.
Despite their similarities, they differ in case materials and dial accents, with the AMG edition coming in a brushed and polished titanium case and featuring all-white markings. Plus, the AMG logo is emblazoned on its display caseback to boot.
The Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team edition, on the other hand, features a stealthy-looking Ceratanium case with a matte finish and sports Tiffany green-toned accents, of course.
However, the turquoise hue is used more subtly now than on last year’s model dedicated to the Mercedes-AMG Petronas team: Here, it is reserved just for the day, date, small seconds, and fifth-of-a-second graduations on the dial periphery.
Dynamic and Fast-Paced
IWC Schaffhausen CEO Chris Grainger-Herr reckons these new Pilot’s Watch Performance Chronograph 41s are perfectly suited to all speed demons, whether they’re on the track or just on the go.
He says: “Both these new chronographs feature ceramic bezels with tachymeter scales, adding the dimension of speed to the highly accurate stop time measurements and making these robust chronographs the perfect companions for people with a dynamic, fast-paced lifestyle.”
On a rubber strap, the Pilot’s Watch Performance Chronograph 41 AMG (IWC388305) and Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team (IWC388306) cost $9,800 and $13,700, respectively. Meanwhile, on the integrated H-link bracelet, the AMG (IWC388304) and the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team (IWC388307) cost $11,700 and $19,900, respectively.
For more information, please visit the IWC Schaffhausen website.