Very few watch companies can compete with the prestigious quality and stunning craftsmanship that IWC employs at its manufacturing headquarters in Schaffhausen, Switzerland. Collectors consider IWC timepieces to be coveted rarities. Discovering the company’s rich history and special role in the great horologic feats of the 19^th and 20^th centuries allows one to truly value the watchmaker’s grandeur.

An American engineer from Boston by the name of Florentine Ariosto Jones established the International Watch Company in 1868. Schaffhausen’s rich history in horology dates back to the 15^th century, and provided a nurturing home full of skilled watch makers for the newly founded company. The original watch factory was located in the city’s oldest building positioned alongside the Rhine River, far from the watch making centers of western Switzerland. The city’s romantic scenery was untouched by the bustle and roar of the industrialization that had swept the rest of Europe. The only “modern” machine in the city was a hydroelectric power station that utilized the river’s water for energy. Ariosto decided to build the factory alongside the river in order to have access to the power station. This was revolutionary, as electricity was something unheard of in factories at the time. 

Remaining loyal to their traditional means of manufacturing, IWC continues to construct all of its watches by hand, utilizing as little machinery as possible. The luxury timepieces go through a fully manual assembly line that creates every single part of the watch. IWC does not purchase any components from third parties. The factory creates everything from the case material, to leather straps, to each movement out of scratch.  

In 1885 the company created the world’s first digital watch that displayed time with numbers rather than analogously. The Palwebb watch was created with the help of a patent by an Austrian man named Patwebb. The genius design allowed the watch to display time with rotating digits. Today, the Patwebb is one of the most sought after timepiece collector’s items.  

IWC also charters a watch making school inside the same manufacturing facility. The prestigious school has room for 30 students, and courses generally last for 2 years. The institute allows students to have hands on experience with incredibly complex movements. The school demonstrates IWC’s dedication to the art of horology. As maker of genius timepieces, teacher for the next generation of watchmakers, and pioneer in the field of watch-making, IWC is a brand whose legacy will not soon be forgotten.  

Watch Tags: IWC, IWC timepieces, Schaffhausen Switzerland

The right accessories can make or break an outfit. All women know how critical it is to find that perfect pair of 4 inch sling backs and matching handbag to go with the little black dress. Jewelry is also an important accessory to remember.

If you’re a man, a flashy gold pair of cuff links will tell everyone that the suit you’re wearing wasn’t cheap, even if it was! For a woman, diamond earrings will bring out the glow in your smile and the envy of the other party guests.

The right watch is just as important as any of the above. These days you can spend thousands of dollars on a watch. Rolex, Gucci, Cartier are a few brands that come to mind. Each brand has a distinct reputation for quality and sophistication.

The Gucci Luxury Watch Brand is not only known for its quality craftsmanship, but also for its stylish beauty. Gucci watches are easy to distinguish from other expensive brands because of their unique design. Many brands of Rolex look exactly the same, but you won’t find that when searching for a Gucci watch.

Instead, you will find a bangle watch with intricate gold coils. Imagine wrapping it around a slender wrist with polished nails. How about a silver bracelet watch with sapphire crystal and diamond studded dial? The understated elegance of a Gucci watch adds grace to any occasion.

Of course, there are trademark styles of Gucci watches, which are familiar to us all. The wide stainless steel band with Pink Dial is easily recognizable as a Gucci Watch and it goes perfectly with any number of Gucci Handbags. Those two accessories alone will get you more than a few nods at any party or get-together.

Gucci watches flash in sunlight sending a strong message of wealth and good-taste. The right suit of clothes paired with a stylish Gucci watch on a man’s wrist can go along way toward articulating his business prowess to his peers.

If you’re looking for more than merely a timepiece, if you’re searching for something that subtly, yet effectively informs others that you are a person of excellence on the road to success, then a Gucci watch might be the precise accessory you need.

Watch Tags: Gucci, gucci watches, women's gucci watch

Until now, that is.

Premium watchmaker Glashütte Original has just released a new watch that is, surprising as it might sound, sportier than even the Saxon company’s usual standards. The Sport Evolution Impact Tourbillon and Sport Evolution Impact Chronograph promise to be be-all, end-all watches for withstanding most bumps and bruises that real life can throw at them.

If its red and black contrast synthetic strap didn’t clue you in, the durable case made of polished and satinised stainless steel should tell you that this watch was designed to go wherever you do. Yet while Glashütte Original took every precaution to protect the watch from damage, it definitely didn’t do so at the expense of timekeeping precision.

To make this new and near-indestructible watch, Glashütte Original teamed up with Stuttgart-based Fraunhofer development group, which in turn designed a combination of materials that would give optimum cushioning to the most delicate watch components. Consequently, the Calibre 39-31 – the movement running the Sport Evolution Impact Chronograph – remains accurate even when it experiences great amounts of force.

Meanwhile, the Sport Evolution Impact Tourbillon is powered by an automatic Calibre 94, which also keeps the Flying Tourbillon running at the 6 o’clock position on the dial. It has a regular rate of revolution (360 degrees per minute) that keeps the watch precise and on time, even when a different state of gravity has already begun screwing up other timepieces.

Two watches made to be truly durable by a company with a long heritage in the art and science of watchmaking. You’d be hard-pressed to find a better combination of form, function and all-around raw toughness.

Watch Tags: Glashütte, Luxury Watches, Tourbillon