WOTW: IWC Schaffhausen Aquatimer Chronograph Edition "Laureus Sport for Good"

Have you ever thought long and hard about how you would change the world if you had the power? Or at least how you could influence generations that come after you to live in a world free from discrimination, violence and disadvantage? IWC Schaffhausen did……

Celebrating their work as a Global Partner of Laureus since 2005 – IWC launch the Aquatimer Chronograph Edition Laureus “Sport For Good” Watch with a striking blue dial and a set of practical functions that assist with everyday timekeeping as well as challenges faced under water. The luxury Swiss watch manufacturer located in Schaffhausen, Switzerland which was founded by American watchmaker Florentine Ariosto Jones, makes it a priority to get involved in charitable organisations that leave a lasting impression. Other charity work supporting institutions that work with children and young adults was made possible by auctioning one of their Big Pilot’s watches and donating the proceedings to the charity. But back in the year 2000, Daimler and Richemont wanted to use sport to drive social change in around 40 countries, so they created the Laureus Sport For Good – a charitable organisation that aims to use the power of sport to make a big change. Every year to commemorate their involvement in the charity, IWC Schaffhausen create a new limited edition piece, dressed in a striking Laureus blue dial. The back of every case design features a unique engraving that depicts the winning picture of a drawing competition that IWC organise each year during these special Sport For Good projects.

If you’ve been considering a new investment piece and you’re accustomed to the beauty of an IWC Schaffhausen watch, you’ll be more than acquainted with the Swiss company’s precision engineering and how they make light work of it. Truth be told we will never understand the level of meticulous craftsmanship and attention to detail that is undergone in the manufacture of every IWC Schaffhausen watch. It’s an art work that is kept under tight wraps. What matters is that on the surface, IWC watches look effortlessly beautiful. The IWC Aquatimer Chronograph Edition Laureus “Sport For Good” Watch, like many watches from the Aquatimer collection is developed from scratch at the company’s workshops. The case – the dial - the rubber strap – the heart of the watch. Geared towards a professional diver’s needs, the Aquatimer Chronograph Special Edition watch boasts some distinct features in particular; 1) a rubber covered stainless steel case 2) A flyback function 3) An external/internal rotating bezel.Suffice to say, the international luxury brand a declaring this a diver’s companion above all else. It may be limited to just 1000 pieces worldwide, deeming it incredibly investment-worthy for those into collecting IWC watches, but fundamentally it’s a down-to-earth thoroughbred that dedicates every millimetre of its design to serving daring ocean explorers. The flyback function will allow for you, as the wearer, to use the reset function without the need to stop the chronograph first – no need to stop, reset, and restart the chronograph if you want to time another event after starting the chronograph in other words.

The external/internal rotating bezel guarantees safe setting of dive times, so you can be sure that oxygen time would never be extended by accident. Lastly, the vulcanized rubber-coating case ensures optimum ruggedness and rigidity when exploring deep depths of water. Needless to say what is underneath the rubber is more than capable of protecting the 89365 Calibre from within, since it is integrated with 300 meter water resistance anyway.

Of course, from an aesthetical point of view, IWC Schaffhausen score full points for creating a timepiece that is neither too bold nor to subtle. Its unforgettable blue dial is accompanied by black hands with a luminescent coating to light up the dial when such a call for legibility is needed. The chronograph counters at 12 and 6 o’clock denoting the minutes and seconds features, create a desirable balance across a very palpable dial. Back to the movement – the 89365 Calibre offers a breath-taking 68 hour power reserve and beats to the rhythm of 28,800 vibrations per hour behind a screw-down caseback. The back of the case is also engraved with 15-year-old Melan's drawing on the subject of "Time to Learn" – the young Sri Lankan boy's winning entry to the painting competition this year. The blue rubber dial is both comfortable and stylish for those who want a timepiece that sits in between a rugged sporty watch and a professional tool. Without a doubt this timepiece ticks all the right boxes - a functional piece of equipment for the avid diver, a powerful chronograph movement and a timekeeping tool with an important message behind it.