1868
Florentine Jones founds IWC in Schaffhausen
A 27-year-old American engineer crosses the Atlantic to combine Swiss craftsmanship
with American machinery. He chose Schaffhausen for the Rhine's hydraulic power. It marks
the beginning of the only Swiss manufacture founded by an American.
1903
Albert Pellaton joins IWC
The man who will become the brand's technical genius during the 1940s-50s enters as
a young watchmaker. His name will come to define the most recognisable winding system
in Swiss watchmaking.
1936
Mark X · first IWC pilot watch
Antimagnetic wrist chronometer for the British army. Founds the Mark dynasty that
will span 90 years of aviation: XI, XII, XV, XVI, XVII, XVIII, XX.
1948–1981
Mark XI · 33 years of RAF military production
Calibre 89 manual wind, antimagnetic case with soft-iron cage. British W10
specification. One of the most legendary military watches of the 20th century, today
a serious vintage collector piece (~USD 8,000 in good condition).
1950
Calibre 85 · first Pellaton automatic
Albert Pellaton designs IWC's first in-house automatic with his pawl-driven
bidirectional winding system. It captures every rotor movement in both directions.
It is the technical signature IWC will keep for 70 years.
1969
Quartz crisis · IWC survives
The Seiko Astron destroys the mechanical market. IWC, a small manufacture without
Swatch-scale, fights to stay mechanical. In 1978 it is absorbed by the Mannesmann / VDO
group, which keeps it alive.
1980–2000
Modified ETA era · Cal 30110
To cheapen production and create scale, IWC uses ETA 2892-A2 and later
Sellita SW300 modified with an IWC rotor + finishing, under the name Calibre
30110. Mark XII (1993), Mark XV (1999), Mark XVI (2006), Mark XVII (2012), Mark XVIII
(2016) — all with Cal 30110.
2000
IWC enters the Richemont Group
Richemont buys IWC. It remains operationally independent as a Swiss manufacture,
but part of the luxury conglomerate alongside Cartier, A. Lange & Söhne, Vacheron
Constantin, Panerai, JLC. This unlocks resources for future in-house calibres.
2012
Calibre 32000 project kicks off
IWC starts developing the in-house chronograph (future 69000 family) and, in
parallel, a three-hand automatic to replace the 30110/ETA. 7 years of development.
SIHH January 2019
★ Calibre 32110 · debut in the Spitfire 39 mm
IWC unveils the Pilot's Watch Automatic Spitfire 39 mm (IW326801/02/03/05)
with the first 32000 in-house calibre. Own bidirectional Pellaton, 72h
reserve, silicon escape wheel and pallet fork, Glucydur balance, Nivarox hairspring.
Same footprint as the ETA 2892 for retrofit in existing cases. Historic reset for IWC.
2019
Top Gun IW3269 · expansion to the military universe
IWC quickly migrates the Top Gun line (black ceramic, naval aviator) to the Calibre
32110. References IW326901/06 replace the previous Cal 30110 versions.
2022
★ Calibre 32111 · 120h reserve · Mark XX
IWC unveils the Mark XX (IW328201/03) with the Calibre 32111: same
32000 architecture but with a larger barrel for 120 hours (5 days) of reserve.
164 components. It is the definitive upgrade: 5 days + in-house + 40 mm + EasX-Change strap.
2024 – 2026
Full expansion · 32000 family across all pilots
The 2026 Pilot's Watches catalogue is almost 100% migrated to 32000 calibres. Only
some legacy 30110 references remain in discontinuation. The IW326803 (Spitfire 39) is
now officially "past collection", replaced by the Mark XX 40 mm with Cal 32111.