Before we begin I highly recommend watching the Brad Pitt film "F1 The Movie" in theaters.

As someone who has loved cars all my life I almost want to give up the title of "the car movie of my life" held by Nicolas Cage's "Gone in 60 Seconds."

On the other hand when it comes to IWC, Another main character in "F1 The Movie, " my reaction is just "hmm...."

Underdog × Comeback
Thrill and Emotion

Here is the synopsis of the movie. Brad Pitt plays a rookie superstar who competed with the legendary Ayrton Senna in Formula 1 during the 1990s but after a fatal accident he retires from Formula 1 and lives like a drifter in the racing world.

However at the desperate request of a former teammate who now owns a perennial last-place team and to challenge for the F1 championship he never achieved he makes a comeback and competes against superstars of the 2023 F1 season such as Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen (the conflicts with his team and teammate are also interesting but omitted to avoid spoilers).

The appearance of real F1 superstars adds vivid excitement and immersion to the film.

Real Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz Jr. </br>
© Apple Original Films, Warner Bros.

Real Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz Jr.
© Apple Original Films, Warner Bros.

The Three Letters 'IWC' Seen as Often as Brad Pitt

As a racing movie watches also receive considerable attention and this film was a stage for IWC which was involved from the production stage.

With F1 legend Lewis Hamilton participating as a producer "F1 The Movie" is a work that pays attention to realistic details. That is why the car Brad Pitt races in is a Mercedes-Benz AMG and the official timekeeper is also IWC.

As a protest against the ban on jewelry in F1</br>Lewis Hamilton wore three watches along with various jewelry</br>© Getty, IWC

As a protest against the ban on jewelry in F1
Lewis Hamilton wore three watches along with various jewelry
© Getty, IWC

There were some product placements that felt a bit forced. One example is the SUV Brad Pitt drives in the English countryside (choosing a vintage Mercedes G-Wagen even though there is a Land Rover Defender) and the IWC Ingenieur SL on Brad Pitt's wrist.

Ingenieur SL 1832 with a custom dial </br>© Apple Original Films, Warner Bros.

Ingenieur SL 1832 with a custom dial
© Apple Original Films, Warner Bros.

The World's Least Stylish Watchmaker

Let me talk about IWC for a moment. Personally during my research I worried the most about "What kind of storytelling should I do?" for this watchmaker.

IWC stands for International Watch Company (many people are surprised by this because the naming is so simple it is almost absurd).

International Watch Company logo
© Zeitauktion

The logo, Which looks like three capital Times New Roman letters spaced apart, Can be said to add to the "simplicity" of this watchmaker.

Brand logo changes at a glance
© Marcels Watch, Mr. Porter

Founded in 1868 IWC was established by an American who aimed to introduce efficient mass production processes to Swiss watchmaking.

The "Pilot" series, Created for WWII pilots is probably IWC's most iconic line. The dials of IWC's pilot watches are optimized for legibility and readability but you will not find even a hint of flamboyance (unlike the Breitling Navitimer or the aviation-themed Rolex GMT-Master).

Surviving Thanks to Those Who Seek Only Simplicity?

There was a time when IWC was truly popular. When the movie Kingsman made suits and classic styling popular and big watches like Panerai and Royal Oak Offshore were in vogue, IWC's Portugieser was one of the most popular wedding watches in Korea. Its popularity seems to come from its balanced blend of dressiness and sportiness.

But now it seems IWC has become a watchmaker sought only by a select few.

According to Morgan Stanley, IWC's annual sales, Which were close to 170, 000 units just before the pandemic, Have now dropped to 120, 000, And revenue has also decreased by 33% during the same period.

The secondhand market price also peaked in April 2022 during the pandemic, But that high was lower than the previous peak (unlike Rolex and Patek Philippe, IWC did not benefit from the pandemic), And prices have been falling by 9 to 10% per year since the pandemic.

Still, When you meet true watch enthusiasts, You can often find someone wearing an IWC, And at one event a Porsche collector told me that no other watch catches his eye besides IWC. Regardless of sales, The brand identity is certainly well established.

Da Vinci Perpetual Calendar Chronograph</br>© Bulang and Sons

Da Vinci Perpetual Calendar Chronograph
© Bulang and Sons

What attracts these people to IWC is not just that they make "watches" but that they obsessively study "time" itself and devote meticulous effort to the invisible parts inside the watch.

Portugieser Eternal Calendar © IWC

The "Eternal Calendar, " which implements the 400-year Gregorian leap year rule with a sophisticated 400-year gear, Is the result of IWC's long years of research. While a typical perpetual calendar simply calculates leap years every four years, The Eternal Calendar mechanically incorporates the complex rules that years divisible by 100 are exceptions and years divisible by 400 are leap years again. However, Since the leap year status of years like 3400 has not yet been historically determined, In theory it can display the correct date until the year 3999!

A Comeback Through Formula 1?

Can IWC rise again through its collaboration with F1? Will the custom Ingenieur worn by Brad Pitt and the "Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team" Pilot, Which Lewis Hamilton participated in designing, Rekindle the hearts of collectors?

No one knows whether such campaigns will succeed.

Ingenieur Automatic 40 Limited Edition released to commemorate the premiere of "F1 The Movie"
© IWC, Apple Original Films, Warner Bros.

Still, Thanks to IWC's collaboration with F1, Brad Pitt, Lewis Hamilton, And Hans Zimmer, The public was able to experience a heart-pounding masterpiece and gain new thoughts and expectations about IWC.