IWC Schaffhausen Announces Collaboration with “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom”
On December 19, 2023, IWC Schaffhausen announced a collaboration with Warner Bros. Picture for the movie “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.” Available in two limited editions of 25 pieces each, the watch boasts a 49-millimetre Ceratanium® case, a black dial, and a black rubber strap. One variant features red Super-LumiNova® on the dial, hands, and inner rotating bezel, while the other is adorned with blue. Its advanced features include a perpetual calendar with digital date and month indicators and a chronograph function. The watch is powered by the IWC-manufactured 89802 caliber, which has blackened components and can be seen through the sapphire crystal case back.
“Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom” featured worldwide on December 20 and in North America last December 22 2923. The movie will witness Schaffhausen’s top-notch engineering within the movie’s oceanic realm. The innovative division XPL at IWC, renowned for pioneering breakthroughs in areas such as advanced materials and g-force protection, has equipped the antagonists of the film – Black Manta, portrayed by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, and Dr. Stephen Shin, played by Randall Park – with unique prop watches that emit a vivid red or blue glow. These prototype watches have inspired two exclusive and eye-catching limited edition models in the Aquatimer collection by the Swiss luxury watchmaker.
The Aquatimer Perpetual Calendar Digital Date Month comes in two distinct styles, each with a black dial and hands. The first variant (Ref. IW379405) comes with red Super-LumiNova® on its dial, hands, and the inner bezel that marks dive time, mirroring the vibrant glow of the movie’s prop watches. The second variant (Ref. IW379406) showcases blue Super-LumiNova®. This advanced ceramic compound is mixed with luminous pigments, acting like a light storage cell through a process known as phosphorescence. The material absorbs light energy from both sunlight and artificial sources, elevating the electrons to a higher energy state where this energy is retained. As the electrons revert to their original state, they release this stored energy as visible light, enabling the material to glow intensely in darkness or underwater. Both these new models feature components such as cases, case back rings, crowns, and pushers made from IWC’s exclusive Ceratanium®. Measuring 49 millimetres in diameter, they rank as some of the largest watches ever crafted by IWC.
Ceratanium®, a material known for its exceptional performance, merges titanium’s lightweight and robust nature with a level of hardness and scratch resistance akin to ceramic. This material originates from a unique titanium alloy, custom-developed according to IWC’s specifications. The manufacturing process involves precision machining of the case components from solid bars, followed by meticulous hand-finishing. These components are then subjected to a high-temperature firing process in a kiln, where the material’s surface transforms, acquiring ceramic-like properties and its distinctive colour.
Perpetual Calendar with Digital Date and Month Displays
These timepieces are distinguished by their perpetual calendar with digital display features. On the dial, the date and month are presented in a digital format using rotating discs, enhancing readability and user-friendliness. The calendar mechanism is ingeniously designed to adjust for varying month lengths and leap years automatically. Consequently, the “29” and “02” date combinations will be correctly displayed once every four years. This function is powered by the IWC-manufactured 89802 calibre, which operates the calendar complication through a nightly single switch impulse. Additionally, the movement incorporates a chronograph feature that consolidates the elapsed hours and minutes in a single totalizer at the 12 o’clock position, enhancing legibility. The dual pawl winding system efficiently converts bi-directional movements of the rotor into energy, contributing to a substantial 68-hour power reserve. This rotor, featuring a sophisticated technical design, undergoes a complex nickel-plating blackening process. Its beauty is visible through the watch’s transparent sapphire glass case back.
Iwc Safedive System Guarantees Safety for Divers
The Aquatimer Perpetual Calendar is equipped with IWC’s innovative external/internal rotating bezel system, specifically designed to assist divers in monitoring their dive time and oxygen consumption, ensuring a safe ascent to the surface. This system merges the clarity of an internal bezel with the practicality of an external rotating bezel. The IWC SafeDive mechanism is a crucial safety feature, allowing the outer bezel to rotate only in a counterclockwise direction. This design prevents accidental alterations to the dive time. In case of accidental adjustments to the bezel, the system ensures that the dive time is not inadvertently extended, thus avoiding surpassing the safe time limit for resurfacing without decompression stops. Consistent with other models in the Aquatimer series, this watch also incorporates the IWC quick-change system for bracelets, facilitating the swift and effortless swapping of the black rubber strap.
Precision in Motion
In the film “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom,” a unique universe is crafted, blending elements of both reality and fantasy, with meticulous attention paid to every aspect. This precision is mirrored in the characters of Black Manta and Dr. Stephen Shin, who are portrayed wearing advanced underwater timepieces that emit a red and blue glow, respectively. This partnership between IWC and the film showcases a fusion of fine watchmaking and cinematic storytelling, underscoring the commitment to detail shared by both disciplines. Fans can delve deeper into this collaboration by viewing the “Behind the Scenes” video on YouTube. The Aquatimer Perpetual Calendar watch is available at select IWC boutiques. Additionally, purchasers of this watch can enrol in the My IWC care program, which offers an extended 6-year warranty on top of the standard 2-year International Limited Warranty. The watch also comes with the My IWC Passport, a digital certificate for the watch.
Learn more about the watch here.
