Fans of IWC take note: the popular Swiss brand from the German-speaking town of Schaffhausen is popping up in London next week with an exciting exhibition open to anyone from the watch-curious to the watch-obsessed.
For this pop-up, IWC will be temporarily occupying an exclusive corner of London’s famous Battersea Power Station, where it will be sharing a retrospective of its enduring collaboration with seven-time world champion and Formula One legend Lewis Hamilton and the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS team.
“Formula One is a sport like no other. Combining elite teamwork, cutting-edge technologies and innovation, high-performance management and exceptional driving skill, teams develop race cars capable of competing against their rivals in a high-octane environment that spans upwards of 20 races across five continents throughout each season.” - IWC.
The Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team competes at the pinnacle of motorsport – the FIA Formula OneTM World Championship. Since Hamilton’s arrival in 2013, the team, which had struggled for recent success, saw a reversal of fortunes, winning the first of seven consecutive titles in Hamilton’s second year behind the wheel (with Hamilton himself winning in 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020, and his teammate and childhood sparring partner on the karting circuit Nico Rosberg taking a dramatic title in 2016 before promptly retiring from the sport).
For the past decade, eagle-eyed watch spotters who have followed the British driver’s exploits on the track will have been used to seeing an IWC on his wrist.
Hamilton has worn IWC while receiving six of his seven world titles, meaning it is easily the brand most associated with his success. Having been by Hamilton’s side during the golden era of his career, IWC is uniquely positioned to provide an intimate insight into the moments that shaped the man.
Not only will key moments from the last decade be highlighted, but also cherished reminders of the memorable duals fought by Hamilton with his peers. Visitors will be able to enjoy unique pieces such as his 2020 Silverstone trophy, race apparel, and the Mercedes-AMG F1 W10 EQ Power+ car from the 2019 Formula One World Championship, which will be present, among other interesting mementoes from one of motor racing’s most storied careers that may yet witness more records tumble before Hamilton hangs up his driving gloves.
And of course, no IWC exhibition would be complete without watches! Present (for perusal and purchase) will be the Ingenieur Chronograph Edition Lewis Hamilton, 2014 (IW379602), Ingenieur Chronograph Sport Edition 50th Anniversary of Mercedes-AMG, 2017, (IW380902) and Portugieser Tourbillon Retrograde “Lewis Hamilton”, 2023, (IW394008).
The experience at Battersea Power Station will take place between the 2 nd and 7 th of July, and visitors are welcome between 10 am and 5 pm.
Visitors are encouraged to register their attendance via the IWC website.
