History

Young Florentine Ariosto Jones, freshly arrived from the US to experiment swiss watchmaking know-how, creates the International Watch Co (IWC). He aims to manufacture hight quality time-pieces in quantity to export watches to the USA. Tolerances, first use of titanium and ceramic are the record of its success. Rauschenbach family, in 1880, take the rein of the manufacture and keep it for four generations. Famous aviation watches and the Portugaise will be launched at that time, in 1936 and 1939. Hans Ernst Homberger , last owner and member of the family, creates the Aquatimer and Ingeneer collections and the mythical calibre 9721, the first pocket watch with a calendar and a moon phases display. The company becomes part of the Groupe Richemont in 2000. It's official name is IWC Schaffhausen.