IWC Schaffhausen takes pole position in F1:The Movie

How the Swiss watchmaker made history in the Brad Pitt Formula One film with Damson Idris

Damson Idris stars in F1:The Movie. Photo: IWC

IWC Schaffhausen has shared in the glory - as well as the formidable demands of - some of the most iconic occasions in modern motor sport.

Timepieces crafted by the Swiss luxury watchmaker have also featured on famous wrists in plenty of thrilling cinema moments.

Blending refinement with pioneering innovation and engineering, it is arguably the world’s greatest race competition - Formula One - with which IWC is best associated.

Both inimitable brands share essential and pivotal traits, such as precision, performance, and finesse. These have ideally placed IWC Schaffhausen as Official Engineering Partner of the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team - since 2013.

It is a potent and deep-rooted relationship with elite motorsport that is inspirational and all the while aspirational. And IWC’s profile in global motor sport is set to be further elevated as it bridges the race circuit and cinema courtesy of F1: The Movie.

Damson Idris stars in F1:The Movie. Photo: IWC

Scheduled for international release on Wednesday, the high-octane film stars Brad Pitt and has seven-time Formula One champion and former Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton among its co-producers.

IWC coincides the launch of F1: The Movie with three iconic additions to its revered catalogue, duly celebrating its partnership with the Apple Original Film release and one of the world’s most dazzling, adrenalin-filled sports.

The trio of Pilot’s Chronographs were inspired by the film’s fictional APXGP team and further cement the watchmaker’s starring role on both track - where it describes racing as in its DNA - and in the film.

There is likely to be little mistaking IWC’s positioning as both sponsor and the official watch choice of the on-screen team; its branding features on the race cars, as well as driver race suits and helmets, team uniforms, and in the APXGP garage.

In fact, the new timepieces themselves - with design colour codes and details inspired by the team colour - are very much part of the action.

Pilot’s Watch Performance Chronograph 41 (Ref IW388309). Photo: IWC

Most notably, perhaps, the Pilot’s Watch Performance Chronograph 41 (Ref IW388309), which is sported by audacious young driver Joshua Pearce (played by British actor Damson Idris).

The watch is a horologist’s delight. It features an 18-carat 5N gold case with sapphire case back, a black lacquered dial and a black ceramic tachymeter bezel. The case, pushers and crown - also crafted from 18-carat 5N gold - are combined with gold-plated, hand-polished appliques and gold-plated hands, filled with white Super-LumiNova. The black dial, with lacquer finish, is the result of a highly engineered production process, says IWC, with the totalizers at 3, 6 and 9 o’clock individually finished and printed.

In a multimillion-dollar sport where engineering excellence is central to a Formula One team and the success of its drivers, the timepiece makes for a stylish choice by Pearce, the fictional rookie mentored by veteran Sonny Hayes (Pitt), who leaves retirement for a challenging return to the track.

Other examples from IWC’s Pilot’s Watches collection are worn by different APXGP characters in the movie, partly filmed on Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina Circuit.

Jostling for pole position on screen, the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph APXGP (Ref. IW378009) features a stainless-steel case with a diameter of 43mm, while the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 APXGP (Ref. IW388116) is housed in a 41-millimetre stainless steel case.

Pilot’s Watch Chronograph APXGP (Ref IW378009). Photo: IWC

Both chronographs are dedicated to the fictional 11th team on the grid, APXGP, and yield a design with black, gold and white elements. They are equipped with tinted sapphire case backs, featuring the APXGP logo printed in gold.

Stainless steel cases are combined with black dials, printed with white numerals and golden minute markers, while minute and hour hands, and the hands in the subdials, are gold-plated and filled with white Super-LumiNova. Water resistant to 10 bar, these watches are fitted with black rubber straps featuring a laser engraving to commemorate APXGP.

All three APXGP editions include IWC’s EasX-Change system, enabling the wearer to change straps with pit stop speed, sans tools and at the touch of a button. It is yet more pioneering innovation that captures the spirit of F1 performance while honouring IWC’s enduring support for the fastest race competition on the planet.

IWC's Ingenieur Automatic 40 (Ref IW328702) is crafted entirely from 18-carat 5N gold. Photo: IWC

IWC has always been driven by a spirit of innovation, combining Swiss precision with cutting-edge materials to create timepieces that stand the test of time. Its partnerships with leading motorsport teams are a testament to shared values of performance, precision, and pushing the limits of what’s possible.

There’s little doubt these Pilot’s Chronographs will appeal to discerning watch collectors and enthusiasts - as well as affluent film buffs with a taste for IWC’s passion for timeless design.

Interestingly, F1: The Movie, co-starring Javier Bardem as APXGP team owner Ruben Cervantes, is directed by Joe Kosinski, the man behind the camera for Top Gun: Maverick.

That box office smash also featured an IWC Schaffhausen special edition chronograph, furthering the Geneva watchmaker’s innovative link with US aviation and the legendary Navy Fighter Weapons School - since 2007 IWC has produced the Top Gun watches worn by pilots in extreme strain situations that demand accuracy and durability.

Meanwhile, F1: The Movie further reinforces the watchmaker’s Hollywood credentials. Its timepieces have previously appeared in titles such as The Bourne Legacy, The Meg - worn by action star Jason Statham - and Mr & Mrs Smith, also starring Pitt.

All of the brand’s chronographs are powered by the IWC-manufactured 69385 calibre, engineered with a focus on performance, reliability and precision; a mechanical chronograph, in a classic column-wheel design, enables the wearer to accurately measure stop times of up to 12 hours.

And all of this endorses the perception and reputation of a coveted name in the luxury watch segment with a rich heritage of craftsmanship, innovation, and precision engineering.

IWC continues to push the boundaries of haute horlogerie, blending technical mastery with refined aesthetics, dating back to 1868.

And during an F1 season shaping up to be another classic - alongside a movie tipped to be a summer blockbuster - IWC Schaffhausen is again sealing its place as a visionary whose influence and relevance spans cultural genres while continuing to set the standard in luxury watchmaking.

This page was produced by The National in partnership with IWC Schaffhausen.