IWC as a lifestyle statement!

One of the best things about being a big fan of IWC is being proud of being an IWC afficionado and showing it!

Larry

I really like the lifestyle part too! Having five IWC's in 4 of the lines, allows me to choose the perfect watch for many situations. Unfortunately, I don't do much flying. Sailing is just going to start next week if all goes according to plan. Whenever I go to the swimming pool with my 2 boys however, the Aquatimer Split Minute is on my wrist! The Ingenieur gets a lot of wrist time, especially when things could get a bit rougher or whenever I want to stay below the radar.

Since the hair on the back of my head gets a bit thinner, I wear one of my IWC caps during the summer holiday. This year, it was my Aquatimer cap. I am also always proud to wear my IWC T-shirt, showing my love for the brand.

Kind regards,

Clemens (probably wearing the Aquatimer tomorrow ;-)

Lifestyle, my lifestyle: when looking at magazines about lifestyle, I either don't have a lifestyle, or I don't like what I see. Far too flashy, puting the emphasis on the exterior, making it almost look like an ad for clothes, furniture, cars, jewelery etc. But puting it more positively, my life is not too flashy, I don't have a lot of things lifestyle people seem to have. But I like quality. When I buy something, it should be good or excellent, but not extravagant. Here IWC fits in nicely. That I have more watches than necessary (for what purpose, you might ask additionally) is my own fault, my weakness, the result of IWC marketing making this forum possible. But I blame myself, and am not worried the least about it.

Kind regards,
Paul, again wearing an excellent watch

I don't think there is such a thing as an "IWC lifestyle." While the brand has always been understated, there are enough models available to complement any lifstyle -- "blingy," conservative, sporty, whatever. I think that's a big plus for IWC: the brand can't be pigeonholed into one area, intended for one type of wearer. And let's face it, in today's world, almost any watch can be worn in any situation. All we need to do is pick and choose -- ans enjoy whichever timepiece we're wearing.

Steve

So do I! I agree with that. I connect IWC with essentiality, sobriety, even severity I'd venture to say.

IWC watches are instruments, there's no sense in flaunting - IMHO, just my perception.

Regards,

roberto

Well... I use my IWC GST Perpetual Calendar Titanium almost everyday, while in the construction site or in the design desk, when I'm walking through México's City streets...
In all of those conditions, my IWC is perfect. I love it.

Greetings,
H.

There is not much need to show off my IWC as a lifestyle object to others as most of my peers do not understand watches let along know IWC is. I remember discussing our Christmas gifts and when I mentioned I was buying an IWC I was looked at with puzzlement. The easiest way to describe IWC to my family & friends was; 'its up there with Rolex'. Only to be replied with 'then why don't you buy a Rolex instead'. :-/

For me personally, watches are a lifestyle choice. I am by no means a wealthy individual yet from my father, I learned to buy quality not quantity. Having something with the quality of an IWC on my wrist is in-line with the lifestyle I am living.

Because I now own a pilots watch does not make me want to fly a plane (have a physiological fear or heights anyways) so the lifestyle marketing does not have the effect on me as it does on some. The marketing which does have an effect, and IWC does this well, is brand history, image [to a degree] and the way the company presents itself. Just the fact that IWC created an official collectors forum is 5-stars IMO. It gives a warm open feeling which other leading watch manufacturers lack. Other manufactures are more interested in showing off their portrayal of what the ideal lifestyle is.

I've mentioned I enjoy Omega watches, and I do. So I will use this company as an example because I know it better then any other watch manufacturer.
The marketing for Omega is more geared towards what their ambassadors do with their watches then the actual history of the watch (despite the moon-watch). I honestly could not care less what George Clooney or Pierce Brosnan wear (although as actors, I respect these individuals). Omega marketing seams artificial. I respect Omega watches and not so much the marketing. To risk sidetracking a bit; I am beginning to loose respect for their company due to their poor after sales warranty service experiences I've been succumb repeatedly now.

IWC markets their watches without as much focus on the high-life lifestyle other brands market. Going to the IWC website is wonderful because I am not bombarded with Ambassadors who are multimillionaires and are living a lifestyle I cannot afford (at this stage and maybe never). All I see here is watches, history and brand information.

Product placement of course is a must for any watch brand, as it is for IWC. If it was not years ago seeing a nice pilot watch, on the bedside table in a movie, I may never have research what the brand is. If I googled IWC and found another website of celebrities among other marketing clichés, I may very well been put off.

To sum it up, IWC brings quality and to some extent the prestige of owning a world class instrument to my life and that is why it fits into my lifestyle in an ideal way.

I am still new to IWC so I hope my analysis of the brand and marketing prove correct. So far IMO it has. Well done IWC, keep up the good work.

Hi Anonimousmoose,

There is a difference in what is good for me and what I like, and what is good for the world, the total community.

What I like: an excellent quality watch that looks fantastic. The last bit is the difficult part, and maybe the most important part. I can describe only in general terms what makes a watch look fantastic, like subdued yet present, but there is much more to it: there are enough good looking watches that don't do it for me in the end. Quite peculiar for me is that often there is some barrier to overcome, I have to get used to a shape or so. Like the Vintage Collection Pilot's watch, at first it was a bit strange to me, and then suddenly the sun broke through, I just had to have it.

The question is, was I also influenced in a different way, that led to my decision? I think the answer is yes, and not by accident. Common to us all is that we like to dream, we like to belong. Lifestyle presents that dream, a kind of fairy tale that may not be true, but is nice, makes us connect. This is a bit true for coffee, and all the more for luxury goods. There are watch brands that make beautiful watches, but they are dead to me, I do not connect, I will not spend a lot of money on them.

Other brands have other stories to tell to different kinds of people: they are obviously quite successful, those stories fit with their watches and with their customers. "We of IWC" are not for the bling, or for the beautiful celebrities. The brand history is strong and heroic, the celebrities have merit. We want to be succesful without being necessarily famous. We like to do good without bragging. Is that our world? Is that an IWC niche? Obviously I don't know, but that is my fantasy. And we communicate... IWC could mean International Watch Communication.

Kind regards,
Paul, wearing steel VC Portuguese, an exemplary watch regarding what I mentioned

Hello Forum friends,
Long time no see!
Since the last time I wrote a lot of things have happened...
I'm about to be a father!... Of a girl... Sofia!
My wife and me are very very thankful and blessed.
I just recently opened a construction company with my architectural design partner at Coss Bodin and a bunch of great new people.
...and, I just got back (bought back) my IWC GST PC TI ref. 3756... 2 years ago I had to sell it to a friend in a time of cash flow shortage... It was a painful decision... And I really missed the watch and realized it had become more than a watch to me... Like when yo understand the difference between value and cost. Well long story short... That watch was originally a gift from a friend... Now I had to buy it back!... So it had a cost on my finances, but the value of it is priceless.
Today that great person who gave me the gift is one of my new partners at the construction firm.
...Funny how life works. Synchronicity it is.
Have a great weekend.
PS. The GST PC Titanium may be the only watch I'll ever need... For a long while.

I have not got a clue as to what marketing approach IWC had in the 50s. In 1958 I was part of bunch of technology students that went on a month long study trip in Europe. We had the opportunity and privilege to visit IWC to study watch manufacture. I, for one, was deeply impressed by what I saw and decided that when I had enough money, I would buy an IWC watch. It took 14 years until I could do that. The watch I got was probably? an 1810.2600 Automatic Calendar. It has been a fantastic timepiece, running as well as any chronometer, enduring house construction, landscaping, gardening; you name it. It has been serviced as and when required. And it does not have the flashy look of some other watches.
It is a watch that has done, and still does, what it should.
I have recently had the pleasure of buying a Portofino Automatic as a complement.
Bo

Congratulations, Hector, on all counts.

Thank you very much Mike.