For yours truly, one of the great joys of being invited to attend SIHH or a Collectors’ Meeting in Schaffhausen is the time we get to spend with like minded devotees of IWC. We get to share our passion and friendship. Like in past years I connect with old friends and get to meet new ones. It is an honor to be invited and it’s an honor to have time to spend with really great people.
So, here it begins:
Ben and I connect early on Monday morning and start our day in the IWC booth. We immediately see some very familiar IWC people. I will let the pictures tell the story in no particular sequence or importance. These are just semi-ordered the way I took them.
Ben and David Seyffer, The IWC Museum Curator and Historian of all IWC things.
Herr Klaus and the youngest and very knowledgeable IWC fan:
Tonny and Elvira instructing the young man, the son of one of the IWC celebrities on the intricacies of IWC Pocket watches.
Ben and the Time Machine:
Ben and Gaelle Devins, Assistant VP of IWC North America. She is a true friend of we Americans and those who visit the NYC Boutique.
You saw this crew in Part I, but it deserves a repeat. L to R: Adam Craniotes of Red Bar fame, Tonny, Herr Klaus, Me, Ben, and Gaelle.
Ben and Adam
My favorite shot every year is the one on one with the Legend of Schaffhausen, Kurt Klaus. He is so kind and amenable to anyone wanting a picture or autograph. I do both, btw.
Ben taking the opportunity for a picture with the Legend: Watcha doing there Ben?
Now that's better, Ben,
Ben and Stefan Ihnen, Associate Director of Research
Close up of Elvira, master watchmaker. I apologize, I don’t know her full name of title, but she was a gem to talk too and so knowledgeable about IWC movements and their repair.
Ben, Martin Dohrmann, and MF
Roman Belov, who I met for the first time after all these years and may emails in the past.
A gratuitous shot of my Regional IWC Sales Executive, Kim Poe. I’ve known her for many years. She is a long, long time IWC employee.
Mark Fleminger, Ben, and Martin
A first timer and a great guy from Down Under (Melbourne), Anthony Sonego.
Martin, Roman, and David
Tonny and Nad Zakem
Arne Müller, Tilo Hillenbrand, and Daniel Binkert
Tonny and a special friend who he would not introduce keeping her to himself.
Andrew Thomas made his first appearance.
Mark F. and Anthony
On left, Clizia Carpecchi, Sr. Project Manager Content Marketing, Schaffausen starting the intro to our day.
Show your IWCs guys.
Intro to watch repair
Trying out the controls of the Time Machine, Andrew Thomas. Tilo, Thang Vo-Ta, Tonny, and me
Our group had special one on one time with Chris Grainger, IWC CEO. He is a refreshing upgrade to the organization. He has a real interest in the Collectors and on providing real Customer Service to all. In a separate post I will tell a true story of his attention to one customer, me. In his correspondence with me he said: “my mission is to look after a great brand and make our clients happy, that is what I am here for”. That is a very refreshing strategy and it is catching on in his organization.
His group picture with us.
As always, Herr Klaus takes time to have pictures taken for our albums.
This is Nad with Frau Klaus who always attends our meetings.
I haven’t a clue what this was all about. Maybe it’s the equivalent of comparing Trumps small hands to…..
Andrew with the Time Machine
Thang too!
We had a special luncheon on Collectors’ Day.
Andrew and Markus Landgraf
The last event of the day was a private room meeting for a show and tell on a very special project at IWC. Stefan Ihnen took us through the development and execution of the IWC Fidget Spinner. Learn more here about the spinner. www.iwc.com/us/en/articles/journal/the-iwc-fidget-spinner.html
As the article points out only 100 of these very special pieces were produced. They are made with parts from several different IWC calibers from the c.89 all the way to a Turbillon. It is comprised of bridge plastes, escape wheels, third wheels, second wheels, minute wheels, Tourbillon ball bearings and other stick it together parts.
We were and are very lucky to get the first 20 of these masterpieces.
Under our chairs in the meeting room was an IWC bag. We expected the usual new catalog, but to our surprise we also received the special Fidget Spinner. I certainly will treasure mine. The other 80 will go to Boutiques or special customers, I suspect.
I took these shots of mine after I got home:
It is cased in a plastic box with the LE notation plate
As part of the week, we were invited on Tuesday to attend the big Gala Celebration with outstanding entertainment and food. Over 800 Authorized Distributors and friends of the brand are royally entertained for the evening. I wasn’t allowed to take my big camera to the Gala. These are some candid iPhone shots of the evening. It is always a privilege to be invited to this special event. I hope others post their Gala shots as I only have a few.
The cocktail hour had food trucks spread around for nibbling before the main event.
Your truly in full Formal wear.
Herr Klaus was given special recognition and there was a movie of him. He was the Star of the Evening.
Dinner is served.
Nad and Karolina Kurkova, lucky dog.
Ben got in on the hugs too. Watch your hand their Ben, no slippage allowed.
I guess we all got our 15 seconds of fame too.
Some after dinner posing in the celebrity area.
OMG, Bill what was I doing?
Me with Hannes Pantli and spouse
On the evening of the Collectors’ Day, we were invited to a private party / dinner at Les Aviateurs, an IWC owned Aviators Pub in Geneva. More time for comradeship and face to face time with the IWC executives.
We met first in the IWC Geneva Boutique, which is next door to Les Aviateurs.
On right is John Helliwell, band member of Supertramp from the late 1970’s
Always the trooper and friend of the Collectors, Herr Klaus.
The expected Tonny quiz, which no one answered correctly.
Chris Grainger joined us as well.
Our group shot, with and without watches showing.
Once again, we all owe IWC a big round of applause and thanks for being our hosts for the week. It is a pleasure and honor to be invited. As I said, I don’t know of another company that pays this much attention to its customers. Kudos to the whole team for making our time in Geneva so enjoyable and special.
I have more to share, but it must wait until tomorrow. I am out of steam with this one. Please forgive any misspellings or errors or omissions. I’ll try to catch and correct them later.
Link to Part I: The SIHH Venue and the IWC Booth: Click Here
Link to Part III: Part III link
