IWC

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Günther Blümlein,

CEO of IWC and one of the great geniuses in the modern watch industry, wanted to add another dimension to IWC and to show that this brand could be one of the top manufacturers in the world of high-end watches.

1989 Blancpain created the 1735 which was at that time the world’s most complicated wristwatch. It had a tourbillon, a minute repeater, a perpetual calendar and a split second chronograph.

Blümlein wanted to demonstrate that IWC could match the 1735, but in a smarter, more cost effective and robust way.

IWC had already developed a split second chrono, a PC and a Tourbillon.

But until then no minute repeater.

So, Cardio, 1995 your MR was released.

When you look at minute repeaters you see that their movements usually integrate the strike function together with the time keeping function. Which is why you see the hammers and gongs from the back of the watch. These movements require an enormous amount of fine adjustment.

So IWC created a modular system, where the strike mechanism and the sound could be perfected before implementing it in the movement. This movement is therefore far more robust than its competitors and much cheaper to produce.

The one draw back is that you can’t see the strike mechanism from the back of the case.