Letter from the Publisher

CHRONOGRAPHS, SPLit-SECONdS ANd FLybACk CHRONOGRAPHS
iWC SCHAFFHAUSEN
dA ViNCi CHRONOGRAPH CERAMiC – REF. iW376601
In 1986, IWC unveiled a Da Vinci in a ceramic case. The new Da Vinci Chronograph Ceramic combines zirconium oxide, which is extremely scratchresistant,
non-magnetic and acid-proof, with grade 5 titanium, a material that has proven its worth in aircraft manufacture, among other things.
Apart from the striking bezel, other parts machined from titanium are the caseback, the crown and the buttons. For the first time ever, the titanium
is satin-finished and polished, giving the watch its luxurious appearance and smooth, silky feel. The inside of the case likewise features various
innovations. In another first for IWC, the movement mounting and the seats for the operating parts are machined directly into the ceramic casing
ring. The chronograph pushbuttons are fitted with newly developed, wear-resistant pushpins, likewise made of ceramic. Also new for IWC is the
extravagant design of the dial, which has assumed an attractive, three-dimensional quality. The réhaut volant, a tonneau-shaped minute display,
appears to hover above the dial, while the stopwatch hand partially glides below it. This floating chapter ring assumes the same convex shape as the
sapphire glass, making the inner surface of the bezel appear flatter. The watch's overall appearance is rounded off by a specially treated calfskin strap
whose surface structure is reminiscent of a high-tech fabric. The flyback chronograph combines the hour and minute counters in a single totalizer.
• 274 Grand Complications, Vol. VII