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    21.04.2025

    Toto Wolff’s new IWC is a timepiece built for F1 drama

    Engineered to handle extreme stress, this limited-edition luxury timepiece blends cutting-edge design with Formula 1 grit.

    Words: Victor Goh, Watch Editor

    Photos courtesy of IWC Schaffhausen.

     

    In 2025, luxury watch brands are racing each other harder than the drivers on the Formula 1 grid, all desperately jostling for position alongside the 20 fastest wrists on the planet.

    Some brands have been trackside for decades, as intrinsically linked to F1 as controversial steward decisions; others are newer to the motorsport party but remain no less significant, capturing the spirit of the world's premier racing series with timepieces almost as expensive as the cars themselves.

    Toto Wolff, Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team Principal, needs a watch that can keep up with the demands of the job – specifically, surviving when he slams his fist through various surfaces after hearing "Bono, my tires are gone" for the 500th time.

    For IWC, iconic offerings like the Big Pilot and Portugeiser frequently grace every Grand Prix, often adorning the wrist of one of the sport's greatest-ever competitors. With Lewis Hamilton now set to debut a new timepiece, it seemed only fitting that IWC creates a tribute to its enduring partnership with Mercedes AMG – dedicated to the sharp-dressed man whose dramatic reactions have launched a thousand reactions.

    The IWC Big Pilot benefits from the brand’s SPRIN-g PROTECT® system.

    Photo: IWC Schaffhausen


    And if his now-iconic outbursts on the pit wall are anything to go by (we're still replacing the glass from Monaco 2024), IWC's Big Pilot's Watch Shock Absorber XPL might just be the perfect companion for Mercedes AMG's emotionally volcanic team principal.

    Engineered to withstand the enormous stresses of Formula 1 – or just the stress of managing two drivers who actually want to win – IWC has celebrated one of the sport's most successful bosses, Toto Wolff, with his very own IWC Big Pilot's Watch Shock Absorber XPL. It's the second watch the Swiss luxury watchmakers have released ahead of the 2025 season, debuting alongside the anniversary IWC Pilot's Watch Mark XX that was released earlier this month.

    Toto Wolff's own timepiece channels the same energy as the Mercedes AMG F1 team, featuring the signature colors and a bold, performance-driven edge. But unlike a standard team accessory, the Big Pilot's Watch Shock Absorber XPL arrives with a bit more impact... literally. Much like its namesake when the safety car comes out at an inopportune moment.

    This limited-edition masterpiece boasts a hefty 44mm Ceratanium® case, a fusion of ceramic and titanium that offers the lightweight durability of the former with the scratch resistance of the latter. IWC's proprietary material is built to withstand the inevitable knocks, whacks, and headphone-destroying moments that come with leading a top-tier F1 team where your drivers occasionally forget how to share tarmac.

    Thanks to IWC's cutting-edge SPRIN-g PROTECT® system, the new Big Pilot Shock Absorber is built to take a beating and keep ticking. Think of it as a luxury timepiece with the resilience of a tank – or Wolff's vocal cords after a particularly dramatic team radio exchange. It's engineered to survive up to 30,000 g of force, which is way more than an F1 car experiences; even a fighter jet. Though still slightly less than Wolff's blood pressure during the last lap at Abu Dhabi.

    At its heart, the IWC-manufactured Calibre 32101 automatic movement powers this exceptional timepiece, delivering an impressive 120-hour power reserve – ensuring unwavering precision and reliability through even the most demanding moments, like when your star driver announces he's leaving for Ferrari. No pun intended.

    About the Author

    Victor Goh

    With a wrist perpetually graced by precision and a gaze fixed on horological haute couture, Victor Goh curates timepieces the way a sommelier selects vintage wine—bold, refined, and never predictable. His editorial instincts are as sharp as the crease on his pinstripe trousers, ensuring every GC watch feature ticks with class, clarity, and character.

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