BORN FOR OUTER SPACE
With this one-of-a-kind creation showcased during Watches & Wonders 2026, the manufacture invites to discover the first timepiece dedicated to space exploration, and equipped with a dual time zone.
Building on the know-how it has gained from mingling with adventurers of the skies, IWC has imagined the perfect toolwatch for tomorrow’s generations of astronauts. The Pilot’s Venturer Vertical Drive, developed by the experimental XPL division, isn’t an adaption of an existing model. It was designed totally from scratch. Its 44.3 mm zirconium oxide ceramic case stands out as it has no crown. This is replaced by a rotating bezel crafted in Ceratanium®, a titanium and ceramic alloy. The bezel, connected to Caliber 32722 through the Vertical Drive system, can wind the movement and adjust the two time zones via the simple rocker switch placed on the case middle.
The display meets orbital flight requirements. The main hands indicate the mission’s reference time, whilst an additional hand shows local time on a 24-hour scale based on UTC time. This is vital for astronauts who experience up to sixteen sunrises and sunsets a day when orbiting the Earth. Dashes of Super-LumiNova® ensure data is wonderfully easy to read in any situation. The movement, boasting a power reserve of 120 hours and super shock- and vibration-resistant, is tailored to withstand the extreme conditions of space launch. The Pilot’s Venturer Vertical Drive watch, certified by Vast, future operator of a commercial space station, is a real-life vision of watchmaking that focuses on outer space.
