Schaffhausen, 25 December 2016 – IWC Schaffhausen has produced a special edition of the iconic Aquatimer diver’s watch with production limited to 500 watches and a special hammerhead shark engraving on the case back. The Aquatimer Chronograph Edition “Sharks” is exclusively bundled with a copy of Michael Muller’s book of the same name. The limited Collector’s Edition TASCHEN book is signed by the photographer and presented in a bite-proof metal shark cage. Famed for his portraits of Hollywood stars, the American photographer travelled the globe to document shark species with an unprecedented degree of technical perfection.

Today, increasing numbers of shark species are facing extinction. More than 100 million sharks are caught every year whilst continued overfishing depletes their nutritional resources. “Protecting endangered species is one of the key themes in IWC’s commitment to environmental issues.
That is why, since 2009, we have also been working intensively with the Charles Darwin Foundation as it campaigns for various causes such as the preservation of the shark populations in the Galapagos Marine Reserve,” explains Georges Kern, CEO of IWC Schaffhausen. To raise awareness of the situation affecting sharks, IWC is now producing an exclusive themed special edition of the iconic Aquatimer diver’s watch.

The Aquatimer Chronograph Edition “Sharks” (Ref. IW379506) is limited to 500 watches. The engraving on the case back depicts a group of hammerhead sharks swimming. The distinctive grey dial was inspired by the colour of many sharks. Enclosed in a stainless-steel case, the timepiece is driven by an IWC-manufactured 89365 calibre. The chronograph is water-resistant to 30 bar and boasts a flyback function, a self-winding system and a power reserve of 68 hours. Dive times can be set using the mechanical external/internal rotating bezel. This trailblazing IWC development combines the excellent legibility
of an internal rotating bezel with the ease of use of an external bezel. The IWC SafeDive system ensures that the internal bezel can only be adjusted in an anticlockwise direction.
Luminescent coatings on the dial, hands and the internal rotating bezel provide optimum legibility underwater.

DARING UNDERWATER MISSION WITHOUT A PROTECTIVE CAGE

This exclusive Aquatimer is supplied in a bundle with Michael Muller’s book “Sharks”. The American photographer is famous for his portraits of the world’s most elite actors, musicians and sports stars. But for the past decade, Muller has been concentrating on his work with sharks. He swims with the ocean predators without the usual protection of an iron cage, approaching them with a 1,200-watt underwater strobe lighting rig. As a result, he manages to portray them with the same technical perfection the he brings to his Hollywood studio shoots. His spectacular photographs have been collected and presented in
an extra-large coffee-table book from the renowned publishing house TASCHEN. The volume is signed by the photographer and presented in a striking iron cage, guaranteed to protect against shark bites.

The “Sharks” bundle, comprising a limited-edition watch and a copy of the limited-edition book, is available to buy in IWC boutiques now.