IWC Sponsers Plastiki

If you happen to sail in the northern pacific, you might find yourself most alarmed when peering over the bow of your vessel. You will find something quite different from the marine life you expected, even though you are some 500 miles off the coast of California, and not a human in sight. You will find a massive "plastic soup", and this "soup" is getting denser by the day. The "soup", twice the size of continental U.S.A is made up of small pieces of plastic derived from 2.5 percent of all plastic ever manufactured since 1950. 100 million tons of it! The ocean currents in the Northern Pacific herd the plastic into a large patch, that ,if we are not careful, will double in a couple of years. If that! Plastic is not biodegradable. It does not disintegrate and does not benefit the food chain, it is actual detrimental, to such an extent that bird skeletons have been found filled to the brim with lighters, brittle plastic pellets and plastic bottle caps. The plastic photo degrades which means, the plastic becomes brittle and breaks up into smaller and smaller pieces, in addition plastic absorbs toxins which may be consumed by fish and end up on our dinner table.

So what can we do about this alarming "plastic soup" discovered in 1997 by Charles Moore? First and foremost is knowledge. Knowing we have a problem, and then once established, we can make an effort to minimise the use of and recycle plastic.

I bet you are wondering what our discussion of "plastic soup" has to do with luxury watches. Good question!
IWC Schaffhausen, luxury watch company known for its collection of Pilot and Portuguese watches (available for reduced prices at THE WATCHERY), is concerned about the dwindling resources on our planet. IWC has partnered with a dedicated environmentalist, adventurer and developer of Adventure Ecology, David De Rothschild, on an endeavour to spread the word about global sustainable issues.

Knowing the world gets bored easily and a remarkable adventure is required to spark the interest of a jaded audience, David de Rothschild has come up with a brilliant plan. He is currently building Plastiki on San Fransisco Bay Pier 31. Plastiki is a 60 foot sea vessel or raft made entirely out of plastic soda bottles and other recycled materials. de Rothschild plans to navigate his vessel from San Fransisco to Sydney, over the great undulating waves of our very own "plastic soup".

The journey will begin any day now, as the final touches are being made to the "soda bottle boat."


In honor of this great expedition IWC is releasing a limited edition Ingenieur Automatic Mission Earth Edition "Adventure Ecology" Watch. The commemoration of the mission will be engraved on the back of the watch. The 46mm steel watch houses an in house 80110 calibre automatic movement. David de Rothschild will wear the IWC Ingenieur throughout his voyage.

Bon Voyage!

I lost my luxury watch!

As per the charming weather reporter on NBC, the day was supposed to be lovely. Sunny and 70 degrees. Who could ask for more? It was a lovely day until I lost my Cartier Tank.

I have searched high and low. I have upturned countless trash cans, even the neighbours trash, with their amazed permission of course. I rifled through fish skeletons and apple peels. I upturned empty boxes of Honey Nut Cheerios and Corn Flakes. I shook smelly open cans of tuna, until I was absolutely sure my Cartier Tank was not in the trash. I even jumped into my car to race to the city dump, until the ones closest to me explained that it may not be a good idea. My house looks like it has been ransacked. I did it. Every drawer has been opened and every closet in disarray. Oh I have a clean-up job when I get back to my senses, but not now. Now I have to find my Cartier Tank. I cannot remember the last time I saw it. But I know it is not on my wrist where it should be, and I know it has been on my wrist year in and year out. I cannot bare the thought of parting with it. It seems like a large crack has appeared in that part which I view my self, who I am. Oh I know this sounds like psychological drib drab, and truly if the watch was sitting in supreme comfort on my wrist I would have rolled my eyes too.

But losing the watch has rattled me to no end, and it is upon losing the watch that I realise the extreme connection I have. It will turn up. I know it will.

Now when one shops for a luxury watch it is so much more than merely shopping for a pair of shoes or a shirt. A luxury watch is meant for life, and it is made for life. Companies like Cartier, Audemars Piaget, Vacheron Constantin, Ebel, Tag Heuer, IWC,Concord, Patek Philippe and so many others have this intrinsic knowledge. Every watch they carefully design and craft ,and eventually after much scrutiny release to the consumer, will become part of the identity of the purchaser.

To purchase the perfect watch takes much consideration and thought, and THE WATCHERY can help you. At THE WATCHERY you can narrow your search down by numerous criteria. You can search by Company, Material, Cost, Band Color, Dial Color and so much more. You can find the perfect watch. The watch that will become part of who you, how people perceive you and how you perceive yourself.

I understand the connection one has with ones watch fully now, as I fear my watch is lost. Every space and nook I look into, and every shelf I walk past, I scan, hoping I missed something, and hoping my watch will appear. On second thought I haven't looked in the second bedroom behind the "How to Organize your life" stack of books.

Ralph Lauren Watch and Jewerly Company

This Ralph Lauren watch with the gold stirrup shaped bezel is causing quite a stir among watch enthusiasts. They are eagerly anticipating the arrival of this watch in May 2009. The watches were first unveiled at SIHH in January 2009. This watch is part of a new watch collection carrying the iconic brand name of Ralph Lauren.

This watch is the offspring of a brand new company "Ralph Lauren Watch and Jewerly Company", formed in September 2008, and based in Geneva Switzerland. This company is the partnership between two leading companies, Polo Ralph Lauren and Richemont Group. This new company will design, develop, manufacture and distribute luxury watches and fine jewelry. For both companies this venture is a first. This is Richemont's first such venture with a luxury fashion designer and its Polo Ralph Lauren first venture into the luxury watch and jewelry business.

Ralph Lauren, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation said, “I have waited a long time to create and introduce timepieces that I feel exemplify the ultimate in luxury and quality. Richemont shares that understanding and has the global reputation and experience to fulfill these shared goals. I have the highest confidence that this unique partnership will be tremendously successful and an important part of our global luxury accessories strategy.”

Johann Rupert, Executive Chairman of Richemont, said, “I have long admired Ralph Lauren. His impeccable taste, style and attention to detail are unique. These factors, combined with Richemont’s expertise in jewelry and watches has led to a fascinating business venture. Jointly, we aim to create a new luxury business, which I am confident will develop into a world leader. This is an exciting partnership and I am very happy to work with Ralph Lauren on this project. I am very enthusiastic about the timepieces we will be unveiling at SIHH 2009.”

Many people people are speculative about forming a new luxury company in times of economic uncertainty, but the overwhelming enthusiasm to the new watch collection displays positive signs for the future of the "Ralph Lauren Watch and Jewelry Company". It is pleasing to see growth and creativity.

Richemont owns a portfolio of leading international brands. Each brand is managed independently of one another, thus maintaining the unique quality and creativity. Richemont has five distinct areas of operation:

1)High end Jewelry Companies (which also sell watches): Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels.

2)High end watchmakers: Jaeger LeCoultre, Piaget, IWC, Baume & Mercier, Vacheron Constantin, Panerai, A Lange & Sohne & Roger Dubois.

3)High end writing instruments: Montblanc and Montegrappa

4)High end leather and accessories: Alfred Dunhill and Lancel

5)Other businesses: Chloe and 19.5% interest in British American Tobacco.

The survival of Luxury Watch Companies in the 1970's?

In this troubling economic times, I have decided to write about watch companies and their survival at the time of the quartz scare. A trying time for watch companies, who prided themselves with carefully crafted mechanical movements. Read Newspaper Article priding the New Longines Quartz Watch as being more accurate than the sun itself. Many Mechanical Watch Companies fearful of becoming mere historical artifacts fought for survival in different ways.

As I was tracking Harry Winston's Stock on the Dow (HDW), it was deeply troubling to me that it had dropped from $31.00 a share in May of 2008 to a gut wrenching $2.48 a share today. As I was staring at the graph, I realized that the mechanical watches had been through a scare like this, "the quartz scare" in the 1970's and many not only pulled through, but flourished. I decided to blog about a company every week who took the blow and survived. How did they survive? What did they do? How were they impacted? These stories of survival and hope are crucial in our times of economic duress where the future seems bleak and uncertain.

My first choice is IWC (International Watch Company) . A remarkable company, founded in 1868 by an American, Florentine Ariosto Jones, and saved a town of Schaffusen who had paused in its industrial development. In 1888 IWC installed electricity in its factory. Ironically, in 1944 its factory was bombed by the American air force, a fatal error. In 1957, Hans Ernst Homberger, the founder's son added a new wing to the factory and bought new more efficient machines to keep up with the constant demand of highly predictable and precise mechanical watches. Hans ensured that the latest technologies were implemented in the watch manufacturing. IWC embraced the latest quartz technology and became co founder and shareholder in the "Centre Electronique l"Horlogerie Suisse" (CEH) making monitory contributions to the development of the Beta 21 quartz wristwatch movement, which was unveiled at the 1969 Basel Fair. This movement accounted for 5-6% of the total sale of quartz watches. With this success, IWC was able to expand its collection to jewelery watches with mechanical movements for ladies. In post war period, 1973 was IWC's most successful year.

Then a period of hardship struck. In 1974 gold prices rose to astronomical proportions - over 3 times the previous price, and the value of the Dollar fell 40% against the Swiss Franc so that the price of watch exports rose to 250%. To make matters worse Japan was now bombarding the market with cheap precise quartz watches.

IWC realized that drastic changes had to be implemented if the company was to survive. IWC kept its traditional watchmaking, but at the same time grew extremely technologically advanced, feeding the consumers more of what they wanted, one innovation after another. In 1978, the first compass watch was introduced followed by the introduction of a new material - titanium.

The man of the moment was Otto Heller, Director and Chief Executive Officer. In 1978 he secured venture capital from Swiss Banking Corporation. Otto retired and Gunter Blumlein stepped in, he strove for quick implementation of planned changes, upped the existing advertising campaign, and targeted a young and free-spending customer base, placing the company on the path to success. He founded the LMH group in 1991 with 100% stake in IWC, 60% in Jaeger-LeCoultre and 90% in A. Lange and Sohne. In July 0f 2000, the LMH Group was acquired by the Richemont Group guaranteeing the Independence and future of the LMH brands as a closed unit under the current management.

Today IWC is widely popular with a large young customer base. The watch depicted to the left is a best seller at THE WATCHERY.
IWC Big Pilot's Men's Watch 7 Day Power Reserve 18K White Gold Grey Dial on Brown Leather Strap IW500402

It has a large case - 46mm, and a dial with bold clear numbers.
The large screw down crown is instantly recognizable. The hand indicators are luminous. The automatic movement has a 7 day power reserve. It is a large watch meant to be worn. This watch is 30% off the List Price saving you a chump of change.

THE WATCHERY has a large selection of IWC timepieces including the Aquatimer and Aquatimer Chronograph; Big Ingeniour Collection and Big Pilot's Watch; Men and Ladies IWC De Vinci; Grande Complication Collection and highly popular Portugese Collection.

Wear your watch to success.

TheWatchery Top Brands For July

TheWatchery has a large selection of watches at up to 80% off retail prices. The month of july brings many new discounts on watches that are very hard to get and impossible to get at such low prices. All our watches are brand new and authentic!

TAG Heuer - Cartier - Movado - Ebel - Concord - Breitling - Audemars Piguet - Corum - IWC - Longines - Omega - Vacheron Constantin