IWC Schaffhausen

Abu Dhabi, UAE, 13 August 2012 – Following this year’s opening of the flagship boutique in New York and other boutiques at prestigious addresses in Paris and Macau, IWC Schaffhausen proudly announces its latest address in the Middle East. The brand’s multifaceted watch families and the selected editions available exclusively from IWC boutiques have found a new home in the UAE capital’s first stand-alone, high-end luxury shopping destination, Avenue at Etihad Towers.

Transforming the skyline of the United Arab Emirates capital, Etihad Towers is the latest awe-inspiring landmark on the famed Abu Dhabi Corniche and an ideal home for the new IWC boutique. “It’s no coincidence that we chose Avenue at Etihad Towers. It is a perfect match and positions the brand in an environment as outstanding and exceptional as our products,” says IWC CEO Georges Kern. Abu Dhabi is already well established as one of the most exclusive destinations for upmarket holidaymakers and offers a wealth of shopping opportunities for even the most discerning clientele. Furthermore, various museums, exhibitions and high-class sport events, like the Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, make the city a cultural hot spot in the region.

Understated luxury
True to its corporate identity, IWC has created a homogeneous ambience that unites the distinctive architecture and styling of the watch families. Superbly designed by IWC’s in-house architects, the boutique is fitted out with sumptuous dark woods and exquisite materials. These create an elegant but welcoming atmosphere in all areas of the store and invite customers to discover IWC’s watchmaking heritage and six fascinating product worlds. Guests entering the boutique are greeted by an eye-catching facade of shiny, black glass. This gives way to a series of stunning window displays showcasing the magnificent Portuguese collection and legendary Pilot’s Watch family. In pride of place is the exclusive and completely overhauled TOP GUN line, which spearheaded the relaunch of the Pilot’s Watch family at the SIHH in Geneva earlier this year.

A journey through IWC timepieces
Visitors to the boutique embark on a fascinating journey through the history of aviation and some of its iconic figures with the Pilot’s Watches. Through the Portuguese collection, they learn about the importance of precision timekeeping to navigation and the significance of seafarers from Portugal in our exploration of the planet. With the Aquatimer family, they take the plunge into the deep and discover yet more adventure with the Ingenieur. The Da Vinci collection is a tribute to the eponymous all-round genius of Renaissance Italy, while the picturesque little harbour town Portofino lends its name to the sixth IWC watch family and mirrors another aspect of Italian culture: la dolce vita and the laid-back atmosphere that attracted the great and the good to the Ligurian coast in the Fifties and Sixties.

Apart from the standard collection, another major attraction for visitors is the range of editions exclusively available in IWC boutiques. The experience of acquiring an IWC timepiece is exciting enough in itself, but it assumes an extra dimension when customers know they have the chance to obtain a model that is extremely rare.

On to greater things
The opening of the Abu Dhabi boutique in Avenue at Etihad Towers marks yet another milestone in IWC Schaffhausen’s ongoing quest to provide customers, collectors and fans of the brand with the ultimate watchmaking experience, which is based on a unique combination of unmatched engineering and technology with outstanding design. This is underpinned by excellence in every aspect of IWC’s service offering and set against the impressive backdrop of IWC’s history and heritage. As IWC Schaffhausen CEO Georges Kern explains: “It’s all about creating an atmosphere where our customers feel at home and enjoy the same IWC experience no matter where they visit us. We believe the setting should reflect the personal relationship between the brand and our clients and purposely provide several distinct areas within the boutique that cater for individual preferences.” Judging from reactions to IWC boutiques worldwide, this mix appears to be a favourable one.