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When Watchmaking Meets Space Science
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EXPLORE THE INNOVATION BEHIND IWC’S GROUNDBREAKING CMC MATERIAL IN COLLABORATION WITH THE GERMAN AEROSPACE CENTER (DLR)
It’s not every day you get to showcase a luxury watch in the same space where cutting-edge aerospace research is being conducted. But that’s exactly what happened at the Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR). IWC Schaffhausen and DLR teamed up to present something truly unique: a watch case made from a ceramic matrix composite (CMC), a material typically reserved for aerospace applications.
It’s a monumental feat for both watchmaking and science, and an extraordinary honor for IWC to bring its craftsmanship into this high-tech world.
What exactly are CMCs?
In simple terms, CMCs are super-strong materials that combine the best qualities of both ceramics and fibers. Traditional ceramics are known for being hard and scratch-resistant, but they’re also brittle. That’s where fibers come in. They’re embedded in the ceramic matrix to make it much more durable, even under high stress and extreme temperatures.
“The collaboration with IWC allowed us to demonstrate the feasibility of small, near-net-shape fiber-reinforced ceramic components,” says Bernhard Heidenreich, a researcher at DLR who worked closely with IWC’s Lorenz Brunner on the development of the material. “The knowledge we gained from the watch cases helped us improve our technology for satellite propulsion systems.”
In space, materials must perform flawlessly while withstanding massive temperature changes. CMCs fit the bill perfectly. But using them for a luxury watch? Now that’s something new.
A Watch Case That’s Out of This World
The challenge was to adapt this aerospace-grade material for an application that is much smaller yet highly intricate: a watch case. To make it happen, DLR’s team of researchers worked hand in hand with IWC’s engineering division, XPL. The result was the Big Pilot’s Watch AMG G 63—a special edition watch with a sleek matte-black CMC case. The case isn’t just tough, it’s practically indestructible and incredibly light. Each case features a unique fiber pattern, meaning no two watches are exactly alike.
For IWC, it was about pushing boundaries. “At IWC, we’ve always combined the best of technology and craftsmanship,” Chris Grainger-Herr, CEO of IWC, said during the event in Stuttgart. “We’re known for our focus on high-performance materials, and adding a CMC to our portfolio was a natural step forward.”
— Developing the first watch cases made from a ceramic matrix composite (CMC) material (image by Konstantin Landuris)
It’s about figuring out what the material can do. Every material has its limits, and you have to work within them
— First developments of the CMC watch case during the siliconisation process
FROM PROTOTYPES TO PRECISION
How do you make a CMC watch case? It’s not easy. The process starts with carbon fibers, which are cut and mixed with resin, and then pressed into a mold. This preform is baked with a high-temperature process called pyrolysis, turning the resin into a carbon matrix. Next, silicon crystals are added, and everything is reheated to fuse the silicon and the carbon to create a ceramic matrix. Once the process is complete, the case has a harndess of about 2400 Vickers and can only be polished with diamond tools. It now has the hardness and scratch-resistance of a typical ceramic.
“It’s about figuring out what the material can do. Every material has its limits, and you have to work within them,” says Lorenz Brunner, Head of Advanced Materials at IWC. “We faced some challenges in the beginning, but with persistence and collaboration, we were able to create something no one else had done before.
Big Pilot’s Watch AMG G 63 Ref. IW506201
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Revisiting Signature G-Class Design Cues: The opposing subdials with external white rings imitate the typical headlights of the G-Class
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The Big Pilot’s Watch AMG G 63 is powered by the IWC-manufactured 52010 caliber, a highly robust and precise automatic movement
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SCIENCE, CRAFTSMANSHIP, AND INNOVATION
The event at DLR wasn’t just about showing off a new watch. It was about celebrating the spirit of collaboration between two worlds that seem far apart but share a love of innovation. The day included presentations from both IWC and DLR, giving an exclusive look into the complex manufacturing process of CMCs and the broader implications of their research.
Visitors also got a behind-the-scenes tour of DLR’s research facilities, where they saw firsthand how the material goes from raw fibers to a high-tech watch case. This is where the real magic of science and craftsmanship come together.
Prof. Heinz Voggenreiter, Head of the Department of Ceramic Composites and Structures at DLR, summed it up perfectly: “Behind these technologies lies a wealth of other possibilities. It’s about transferring, taking what we learn in aerospace and applying it to new fields. It’s fantastic to see how fascination for one material can inspire creativity in another.”
— In a heat treatment, the polymer matrix is converted to carbon, leaving behind a dense weave of fibres embedded in a porous carbon matrix
— Prof. Heinz Voggenreiter, Dr. Lorenz Brunner, Bernhard Heidenreich, and Chris Grainger-Herr (l-r) at the German Aerospace Center DLR
A PARTNERSHIP WITH ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES
For both IWC and DLR, this collaboration was more than just a project—it was a journey of exploration. From the challenges of working with a new material to the breakthrough of creating a product that’s as beautiful as it is functional, the partnership exemplifies what happens when two worlds innovate together.
“We often ask ourselves, how can we take that extra step? How can we make something better?” says Grainger-Herr. “This is what drives us at IWC, and it’s what makes collaborations like this so exciting.”
And while a CMC watch case may not be a necessity, it’s certainly something that people want. After all, who wouldn’t want to wear a piece of cutting-edge space science on their wrist?
The collaboration also serves as a reminder of the endless possibilities when science and craftsmanship work hand in hand. As Prof. Voggenreiter put it, “The beauty of this is that it brings together aerospace, spin-offs, art, and innovation in a way that’s truly inspiring.”
The Future is Bright
With CMCs now part of IWC’s material lineup, who knows what’s next? One thing is for sure: both IWC and DLR will continue pushing the boundaries of what’s possible, whether it’s in space or on your wrist.
