Lifestyle
IWC INGENIEUR RESIDENCY AT MATCHA CLUB ZURICH
SEE THE LATEST WATCH DESIGNS AND INNOVATIONS – LEARN MORE ABOUT THE EVENT.
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For one week in September, Zurich’s Matcha Club transformed into something extraordinary — an oasis where precision engineering met quiet ritual, and time itself slowed down. Welcome to the IWC Ingenieur Residency, where design, innovation, and sensory indulgence converged under one minimalist roof.
In a city known for precision, IWC Schaffhausen brought its own take on perfection — not just through watches, but through an atmosphere. Picture soft light reflecting off brushed steel, the faint hum of a curated soundscape by Egopusher, and the scent of freshly whisked matcha in the air. Guests stepped in for a drink and ended up on a journey through decades of design evolution — from Dieter Rams’ industrial principles to Gérald Genta’s iconic Ingenieur SL of 1976.
FORM, FUNCTION, AND A DASH OF MATCHA
The residency’s centerpiece, FORM UND TECHNIK, was less an exhibition and more an experience. Inspired by Rams’ “Ten Principles of Good Design,” it explored how form and function can — and should — coexist. Surrounding this dialogue were Genta’s unmistakable lines, his vision alive in the reborn Ingenieur collection.
The Matcha Club proved the perfect stage: Japanese ritual met Swiss engineering, all distilled into a calm yet electric vibe. Guests sipped IWC’s signature matcha drink, created exclusively for the residency, as they explored tactile examples of good design — from vintage Braun audio equipment to the newest Ingenieur Automatic models gleaming under soft spotlights.
THE WATCHES THAT STOLE THE SHOW
The Ingenieur story has always been one of evolution. From the antimagnetic tool watches of the 1950s to the sculptural Genta designs of the ‘70s, it has never stopped balancing brains and beauty. The new collection — reintroduced just two years ago — continues that legacy with the confidence of a classic reborn.
Three timepieces, in particular, caught the crowd’s attention:
Together, these watches illustrated exactly what the residency was all about — merging form and technology to create something both functional and emotional.
A SPACE FOR ALL THE SENSES
Sound became sculpture. Matcha became ritual. Watches became art.
Guests were taken on a sound journey, where the new Ingenieur watches and Dieter Rams’ timeless designs reflected a dialogue between precision, craftsmanship, and design across generations.
Collaborations with Kiki Müller (Aaino), Yvonne Reichmuth (YVY Leather), and Egopusher blurred design, craft, and sensory experience – leaving visitors with more than photos, but a true sense of IWC’s philosophy.
As CMO Franziska Gsell-Etterlin put it, “With the Ingenieur Residency, we want to show how design and technology merge in a contemporary way, while creating an experience that appeals to all the senses.”
For seven days, Zurich didn’t just host a watch event — it hosted a reminder that great design isn’t about decoration. It’s about emotion, precision, and the rare ability to make time itself feel like an experience.
Inside the IWC Ingenieur Residency: A minimalist space where form meets function.