In 1993, on the occasion of its 125th anniversary, IWC opened an exclusive museum at its Schaffhausen headquarters and became Switzerland’s first watch manufacturer with such a facility. Since 2007 the collection is housed on the first floor of the historic main building that was built in 1875 by the IWC founder Florentine Ariosto Jones (1841-1916).
The new home of IWC watches represents the world of an international luxury brand. Together with the objects on display, it creates surroundings that are at once modern yet timeless, luxurious yet functional, and with every convenience the visitor could possibly wish for. Guests are transported back in time to explore the historical timepieces and the rich history of IWC, and can explore the lineage of each spectacular IWC watch family.
HOURS AND ADMISSION
OPENING TIMES
IWC MUSEUM CURRENTLY CLOSED
The IWC museum is closed due to the latest development of COVID-19 until further notice. Our priority is to protect the health and safety of our employees, clients and guests. We are looking forward to welcoming you to our museum and presenting you the wonderful world of IWC soon.
GUIDED TOURS
We will gladly arrange guided tours through our museum for groups of up to 10 persons during our opening times.
The price of a guided tour is CHF 100 (including admission).
Please contact us either by e-mail at visit@iwc.com to make prior arrangements.
ADMISSION CHARGES
ADULTS: CHF 6
REDUCED ADMISSION: CHF 3
For children under 12, admission to the IWC Museum is free.
DIRECTIONS
GETTING THERE
The museum is in the main building at IWC Schaffhausen at the edge of the old town in Schaffhausen and on the banks of the Rhine.
ON FOOT
About ten minutes’ walk from Schaffhausen main station
BY PUBLIC TRANSPORT
Take bus no. 5 (Buchthalen) to the “Rhybadi/IWC” stop.
BY CAR
From Zurich/Winterthur, leave the tunnel at the “Schaffhausen Süd, Zentrum, Kreuzlingen” exit and head for the centre (Zentrum). Coming from Stuttgart/Singen/Donaueschingen, leave the tunnel at the “Schaffhausen Süd, Rheinfall, Kreuzlingen” exit and head for the centre (Zentrum). Car parking is available in the old town.
About the museum
In 1868, American watchmaker Florentine Ariosto Jones founded the International Watch Company, as the first and only watch manufacture in the north-eastern part of Switzerland. As a location, he chose a site close to the River Rhine that used to be the orchard of the All Saints abbey – a former Benedictine monastery housing the oldest building in Schaffhausen. Based on plans by architect G. Meyer, the first premises were built between 1874 and 1875 in the garden adjacent to the banks of the Rhine. Behind the building’s impressive façade, IWC has been manufacturing extraordinary timepieces for 150 years, many of which have gained iconic status. Back in 1993, on the occasion of its 125th anniversary, IWC opened an exclusive museum in the attic of its headquarters – by this time a listed building – and became Switzerland’s first watch manufacturer with such a facility.
In 2007, IWC trumped its past achievements with a newly designed watch museum on the converted ground floor of the main building. In spaces once given over to the manufacture of cases and watch parts, light-flooded rooms and display cases set off the exhibits to their best advantage. Production has been relocated to more spacious premises directly next door, making room for many more exhibits and a multimedia presentation documenting the company’s history.
The new home of IWC watches represents the world of an international luxury brand; together with the objects on display, it creates surroundings that are at once modern yet timeless, luxurious yet functional, and with every convenience the visitor could possibly wish for.
Over 230 carefully selected items bear witness to a manufacturer that started making a name for itself with unusually reliable quality, and universally appealing design from the very beginning.
It creates surroundings that are at once modern yet timeless, luxurious yet functional
For the first time, the Jones movements in their various qualities are clearly presented
The journey through the history of innovation at IWC starts here, with the legendary Jones calibres from the period of the company’s foundation. For the first time, the Jones movements in their various qualities are clearly presented. The post-Jones period, with the famous 52 calibre, for example, is also documented here. To make more room for the development of the calibres, there has been a slight reduction in the number of pocket watches with digital displays. As a result, there will be fewer cases containing marksman’s and dress watches, and a shift in emphasis to the quality of IWC movements. Highlights of the wristwatch display are the Albert Pellaton anniversary watch, the so-called “club watches”, and new models in the Porsche Design family. The intention is to appeal to a younger and broader audience while accentuating IWC’s special strengths – in particular the company’s ingenuity when it comes to wristwatch technology and design. New catalogues and advertising artwork in the smaller intermediate cases and in the main cabinets supplement the watch display.
EAST WING
In the East Wing, additional exhibits accompany the showcases for individual watch families, such as the Portugieser or the Portofino collections. It would also be feasible for the museum to continue adding to its extensive collection by making targeted acquisitions and integrating the company’s own existing watch collections. In this wing, visitors to the Museum can trace the genealogy of the individual IWC watch families.
IWC also stages a variety of special exhibitions at the museum. The retrospective is fittingly complemented by original documentation from IWC’s own archives: watch catalogues from 1900, historic tools, spare parts and technical drawings, as well as contracts and records.
Also on display are two of the 94 ledgers that provide complete information about every IWC watch made since 1885: its calibre, case material, date of delivery and name of the recipient. These details are indispensable for research, even today. In every section of the exhibition visitors can make use of interactive screens to obtain an in-depth understanding of the individual exhibits in eight different languages. The exhibits come complete with a detailed technical description and, at a second level, contain additional background information.
Visitors to the museum can trace the genealogy of the individual IWC watch families
THE OFFICIAL IWC MUSEUM APP
You can now download the official IWC Museum audio guide direct to your digital device with the IWC Museum app. Get informed about the fascinating world of the IWC Museum and receive useful information surrounding the museum exhibits and your visit.