Watchmaker: Legends & Legendary

Mr. Klaus, and his team at IWC did not stop here. They brought to market, the DaVinci Perpetual Calendar. The first chronograph wristwatch with a 4-digit year display (with separate century, decade, and year) as well as moon phase - all on a single module that is pre-programmed and could be easily set by the wearer with the crown. All functions are synchronized. The wearer does not need to set each complication separately, using multiple correctors on the sides of the case. Thus, the Caliber 79061 was born - inspiring other brands to pursue complicated watchmaking as a means to differentiate from simple, low-cost watches.

Fast-forward to March, 2007. The next generation of the Da Vinci line is announced. Brazened and bold lines frame the massive, tonneau-styled case. Renaissance-era inspiration are evident in curves, and proportion of the hands, and the subdials on the silver-plated guilloche watchface. However, as you study the curves and edges you quickly get a feeling of automotive meets aerospace and a true “white-knuckle” ride in an Aston Martin.

Inside, the same Perpetual Calendar movement (Cal. 79261) designed by Mr. Klaus is fitted into the latest Perpetual Calendar - the reference 3762. The watch: IWC DaVinci Perpetual Calendar Edition Kurt Klaus.

A fitting tribute to the 50-plus year career of IWC’s Kurt Klaus - the DaVinci Perpetual Edition that bears his signature is in high-demand world-wide, a year after its release.

Did I mention the case is massive? Yes. 43.1mm across by 51mm lug-to-lug and a height of 15.2mm. In 18k Rose Gold, the watch weighs in at 190 grams - and a true pleasure to wear. The latest news on the Kurt Klaus Edition broke at SIHH 2008 in Geneva. A 4th metal has been added to this edition of watches - stainless steel. This will make Mr. Klaus even more popular with an additional 3,000 appearances. The stainless steel edition will be a fast sellout at the attractive price of $24,000 USD.

You’ve probably met Kurt Klaus touring the world - he is a real “rock star” and this latest Perpetual Calendar edition is just that. Rock star.

Watchmaker: Legends & Legendary

4/16/08

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DaVinci is synonymous with renaissance, with science, engineering, and innovation. Back in the early 1980s, during the dark years of the Swiss watch industry - the name DaVinci came to usher a new generation of thinking to the modern, mechanical wristwatch. It was the beginning of ‘Haute Horlogerie”. This time - it was the micro-mechanical genius of Kurt Klaus who devised the solution for the perpetual calendar’s “date program disc”. This is a crucial component of the Perpetual Calendar for determining the number of the days in each month for a 4-year period - with February at 29 every 4 years.