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ReviewIWC Da Vinci Chronograph Edition “Sport For Good Foundation”: An In-depth Review

A meaningful association translated into a legendary timepiece.

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Every brand looks out for meaningful associations. And a good relationship helps the brand in communicating its story so much better. There are many who associate with sports, like Rolex with Wimbledon or Hublot with FIFA. But the one association I greatly admire is the one IWC has forged with Laureus Sports Foundation.

Laureus is associated with social change and development via sports-related projects. Laureus comprises the Laureus World Sports Academy, the Laureus World Sports Award and the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation. The Foundation was established in 1999 by Daimler and Richemont Group- which owns IWC- and funds and supports children’s community sports projects. The focus on children is to be applauded because a better future starts by giving opportunities to children to play and develop their knowledge and skills. IWC’s involvement with Laureus began in 2005.

2017 marks the launch of the 12th IWC Da Vinci Chronograph Edition “Sport For Good Foundation”.
Each Laureus Limited Edition can be recognised by its blue dial – the colour of Laureus – and an engraved back, usually featuring a child’s drawing.

And what could be a better location than the sports-loving Monaco to launch this special watch this year? A single evening saw the biggest names in sports- Usain Bolt, Simone Biles, Michael Phelps and Nico Rosberg, join the bosses from IWC to launch the Laureus watch.

Since 2006 there hasn’t been a single occasion (except for 2010) when IWC has missed out on launching a special edition watch for Laureus. Part of the proceeds from the sale of these timepieces contributes to developmental projects of the Foundation.

The launch evening saw the biggest names in sports- Usain Bolt, Simone Biles, Michael Phelps and Nico Rosberg, join the bosses from IWC to launch the Laureus watch.

2017 marks the launch of the 12th Laureus Special Edition. Like its predecessors, the IWC Da Vinci Chronograph Special Edition “Laureus Sport for Good Foundation” aims to be a symbol of hope for children and young people who are socially disadvantaged due to mental or physical handicaps or difficult family circumstances. This is the second instance when Da Vinci was chosen as the preferred model for the Laureus association since 2008. Unlike the previous occasion when 1000 pieces were produced, the 2017 edition is limited to 1500 pieces only.

Limited to just 1500 pieces, the IWC Da Vinci Chronograph Edition “Sport For Good Foundation” is the classic timepiece that can be passed down through generations.

Each Laureus Limited Edition can be recognised by its blue dial – the colour of Laureus – and an engraved back, usually featuring a child’s drawing. This year IWC has chosen the drawing themed “Time Well Spent” by 12-year old boy Hou Ye from Shanghai who won the global drawing competition for children. One can appreciate Hou Ye’s creation on the back of the watch. Despite his mental handicap and limited motor abilities, Hou Ye participated in the Special Olympics East Asia. His winning picture shows him on skis, laughing as he sets his own personal best time.

The Foundation was established in 1999 by Daimler and Richemont Group. The focus on children is to be applauded because a better future starts by giving opportunities to children to play and develop their knowledge and skills. IWC’s involvement with Laureus began in 2005.
This year IWC has chosen the drawing themed “Time Well Spent” by 12-year old boy Hou Ye from Shanghai who won the global drawing competition for children.

Case, Dial & Lugs:

Two things that stand out in the new Da Vinci Chronograph Edition “Laureus Sport for Good Foundation” (Ref. IW393402) is the return to a classic round case for Da Vinci while maintaining the design codes of other IWC watch families, and a handsome yet refined size of 42mm in a stainless steel case.

Nothing is less special in this special timepiece, from the newly developed moving horns with curved lugs that ensure a better fit of the Santoni leather strap on the wrist, to the classical yet modern looking crown and pushers. There have been great efforts in improving the looks and operations of the pushers compared to the original Da Vinci timepieces.

Two things that stand out in the new Da Vinci Chronograph Edition “Laureus Sport for Good Foundation” (Ref. IW393402) is the return to a classic round case for Da Vinci.

Another aspect that adds to the looks is the pronounced domed shape of the sapphire crystal glass, which remains unchanged. The dial looks clean and well-balanced due to the contrast between the blue dial and the polished hour markers and hands. I quite like the touch of red on the tip of central chronograph seconds hand, the 60-minute indicator in the hour/minute sub-dial, and 45 seconds marker on the main dial. The date window in the lower sub-dial at 6 o’clock position looks good in size and offers good legibility.

The date window in the lower sub-dial at 6 o’clock position looks good in size and offers good legibility.

Sub-Dials:

The sub-dials at 6 and 12 o’clock offer great balance and proportions. The circular patterns within the sub-dials- though in the same blue- offer great contrast with the smooth blue dial. Similarly, the IWC logo is positioned at its usual place on the right of the dial. And “chronograph” is mentioned on the left to provide a balance. Overall the watch dial is clean, clear and highly legible.

Nothing is less special in this special timepiece, from the newly developed moving horns with curved lugs that ensure a better fit of the Santoni leather strap on the wrist, to the classical yet modern looking crown and pushers.

Chronograph:

The chronograph shows elapsed minutes and hours in the 12 o’clock sub-dial and seconds in the 6 o’clock sub-dial. A central chronograph hand shows seconds on a milliseconds scale. The chronograph can run continuously without any decrease in amplitude, offering the best in mechanical chronographs.

The chronograph shows elapsed minutes and hours in the 12 o’clock sub-dial and seconds in the 6 o’clock sub-dial.
A classic timepiece, the IWC Da Vinci Chronograph Edition “Sport For Good Foundation” makes for the perfect companion to any formal event.

The Movement:

The watch houses IWC’s famous, the robust 89361 movement from the high-end 89000 family. The 2007 Da Vinci featured the first version of this movement – the calibre 89360. Already used in IWC’s other high-end chronographs, this movement features a spring bridge for enhanced shock absorption from impacts from all directions.

The 89361 movement beats at a high frequency of 4 Hz or 28,800 vph and has almost a 3 day long (68 hours) power reserve.

An improved and redesigned Pellaton winding system is used to retain energy levels. IWC’s famed Pellaton automatic winding system was developed in the late 1940s by then technical director- Albert Pellaton. The way it functions differs fundamentally from other winding designs. The rotor is the most freely moving part and is subject to the greatest stress and strain created by the movements of the arm and is mounted on a sprung plate – an ingenious form of shock resistance. Contrary to the design of other watches, the movements of the rotor are not transmitted to a wheel train via the gear system, but by the simple move of a cam.

The watch houses IWC’s famous, the robust 89361 movement from the high-end 89000 family. The 89361 movement beats at a high frequency of 4 Hz or 28,800 vph and has almost a 3 day long (68 hours) power reserve.

In this watch, two double winding pawls transmit the energy of the rotor to the pawl wheel through push and pull movements. The pawls are arranged in pairs opposite to each other. The pawls are embodied as springs eliminating the need for an extra spring. IWC claims that the efficiency of the winding is increased by 30% by the new positioning of the pawls. This allowed IWC to use a lighter rotor, which leads to reduced force on the central arbour (axle). The system is controlled by a crankshaft instead of a cam disc on the rotor arbour.

Staying true its tradition of featuring a child’s drawing as a special engraving on the caseback, the IWC Da Vinci Chronograph Edition “Sport For Good Foundation” features the drawing themed “Time Well Spent” by 12-year old boy Hou Ye from Shanghai who won the global drawing competition for children.

The movement also features a flyback function; pressing the push-button stops, resets and restarts the chronograph instantly. The chronograph functions by a column wheel and records the aggregate time recording of hours and minutes in an analogue-like time display with two hands.

The watch uses a special Glucydur® beryllium alloy balance spring – produced exclusively for IWC – with superior oscillation characteristics for the index-free escapement. The watch comes with a water resistance of 30m only. But you won’t go for a swim with this watch on.

To Conclude:

Here is a watch with its well balanced and proportioned good looks and blue dial featuring a high-end mechanical chronograph. If the watch is not enough, the cause is! Go for the watch if you want a better future for the children who are not as privileged.

The IWC Da Vinci Chronograph Edition “Sport For Good Foundation” is now available at Ethos Watch Boutiques.

What did you think of this watch? Which is your favourite IWC Da Vinci timepiece? Let us know in the comments section below.

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