IWC ON TOUR: IWC Big Pilot Roadshow

IWC Schaffhausen is hitting the road with a brand-new interactive Big Pilot roadshow exhibition, which will tour six different cities around the United Kingdom. Housed in specially-converted shipping containers, the booth offers a peek inside the Swiss luxury watchmaker's world, inviting the British public to learn more about the brand's story and to present some of the newest designs in its iconic Big Pilot's collection.

As a country with a rich history in aviation and strong ties to IWC, the UK is a fitting location for the first outing of the innovative new Big Pilot exhibition. What started out as a functional military watch in the 1940s, the Big Pilot is now one of the industry's most legendary designs. With its striking conical crown, riveted strap and open and legible dial, styles on easy-to-read cockpit instruments, it's a perfect balance of form and function; a modern cultural icon, worn by pioneers who dare to dream.

"The Big Pilot" has always appealed to a certain mindset of originality, so it's incredibly apt that we have chosen it as the focus for this exciting new project. We wanted to take the story of our brand into the wider community, and the UK is an excellent place to start our tour. So many links tie IWC to Britain, not least the Wristwatch Mark 11, a pilot's watch we produced for the Royal Air Force for almost four decades. We hope the British public will stop by the exhibition, learn more about our brand and try on some of our incredible watches, explained IWC CEO Christoph Grainger-Herr.

The #IWCONTOUR booth has been designed to resemble a shipping container and is packed with cutting-edge technology. IWC hope the industrial style and high-tech expertise on display will bring the brand's story to life.

Innovative new hologram technology will enable a life-sized projection of IWC CEO Grainger-Herr to be teleported' to each location to welcome guests into the booth. Joining him will be other holograms of Kurt Klaus, IWC's legendary former head watchmaker, and seven time Formula One champion and brand ambassador Lewis Hamilton. Each will provide their own interesting insights into IWC.

Hamilton will also feature alongside other brand friends on a Talent Wall' inside the booth. Starring in short videos, six well-known faces will tell inspirational stories of how the Big Pilot's Watch has accompanied them as they have dreamed big on their journey to success. Friends featured on the wall include Billy Monger, a racing driver, disability campaigner and challenger; Hayden Cox, a designer and advocate for sustainable surfing; Matt Pearson, the co-founder of Airspeeder; Matt Jones, a world record breaker and IWC Longest Flight pilot; and Misan Harriman, a photographer, creative director and cultural commentator.

As well as being able to find out more from the knowledgeable staff on hand, the public will also be able to take a closer look at some IWC timepieces and even try them on. Amongst the watches on display at the roadshow exhibition will be a selection of IWC's new editions for 2021, including the iconic Big Pilot's Watch 43 in a new, smaller design, the Pilot's Watch Chronograph 41, two new Top Gun models and a Big Pilot's Watch Perpetual Calendar. Alongside these new editions will also be timepieces from IWC's much loved Spitfire and Portugieser collections.

With no invitation necessary, those interested in visiting the Big Pilot roadshow exhibition can join Chisholm Hunter and IWC in Edinburgh between 15th - 20th July 2021.