The Glorious History of IWC
Posted On Friday, January 8th, 2010 By admin
As its name implies, IWC originated from international cooperation. It is in fact founded by an American called Florentine Ariosto Jones.
F.A. Jones had been the director of America’s leading watchmaking company at that time and aimed to blend the Swiss craftsmanship with American modern engineering technology. He expected the Swiss craftsmen to share their watchmaking expertise with him at his factory. But his brave decision encountered cold shoulders. The timepieces produced by IWC soon became sought after with their excellent quality and middle-end price. By the year of 1875, IWC already grew into 3 factory premises to meet the increasing demands.
The first owner from the Rauschenbach family was Johann Rauschenbach-Vogel, who was a local machine manufacturer at Schaffhausen. He bought the company in 1880. IWC was called Internationale Uhrenfabrik by then. Johannes Rauschenbach-Schenk was only 25 years old when he took over IWC. IWC was named Uhrenfabrik Von J. Rauschenbach by then. After the death of J. Rauschenbach-Schenk in 1905, his wife, two daughters and their husbands, Ernst Jakob Homberger (director of G. Fischer AG in Schaffhausen) and Dr. Carl Jung, became the new owners of IWC.
Many of IWC’s iconic watch models and technical breakthroughs were born during this period. Continue Reading