IWC just named a new watch after Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff

Just in time for the new season, IWC has revealed a new watch named after Mercedes Formula One team boss Toto Wolf.

The watch is part of IWC’s Big Pilot’s Watch Shock Absorber XPL family. It comes with a pair of straps, including a black fabric option and a rubber option that uses the same green as the Petronas-sponsored Mercedes-AMG F1 team. The same colour is also found on the dial, and even in the watch’s glowing Super-LumiNova.

Limited to just 100 examples worldwide, the watch uses IWC’s patented Sprin-g Protect shock absorber system to protect the delicate automatic movement from damage caused by sudden movement. IWC claims that, during testing at Cambridge University, the technology protected the movement from accelerations in excess of 30,000 g.

The system comprises a cantilever spring, made from a material called Bulk Metallic Glass, that cushions the movement inside the case, ensuring it’ll survive extreme forces – and, as is far more likely, being dropped on the floor.

Meanwhile, the 44mm case and screw-in crown are made from Ceratanium, an IWC-developed material that combines titanium with ceramic. The black dial has a grainy finish for a tough, industrial look, while the IWC-manufactured 32101 caliber automatic movement is visible through a tinted sapphire glass case back.

The 21-jewel movement has a lengthy power reserve of 120 hours, and the watch itself is water resistant to 10 bar of pressure, which is equal to 100 metres.

Although the colours are a giveaway, the watch is subtle with its links to F1, Mercedes-AMG and Toto Wolf. There’s no branding on the front, while on the back it has the message: “Toto Wolff x Mercedes-AMG Formula One Team,” and Wolf’s signature decorates the sapphire case back.

Available now, the watch is limited to 100 examples and priced at a very Formula One-like £79,700.