IWC’s New Pilot’s Watch Channels Singaporean Elegance Through Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS

IWC’s latest Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS watch brings Singapore’s Vanda Miss Joaquim orchid to the Pilot’s collection.
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Kimi Antonelli by Pascal Kerouche

IWC Schaffhausen is bringing a vivid new colour to the racetrack ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix, with Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS drivers George Russell and Kimi Antonelli fronting the imagery surrounding its latest team watch. The new Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS pairs a striking purple dial with lightweight Grade 5 titanium, drawing its signature hue from Singapore’s national flower, the Vanda Miss Joaquim.

The 41mm chronograph marks the fourth official team watch created by IWC for its longstanding partnership with Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS. Established in 2013, the collaboration has brought together Swiss watchmaking and Formula One engineering, with each team watch exploring performance-focused materials, technical construction and the visual language of the team.

Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS
Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS

A Purple Tribute to Singapore
The new watch takes its defining colour from the Vanda Miss Joaquim, Singapore’s national flower. Bred in 1893 by Armenian-Singaporean horticulturist Agnes Joaquim, the orchid has become a national emblem and is said to represent resilience, boldness and innovation. Its intricate structure also provides an apt visual parallel to the complexity of a mechanical movement.

On the watch, the saturated purple dial is offset by PETRONAS green accents across the numerals and indices. Black hands with luminescent coating ensure legibility, while a matching purple rubber strap completes the vivid expression. The strap is equipped with IWC’s EasX-CHANGE® system, allowing it to be changed without tools.

George Russell by Pascal Kerouche
Photo by Pascal Kerouche

The colour story extends into the accompanying campaign imagery, where Russell and Antonelli appear wearing the team’s latest adidas collection. Their presence places the new IWC Pilot’s Watch directly within the world it was created for, bringing together the watchmaker’s engineering language with the contemporary identity of Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS.

Engineered for Performance
Beneath the expressive exterior lies IWC’s manufacture calibre 69385, an automatic mechanical chronograph built around a classical column-wheel construction. The movement provides a 46-hour power reserve and incorporates a day-date display at three o’clock, while the chronograph minutes are displayed at 12 o’clock.

The case is crafted from Grade 5 titanium, selected for its strength-to-density ratio, heat resistance and corrosion resistance. Weighing approximately half as much as steel, the material is particularly suited to high-performance applications and is also used in Formula One components including engine parts and the Halo. Its brushed finish reinforces the technical character of the watch.

A sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on both sides protects the dial, while the sapphire caseback reveals the decorated movement. Water resistance reaches 10 bar, adding everyday practicality to its motorsport-inspired construction.

The Fourth Team Watch
The new IW388121 follows three distinctive predecessors: the 2022 Pilot’s Chronograph 41 in Grade 5 titanium, the 2023 Pilot’s Performance Chronograph 41 in Ceratanium and black ceramic, and the 2025 Pilot’s Mark XX in Grade 5 titanium.

George Russell and Kimi Antonelli by Pascal Kerouche

The launch also coincides with a new adidas collection for the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS team, extending the partnership’s performance-driven aesthetic beyond the wrist.

With its orchid-inspired purple dial, PETRONAS green detailing and Formula One-ready construction, the latest IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 brings a distinctly Singaporean character to the paddock. As the city prepares for another night beneath the floodlights, IWC translates the energy of the Singapore Grand Prix into a timepiece that feels vivid, technical, and unmistakably contemporary.

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Issue #103

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Summary

IWC’s New Pilot’s Watch Channels Singaporean Elegance Through Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS

  • IWC introduces its first purple dial in the Pilot’s collection, inspired by Singapore’s Vanda Miss Joaquim orchid.
  • The 41mm case is crafted from Grade 5 titanium, reflecting materials used extensively in Formula One engineering.
  • PETRONAS green accents contrast with the purple dial, while a matching purple rubber strap features IWC’s EasX-CHANGE® system.
  • IWC-manufactured calibre 69385 provides the automatic column-wheel chronograph with a 46-hour power reserve and day-date display.
  • The watch is the fourth official Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS team watch, continuing IWC’s partnership with the Formula One team since 2013.