Schaffhausen/Düsseldorf, 17 January 2020 – IWC Schaffhausen and Solaris Yachts announce their new partnership at boot Düsseldorf 2020, the world’s largest boat and water sports fair. The Swiss watchmaking company and the Italian luxury yacht brand share an ethos of extraordinary design and excellent craftsmanship, with the two companies guided by the values of quality, performance and long service life.
Solaris Yachts embody both the athleticism and elegance of sailing. The company is based in Aquileia, on the shores of the Venetian Lagoon, and has been building oceangoing sailing yachts that meet the highest requirements since the 1970s. Characterised by exceptional design and outstanding sailing performance, they set new standards for leisure sporting yachts. Solaris combines high-tech solutions like carbon-fibre and glass-fibre composite materials, with traditional, solid shipbuilding. The Italian company also meets the highest demands for interior design, with cabins that impress down to the smallest detail with perfect, highquality craftsmanship and refined woodwork.
“Sailing and navigation have been part of the IWC brand universe since the 1980s. With Solaris, we have found the perfect partner to make this world come alive.”
Christoph Grainger-Herr, CEO of IWC Schaffhausen.
Solaris customers have been able to aquire a special edition IWC timepiece for many years. But with this new partnership, there is now an option to fit the yachts themselves with meteorological instruments in the classic style of IWC. The barometers, hygrometers, thermometers and clocks come in the same characteristic and easy-to-read designs that are typical of the dials of many IWC watches.
“We have been building yachts with a focus on design, quality, robustness, functional performance and long service life for over 40 years,” added Paolo Buonvicini, co-owner of Solaris Yachts. “These are values that IWC also embodies. We are proud to welcome the brand on board as a partner.
Further joint projects between IWC Schaffhausen and Solaris Yachts are already planned for this year and will be announced in due course.
YACHTING EXCELLENCE SINCE 1974
The venture started in the 70s in Aquileia, on the shores of the Venetian Lagoon, where first the Romans and then the Serenissima Republic left their important seafaring heritage to be taken up by Solaris Yachts, manufacturer of Solaris. With a total area of 26,000 sqm, including 6,000 sqm undercover, besides building ‘custom’ yachts, the yard has refitted and restores yachts of up to 100 feet.
With forty years of dedicated boat building and refitting experience, and a unique know-how, the technical department and skilled workers of Solaris design and build superior sailing yachts, combining technology and strength with the traditional manufacture of incomparable wood interiors. In 2018, a new era dawned for Solaris Yachts. The historic headquarters in Aquileia were extended to facilitate the production of each new Solaris yacht to optimum standards. Thanks to the expansion and reorganisation of all the company’s logistics, the production process has benefitted from a further leap in efficiency. With a more modern and functional working environment, it’s now possible to take care of the boats under construction, down to the smallest details.
IWC SCHAFFHAUSEN
In 1868, the American watchmaker and entrepreneur Florentine Ariosto Jones travelled from Boston to Switzerland and founded the ‘International Watch Company’ in Schaffhausen. His visionary dream was to combine advanced American manufacturing methods with the craftsmanship of Swiss watchmakers to make the best pocket watches of his time. In doing so, he not only laid the foundation for IWC’s unique engineering approach but also established the centralised production of mechanical watches in Switzerland.
Over its 150 year history, IWC Schaffhausen has developed a reputation for creating functional complications, especially chronographs and calendars, which are ingenious, robust, and easy for customers to use. A pioneer in the use of titanium and ceramics, IWC today specialises in highly engineered technical watch cases manufactured from advanced materials, such as titanium- aluminide and Ceratanium™. Preferring the principle of ‘form follows function’ over decoration, the Swiss watch manufacturer’s timeless creations embody their owners’ dreams and ambitions as they journey through life.
IWC sources materials responsibly and takes action to minimise its impact on the environment, creating intrinsically sustainable timepieces that are built to last for generations. The company prides itself in training its own future watchmakers and engineers, as well as offering an excellent working environment for all employees. IWC also partners with organisations that work globally to support children and young people.
