IWC has created the first fully luminous ceramic concept watch
The luminous Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 is a concept watch that made its debut on the wrist of F1 driver Lewis Hamilton at the Monaco Grand Prix.
IWC has developed a new luminous ceramic composite dubbed Ceralume, with Lewis Hamilton wearing the concept watch in Monaco. (Photo: IWC)
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New developments happen frequently in the world of watches. This time, Swiss watchmaker IWC Schaffhausen has announced the development of a proprietary luminous ceramic technology called Ceralume. The new technology made its debut on a concept watch seen on the wrist of Lewis Hamilton at the Monaco Grand Prix.
Ceralume was developed by IWC’s experimental engineering division, XPL. It allows IWC to produce fully luminous ceramic watch cases for the first time, achieved by mixing ceramic powders with Super-LumiNova pigments, the luminous material used on dials.
According to IWC, a fully luminous concept watch manufactured using the Ceralume technology, a Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41, emitted a bright blueish light for more than 24 hours in dark chamber tests.
IWC has a history in engineering ceramic watches. In 1986, it launched the world’s first wristwatch with a black zirconium oxide ceramic case. Major IWC ceramic innovations have included watch cases made of brown silicon nitride ceramic and black boron carbide ceramic, one of the hardest substances known. The popular Top Gun ceramic watches come in an array of colours.
“With the first fully luminous ceramic case rings, we underscore our role as a pioneer and innovator in ceramic watches. The development of Ceralume took several years. The main challenges we faced were producing watch cases with maximum homogeneity and meeting our exacting quality standards. To achieve these goals, we engineered a ground-breaking new manufacturing process – tailored to the unique combination of ceramic powders and Super-LumiNova pigments,” said Dr Lorenz Brunner, department manager of research and innovation at IWC.
The concept watch, worn by Lewis Hamilton at the Monaco Grand Prix, features a white luminescent dial and white luminescent rubber strap along with the Ceralume case. The dial and the strap have also been enriched with Super-LumiNova pigments.
While there are no mention of a commercial release of the watch so far, IWC said that its patent-pending Ceralume technology will form the foundation of future developments and releases.
