Lewis Hamilton may have come second in the Spanish Grand Prix last Sunday, but at least he was rocking some winning wrist candy.
The seven-time Formula 1 champion could be seen wearing a mysterious IWC Schaffhausen watch as he celebrated on the podium in Barcelona with teammate George Russell. The timepiece is likely to be released in the coming weeks, but it seems Sir Lewis couldn’t wait to show it off.
IWC told Robb Report the new model is similar to the Big Pilot’s Perpetual Calendar Top Gun Edition “Mojave Desert” which was released in 2021. Hamilton, who is a brand ambassador for the watchmaker, is clearly a big fan of this design. In fact, he sported the sand-colored “Mojave Desert” iteration on the podium at last year’s Bahrain Grand Prix. The new model, however, is distinguished by a striking white hue that IWC and Pantone call “Lake Tahoe.”
As its moniker suggests, the shade was inspired by the winter landscape of Lake Tahoe. The famous freshwater lake is a popular training area for naval aviators, whose white uniforms were also a source of inspiration. The large case, which will likely measure 46.5 mm like its predecessor, will be made of ceramic. This material is both highly resistant to scratching and remarkably lightweight. (The watchmaker recently released a Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Top Gun Edition “Lake Tahoe” in the same white ceramic.) The Mercedes team driver appears to have opted for a white rubber strap, but there will probably be a fabric option, too.
Sharply contrasting all the white, the sizable dial is finished in a bold black hue. It appears to be equipped with four sub-dials (date, weekday, month, and moon phase) and a four-digit year display. Although we can’t say definitively what’s powering the watch, the Mojave Desert model is fitted with an in-house 52615 caliber. The automatic movement has 381 components, 54 jewels, and a power reserve that will last you seven days.
In terms of price, the Mojave Desert model is currently priced at US$40,900 (HK$320,711), so you can expect the Lake Tahoe design to set you back around the same.
