PROBUS SCAFUSIA

IWC Schaffhausen presents an excellent reminder that not all great watchmaking can be found in the French-speaking parts of Switzerland

- ASHOK SOMAN

As most readers will know, the bulk of Swiss watchmaking happens in the French-speaking part of the country. Those less familiar with Switzerland than Swiss Made timepieces might even think the whole place is French-speaking, or at least the majority. Such is the dominance of the Romandy that the casual watch lover might think Schaffhausen is a town in Germany. It most assuredly is not, and IWC is as Swiss as they come. Since the manufacture is quite a ways off the beaten path, plenty of watch journalists actually miss out on visiting - getting here from Geneva is more challenging than getting to the La Chaux-de-Fonds, for example. Thus, when asked if we wanted to visit in the middle of summer, we jumped at the chance.

By we, I mean Ruckdee Chotjinda and I, along with our IWC watches. This was actually only the second time I could bring a watch I bought back home for a visit. It so happens that Ruckdee also brought his own IWC, the Portugieser Perpetual Calendar in red gold. Regular readers might realise that this is the trip that we spoke with IWC Manufacture Director Walter Volpers, since I made a point of citing the moment he recognised our watches when we spoke.