Swiss luxury watch manufacturer IWC Schaffhausen celebrated the opening of its first US Flagship Boutique in New York City this week. The store is the largest of its kind worldwide and IWC marked this new milestone with the launch of the Big Pilot’s Watch Edition Muhammad Ali – limited to 250 pieces and designated as a US exclusive. The opening attracted high-profile guests including actor Matthew Fox and model Adriana Lima and featured an exhibition of the work of famed photographer Howard Bingham, a lifetime friend of Muhammad Ali, who recorded Ali’s career on camera.

“The opening of this Flagship Boutique in New York City is very special for us,” explains IWC CEO Georges Kern. “It not only reflects our unique identity and provides an exceptional customer experience, it also marks a return to our American heritage as our new ‘house of stories’. We are looking forward to welcoming our guests at this marvellous location and inviting them to experience IWC’s spirit and philosophy.”

Florentine Ariosto Jones, the legendary entrepreneur who launched the International Watch Company in 1868, was American. The dimensions of IWC’s first US Flagship Boutique match their cosmopolitan surroundings. Over an impressive shop floor of more than 3,000 square feet, the unique interior design sets off the company’s watch families, continuing IWC’s rich narrative tradition in emotive settings that reflect their individual character. Famous guests such as actor and Friend of the Brand Matthew Fox, models Adriana Lima and Karolina Kurkova, and former boxing heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield followed IWC’s invitation to join the grand opening of the company’s new store.

Source: IWC