Summer is, for most people, a time to relax and unwind. It is all about exploring new places or rediscovering familiar ones, enjoying nice weather, good food and drinks, but most of all the company of family and friends. In terms of watches, something in stainless steel, ceramic, or carbon fiber seems to be the most obvious. These robust materials are a perfect match with the activities that are for many also part of summer. However, one material that embodies the soul of summer is gold, particularly the pink and red hues of this precious metal. When hit with a ray of sunlight, their rich colors bring you instant summer vibes, like the following four watches.

Having an ambassador is nothing new. Most of the major watch brands have one or more. However, having an ambassador with a sincere personal passion for the watch brand they represent is rare. Seven-time FIA Formula One World Drivers' Champion Lewis Hamilton teamed up with IWC in 2013 and hasn't hidden his passion for the brand from Schaffhausen in both his professional as well as his personal life since. He seems to have a particular preference for their (Big) Pilot's collection, even owning custom versions. That also makes him perfect to be the star in the new global advertising campaign.

For over 17 years, IWC has enjoyed a very fruitful partnership with Mercedes-AMG. One of the reasons they work so well together is because the DNA of both companies is so aligned. Unique is also that the collaboration includes not only the road cars but also the Formula 1 car of Mercedes-AMG. In reigning world champion Lewis Hamilton has IWC also found a natural ambassador that wears their watches with the same flair and passion as he drives. To continue this legacy, IWC is launching the Pilot's Watch Chronograph Edition "AMG."

Not all icons are born as one. Some need a period in which their true potential is recognized before they gain their intended status. This is most certainly true for the IWC Fliegerchronograph ref.3705, which the brand launched in 1994. Already in the 1980s was IWC a pioneer in the field of ceramic, using it, for example, for their Da Vinci perpetual calendar chronograph, another one of their icons. The ref.3705 was the first Fliegerchronograph to be fitted with a ceramic case. It resulted in a watch that had a very clean and utilitarian look. As it was never produced in vast numbers, the watch became a rarity known mainly by die-hard IWC collectors.

In many ways, 2020 was not an ordinary year. The Covid-19 pandemic left its marks everywhere. Lockdowns not only slowed down international travel but also confined us more and more into our own direct surroundings. This required tremendous perseverance and ingenuity to keep businesses afloat and remain in contact with those that matter. At first, it looked like the watch industry would take a direct hit. Jewelers worldwide were forced to close their doors, trade shows where canceled, and even many manufactures had to stop production for a while due to the Covid-19 outbreak in Switzerland. But as the pandemic continued, the market recovered. Jewelers sold more online than ever before, with a strong demand for the latest models and an intensified interest in vintage watches. Many watch brands had already planned their releases for this year prior to the Covid-19 outbreak, so the effect on that will be more visible next year. However, 2020 was a year worthwhile in watchmaking, of which the following were amongst the hottest releases.

When it comes to pilot's watches is IWC one of the benchmarks. Their history is rich with watches made to be worn in the cockpit, particularly on the wrist of military pilots. In 2018, the brand developed a watch exclusively for the men and women who would graduate from the highly acclaimed Navy Fighter Weapons School "Top Gun" program. It is now time for a limited edition based on this unique watch, whose full name is Pilot's Watch Chronograph TOP GUN Edition "SFTI," where the acronym stands for 'Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor.'

Christoph Grainger-Herr, CEO of Swiss watchmaker IWC Schaffhausen, joined Haute Time for the latest edition of “Talking Time“, the industry-leading series of live webinars with the time world's leaders and legends.

When it comes to perpetual calendars does IWC has quite the reputation to uphold. It was mainly thanks to master watchmaker Kurt Klaus that this became one of the brand's signature complications. While we can especially credit the Da Vinci for achieving this in the first, putting the perpetual calendar in a 'Pilots'-watch, another thing IWC became famous for, only further enhanced its popularity. While a perpetual calendar is, in essence, a very classic complication, this gives it a contemporary edge.

The fact that Watches & Wonders was canceled this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic didn't stop IWC from going fully digital and launch a wide variety of new models in the Portugieser collection. Among them are a new perpetual calendar, the stunning Portugieser Tourbillon Rétrograde Chronograph, and a revamped Portugieser Yacht Timer with the innovative version among them moon phase and tide indicator. Haute Time talks with IWC CEO Christoph Grainger-Herr to hear his insights about the Portugieser and how to steer the company through these challenging times.

IWC has crowned 2020 as the year of the Portugieser, and that means that we can welcome lots and lots of new additions to this collection. Some are just revamped versions of old favorites, but many are also entirely new watches, some with innovative complications.

As a material, does bronze have an imposing history playing, especially an essential role from around 3300 till 600 BC. During this period, which is even named the Bronze age, was the alloy made from combining tin with copper. The advantage of bronze was that it is very malleable and also less brittle than, for example, cast iron, so perfect for making a great variety of different objects. As the material is very resistant to corrosion from seawater, it has also played a particularly important role in maritime history.

Whether auctions like Only Watch benefitting research into Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy or celebrities selling personal watches and donating proceeds to various charities, auctioning high-end timepieces for worthy causes is a common occurrence in the watch industry. Along with these high profile events, some brands also have charity-supporting timepieces as part of their catalog. From wildlife conservation to social change to health care, here are a few fantastic watches that support good causes.

While the tides of the current trends are flowing more into the direction of smaller sized watches, does this not mean that larger watches have become unavailable. Since the trend towards more substantial timepieces started, they have proven that they are here to stay. The following four watches show that size matters, especially when you want to make a big impression.

Picking a valentine watch for a woman seems to be substantially easier than selecting one for men. While women don't shy away from hearts, diamonds, and mother-of-pearl, around their wrist, finding tokens of love that men will wear is a bit more challenging. Here are a couple of suggestions that will not only perfectly express how you feel, but that are also too tempting for most men not to wear them!

There was a time when the perpetual calendar was a complication that could only be found in classic, gold cases, fitted with alligator leather straps. They were revered and treasured, yet only worn when the activities weren't too strenuous or potentially damaging to its complex movement. Times have changed, and today is a gold cased dress watch not automatically the timepiece of choice anymore for the rich and accomplished. In their active lives, they need a watch that can keep up with the pace, yet the fascination for the perpetual calendar hasn't dwindled. When the brands combined both, by putting that revered complication in a sportive watch, something magical happened as the following four watches prove.

It is sometimes mindboggling to realize how fast a year can fly by. Here we are on the threshold of not only a new year but also a new decade. As time is passing us so quickly, it is interesting to see its effect within an industry that is dedicated to making the passing of time not only visible but also measurable.