To mark the start of the Rallye Passione Caracciola, IWC Schaffhausen is proud to present two special editions from the Ingenieur watch family. The Ingenieur Chronograph Edition “Rudolf Caracciola” is dedicated to an exceptionally talented racing driver of the 1930s, while the Ingenieur Chronograph Edition “W 125” recalls the legendary Silver Arrow from Mercedes-Benz. Both models are limited to 750 examples worldwide and powered by the new IWC-manufactured 69370 calibre.
Together with all the drivers and many guests of honour, IWC celebrated the start of the Rally Passione Caracciola with an exclusive Welcome Dinner at Zurich’s Dolder Grand Hotel. Also present was former German racing driver and Le Mans winner Jochen Mass, who accompanied the rally during the first leg.
The Ingenieur Chronograph Edition “Rudolf Caracciola” honors the memory of legendary racing driver Rudolf Caracciola. Back in the 1930s, the Mercedes star driver won three European Championship titles and took the chequered flag in 144 of the 204 races he finished. In an allusion to his driving skills on wet tracks, the champion was often called the “King of the Rain”. Limited to just 750 examples, the chronograph is housed in a stainless steel case. The slate-coloured dial and embossed tachymeter scale, together with the rhodium-plated hands and appliqués, give the watch a technical, but distinctly elegant appeal. The timepiece is held to the wearer’s wrist by a brown calfskin strap, the embossing of which is reminiscent of the seats in racing cars of days gone by.
The Ingenieur Chronograph Edition “W 125” is a tribute to the Silver Arrow W 125 from Mercedes-Benz. Seventy-eight years ago, at the wheel of a Mercedes-Benz W 125 with a V12 engine, Rudolf Caracciola recorded 432.7 kilometres per hour on the Frankfurt–Darmstadt autobahn – to this day the highest speed ever driven on a public road. Limited to 750 watches, the chronograph is housed in a rugged titanium case. The silver-plated dial contrasts starkly with the black hands and appliqués. The two totalizers, the small seconds and the tachymeter scale imitate the instrument look found in the cockpit of a W 125. The watch features a luxurious strap made of black calfskin.