During the British Grand Prix weekend in Silverstone, IWC Schaffhausen and Lewis Hamilton celebrated ten years of their exclusive partnership. The Swiss luxury watch manufacturer extended a rare invitation to Hamilton for a “Best of British” boat ride on the Thames, a journey that passed some of London’s most famous landmarks to mark this exceptional occasion.
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Upon his arrival at the exclusive cocktail reception, which offered a breathtaking view of the Battersea Power Station, the seven-time world champion shared captivating insights into his career with the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One team. He reminisced about some of the most memorable moments of his life as an IWC brand ambassador. Numerous notable guests, including the renowned British actor Damson Idris, attended the event at a rooftop bar.
In 2013, a significant chapter in the history of IWC Schaffhausen was written when it became the Official Engineering Partner of the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One team. This milestone also marked the beginning of the Swiss luxury watch manufacturer’s shared journey with Lewis Hamilton, one of the most successful F1 pilots of all time and a style and fashion icon with global appeal. IWC invited Hamilton to a “Best of British” boat ride on the Thames to celebrate more than a decade of partnership.
From Butler’s Wharf Pier to Battersea Power Station, where IWC has had a boutique since 2022, the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One team driver passed by some of London’s most famous landmarks – among them Tower Bridge, the Shard, Tate Modern Gallery, Big Ben and the London Eye. Accompanied on the yacht by British TV presenter and broadcaster Roman Kemp, Hamilton recalled some of the most memorable moments from his ten years as an IWC brand ambassador – such as racing a fighter jet, driving with a thousand drones in Las Vegas or competing in entertaining golf and basketball challenges in Miami. During the boat ride, Lewis Hamilton wore the Pilot’s Watch Performance Chronograph 41 Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team (Ref. IW388306) in Ceratanium® with a black dial.
AN EXCLUSIVE ROOFTOP COCKTAIL RECEPTION
The evening continued with an exclusive rooftop cocktail reception at Battersea Power Station, a fittingly luxurious setting for the celebration of IWC Schaffhausen and Lewis Hamilton’s decade-long partnership.
After his arrival at Battersea Power Station, Hamilton joined guests at a rooftop bar for an exclusive cocktail reception. In an intimate talk hosted by TV presenter Lucy Hedges and British-Italian racing driver Vittoria “Vicky” Piria, he shared personal insights and anecdotes from his racing career spanning more than 30 years – from his humble beginnings in karting at the age of eight to winning seven world championship titles in the elite class of motorsport. This personal touch made the event even more memorable for the attendees.
POP-UP BOUTIQUE IN FRONT OF THE BATTERSEA POWER STATION
Near its boutique at Battersea Power Station, IWC Schaffhausen set up a pop-up store in Malaysia Square. This unique space, designed as an open and transparent area with a re-usable inflatable structure, featured an exhibition of racing memorabilia, a selection of emblematic watches, and a photo wall celebrating key moments from Lewis Hamilton’s incredible journey with the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One team. The centrepiece was the Mercedes-AMG F1 W10 EQ Power+, the racing car contributing to Hamilton’s eleven first-place finishes in 2019. Visitors saw Hamilton’s race suit from his Silverstone wins in 2021, the 2020 British Grand Prix trophy when he crossed the finish line with only three working tyres or a replica of his current racing helmet. The pop-up store also showcased special edition watches Hamilton designed in collaboration with IWC’s creative team, including the Lewis Hamilton Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Edition in black ceramic with a burgundy dial and gold accents or last year’s Portugieser Tourbillon Rétrograde Chronograph Lewis Hamilton in platinum with an elaborately finished teal-coloured dial.
