MANILA, Philippines - He came, he taught, he conquered.
The legendary Kurt Klaus —master watchmaker, designer, inventor and spiritual father of IWC Da Vinci watch — flew to Manila to host an intimate dinner and give watch enthusiasts a sampling of the world of watch-making. Selected Lucerne clients, IWC aficionados and members of the Philippine Watch Club took part in an exclusive watch appreciation session led by Klaus.
Participants experienced taking apart and reassembling the IWC caliber 952 movement (just like a real watchmaker would), using watchmaker’s tools. Klaus made his rounds, correcting any mistakes and praising students who were doing well. At the end of the brief course, the watch enthusiasts all received a certificate. Guests included both old and new collectors, members of the press and even celebrities like actor Dingdong Dantes.
Kurt Klaus is the man responsible for a great many innovations from the IWC watch house, including, of course, the Da Vinci, named after the quintessential Renaissance Man. Klaus invented the perpetual calendar, the only complication that shows the year in four digits, and does not have to be adjusted for the next 500 years. Despite the fact that he had officially retired in 1999, Klaus continues to spend his time in IWC, and traveling the world on behalf of the watch house.
IWC has the limited-edition Da Vinci Perpetual Calendar Edition Kurt Klaus — with the date, day, month, four-digit year and perpetual moon phase complications. It features a tiny signature of Klaus on the dial, and an engraved portrait on the case-back. It is a fitting tribute to the man who is truly the master of his class.