BRAND AMBASSADORS EILEEN GU AND GEORGE RUSSELL VISIT IWC SCHAFFHAUSEN AT WATCHES AND WONDERS IN GENEVA
Schaffhausen/Geneva, April 15th, 2026: IWC Schaffhausen brand ambassadors Eileen Gu and George Russell joined the Swiss luxury watch manufacturer at its booth at Watches and Wonders in Geneva. For freestyle skiing champion and model Eileen Gu, the visit marked a return to the globally renowned watch exhibition; for MercedesAMG PETRONAS Formula OneTM Team driver George Russell, it was his first time at Watches and Wonders.
This year, IWC Schaffhausen marks a double milestone: 90 years of Pilot’s Watches, and the extension of that aviation legacy beyond the sky and into space. Reflecting this ambition, the booth immerses visitors in the world of space exploration. Its architecture draws inspiration from a space station, while offering a sweeping view of Earth as seen from orbit. At its centre, a sculpture of the Little Prince connects this engineering story to the spirit of curiosity and exploration that defines this year’s Le Petit Prince collection. Eileen Gu and George Russell were welcomed by IWC Schaffhausen CEO Chris Grainger-Herr and Chief Marketing Officer Franziska Gsell, who walked them through the new collections and detailed the stories behind the novelties.
“I always look forward to visiting the IWC family in Geneva. Every year they create a truly immersive experience, and this time, the concept and storytelling have been especially inspiring. You really feel like you are looking out into space, and you can’t help but think of all of the possibilities we have yet explore,” explained Eileen Gu.
By recently winning another Olympic gold medal in Halfpipe and two Olympic silver medals in Slopestyle and Big Air, Eileen Gu has added another highlight to her already impressive achievements, cementing her place as the most decorated freestyle skier in the history of the sport.
During her visit to the booth, Eileen wore the Portofino Automatic 34 Day & Night Le Petit Prince (Ref. IW459806) – the first Le Petit Prince edition outside the Pilot’s Watches collection. Looking at her wrist, she said that the story of the Little Prince has fascinated her since her childhood: “I am thrilled to see that the little fellow has made his way into the Portofino collection. Seeing him standing on the small moon here is such a charming detail, and a reminder that you should never lose your sense of curiosity and always keep exploring the world around you.”
While the visit for Eileen Gu marked a return, MercedesAMG PETRONAS Formula OneTM Team Driver George Russell made his long-awaited debut at the renowned Geneva watch exhibition. The six-time Grand PrixTM winner, who had achieved his latest victory at the season-opening race in Australia, wore the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 Le Petit Prince (Ref. IW389410), one of the key pieces of IWC’s new Le Petit Prince collection. “I really like the presence this 41-millimetre chronograph with a deep blue dial has on my wrist. This piece masterfully combines the characteristic, highly legible instrument design of a Pilot’s Watch with the more emotional side of aviation and the story of one of the greatest aviation pioneers. It’s an unexpected yet very IWC combination that simply works,” Russell commented.
Another novelty that captured Eileen Gu’s and George Russell’s attention was the Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar ProSet, the first perpetual calendar that can be adjusted both forward and backward through a single position of the crown. The engineering behind this watch resonated with both IWC brand ambassadors, making them look ahead to future achievements while also remembering their path to becoming two of the most influential personalities in global sports. Russell added: “The story of IWC engineering a calendar that can be adjusted in both directions, as easy and intuitive as setting the time, that is the kind of precision I can relate to as a racing driver. It is like setting yourself the ultimate goal in watchmaking and then working consistently and passionately to achieve it.”
It was a genuine joy to welcome Eileen and George to Geneva this year. What never ceases to amaze me is how deeply they engage with what we do – the engineering, the craftsmanship and the stories behind every watch. Their curiosity and passion are a perfect reflection of the spirit we try to put into each and every timepiece we create.
IWC Schaffhausen is the Engineer of Watchmaking. In 1868, the American watchmaker and engineer Florentine Ariosto Jones established the ‘International Watch Company’ in Schaffhausen in the German-speaking part of Switzerland. By combining the best of human craftsmanship and creativity with cutting-edge industrial technology and processes, he laid the foundation for IWC’s unique engineering approach to watchmaking.
IWC’s distinctive and pure design is brought to life through collections ranging from elegant dress watches to sports and luxury sports watches, notably the Portugieser, Portofino, Pilot’s Watches and Ingenieur. Over its more than 150-year history, IWC has earned a reputation for creating professional instrument watches and functional complications, especially chronographs and calendars, which are ingenious, robust and easy to use.
A pioneer in the use of titanium and ceramic, IWC specializes in performance materials such as Ceratanium®. IWC’s advanced engineering division XPL develops technologies that enhance the durability of mechanical watches and extend their applications to environments with extreme conditions such as jet aviation and human spaceflight.
IWC is a leader in luxury watchmaking, crafting timepieces built to last for generations and continuously improving every aspect of how it manufactures, distributes and services its watches responsibly. Empowering the next generation of engineers, the brand also partners with organizations that work globally to support children and young people. IWC. EngineeredTM.