FOOTBALL SUPERSTAR SAM KERR JOINS THE IWC FAMILY
Schaffhausen/Sydney, 29th June 2023: IWC Schaffhausen is proud to welcome Sam Kerr as its newest Friend of the Brand. One of the best football players in the world, Kerr plays for Chelsea Football Club and is captain of her home country’s national team, the Matildas. She is a true driver of change, leaving her mark on football for the better. Kerr’s authentic and uncompromising spirit in both her sport and community giveback resonates with IWC and made the relationship an effortless fit.
With almost half her life spent playing professional football, Sam Kerr has dedicated her career to football and successfully so. She currently plays as a forward for Chelsea Football Club and is the captain of the Australia women’s national team. Widely recognised as one of the best forwards of all time, Kerr is the only female player to have won the Golden Boot in three leagues and on three continents.
Kerr’s front-facing role is one that she has fully embraced and thanks to her family, she has done so humbly. Known for citing how her family has played a vital part in her career, Kerr often credits them for helping her stay grounded. As her career continues to flourish, so does the change she is pushing for in sports. An active advocate for equality in sports, she encourages everyone to be themselves and come together to achieve greatness. Kerr has co-authored an inspiring collection of children’s books about everything from sports and following one’s dreams to friendships, school, and dealing with bullies.
“I am excited to represent IWC because it is a company that celebrates those who follow their dreams,” states Kerr. “Throughout my career, I have always stayed true to myself which is something IWC and I have in common. Whether it is through sports or engineering watches, we strive for excellence by doing things our own way.”
She is as decorated off the field as she is for her achievements on it. In 2018, she was honoured with the Young Australian of the Year award and a Medal of the Order of Australia for her “service to football” in 2022. She is Australia’s greatest goal-scorer and a record five-time recipient of the PFA Australian Women’s Footballer of the Year award. Not only a national treasure, her list of international achievements includes three ESPY Awards for Best International Women’s Soccer Player and two FWA Women’s Footballer of the Year awards.
“It is not just her impeccable skills within her sport that inspires us. She is shaping the landscape for future generations. I am honoured to welcome her into the family and continue to push for change together,”
As an athlete, Kerr is particularly drawn to the IWC chronographs – from the sporty Pilot’s Watch to the stylish Portugieser and classic Portofino. With a history deeply rooted in professional instrument watches, the 69000 calibre is the newest IWC-manufactured movement to come from the decades-long expertise. It is engineered for performance and distinguished by its robustness, precision, and accuracy, making it the quintessential mechanical stopwatch. Amongst Kerr’s preferences are the IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 (Ref. IW388110) and the IWC Portugieser Chronograph (Ref. IW371611). The 41-millimetre timepieces are respectively powered by the 69385 and 69355 calibres. Housed in 18 carat 5N gold cases, both movements can be admired through the sapphire glass backs. While the pitch green Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 might be the obvious choice for a football star, Kerr is known for having her own style and opted for a personalised version of the Portugieser Chronograph. She fitted it with a durable rubber strap in burgundy, giving the elegant timepiece a modern twist. Kerr explained how it just popped on her wrist and felt like the perfect sidekick for the upcoming FIFA Women’s World CupTM – both on and off the football field.
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.