TWO-TIME WORLD CHAMPION JAGGER EATON SKATES THROUGH THE IWC MANUFAKTURZENTRUM
Schaffhausen, 19th September 2023: IWC Friend of the Brand, Skateboarding World Champion and Olympic Medallist, Jagger Eaton visited the IWC Manufakturzentrum in Schaffhausen, Switzerland. This marked the first time in the Swiss luxury manufacturer’s hometown for Eaton, who joined the IWC family earlier this year. They gathered for a day filled with horology and skateboarding, offering each other a glimpse into their world.
Following his participation in the WST Lausanne Street 2023, IWC Schaffhausen welcomed Friend of the Brand, Skateboarding World Champion and Olympic Medallist, Jagger Eaton to its hometown. He is currently competing as the dual threat in the men’s Street and Park disciplines for the US. Appearing with his usual positive attitude and cool style, Eaton showed up with a skateboard in hand and an IWC watch on his wrist.
The grand tour started at IWC’s headquarters and museum in the heart of Schaffhausen to learn more about the brand’s unique heritage and products. Located next to the Rhine River, the river has played a significant role in the history of the Swiss luxury watch manufacturer – and continues to do so. Just several kilometres from the headquarters, the tour continued at the IWC Manufakturzentrum before concluding at the famous Rhine Falls.
The Manufakturzentrum opened in 2018 in celebration of the brand’s 150th anniversary. The state-of-the-art facilities combine component production, case-making and movement assembly all under one roof. While touring the facilities, Eaton got to experience the sequential steps from raw materials to finished watch movements and cases up close.
IWC and Eaton are both believers in learning by doing, so Eaton put on his watchmaker coat, rolled up his sleeves and got to work on an IWC movement. Also, not one to ever pass on an opportunity to skate, he went for a ride through the manufactory centre and performed a few manoeuvres outside.
Speaking about the visit, he said, “It has been nothing short of amazing seeing the level of attention to detail, craftsmanship and engineering that goes on behind every single IWC watch. It is not every day a guy from Mesa, Arizona gets to go Schaffhausen, Switzerland and tour the incredible IWC manufactory centre – let alone skate through it! This is exactly what drew me to IWC to start with; they have such a rich heritage and an unmatched horological expertise, but they still allow themselves to be a bit playful.”
To commemorate the visit to the Swiss luxury manufacturer’s hometown, IWC gifted him a specially made skateboard. Featuring an original Inkdial drawing of Eaton’s Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 TOP GUN Ceratanium®, the skateboard was manufactured by his long-term board partner, The Heart Supply.
“It was such a pleasure welcoming Jagger to our hometown of Schaffhausen. He brought passion and curiosity to dive into the world of watchmaking and bring us into the world of skateboarding. It is amazing what can happen when two different worlds come together. It leaves you with a fresh perspective and new energy”
Eaton wore his Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 TOP GUN Ceratanium® (Ref. IW388106) that is powered by the IWC-manufactured 69385 calibre. Made from patented Ceratanium®, it is as tough and almost as light as titanium yet similarly as hard and scratch resistant as ceramic. The matte black case is complemented by a black dial and for a personal touch, Eaton fitted it with a yellow EasX-CHANGE® system rubber strap. With the subdued white luminescent hands and detailing, the timepiece offers excellent readability regardless of the hour of the day.
JAGGER EATON
Born in 2001 to owners of a skatepark in Arizona, Jagger Eaton has been skating since the ripe age of four. With support from his family, he quickly realised his passion for skating. His remarkable versatility in both street and park skateboarding has helped cement his career as a professional skateboarder. Eaton is a Skateboarding Olympic Medallist and recently became the only athlete to win the World Championships in Street and Park. This secured his position as the first competitor on the USA Skateboarding National Team to compete in both disciplines. Apart from being a great competitor, Eaton is fully committed to community give-back initiatives. Understanding the impact that his family’s skatepark had on his own career, he wants to make skateboarding more accessible to kids. This ambition is reflected in his work with the skateboard brand, The Heart Supply, and their non-profit initiative. Eaton joined the IWC family in 2023.
IWC Schaffhausen is a leading Swiss luxury watch manufacturer based in Schaffhausen in the north-eastern part of Switzerland. With collections like the Portugieser and the Pilot’s Watches, the brand covers the whole spectrum from elegant to sports watches. Founded in 1868 by the American watchmaker and engineer Florentine Ariosto Jones, IWC is known for its unique engineering approach to watchmaking, combining the best of human craftsmanship and creativity with cutting-edge technology and processes.
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 for customers to use. A pioneer in the use of titanium and ceramics, IWC today specialises in highly engineered watch cases manufactured from advanced materials, such as coloured ceramics, Ceratanium®, and titanium aluminide.
A leader in sustainable luxury watchmaking, IWC sources materials responsibly and takes action to minimise its impact on the environment. Along the pillars of transparency, circularity, and responsibility, the brand crafts timepieces built to last for generations and continuously improves every element of how it manufactures, distributes, and services its products in the most responsible way. IWC also partners with organisations that work globally to support children and young people.