IWC Schaffhausen
Revolution Awards 2017: Lifetime Achievement — Kurt Klaus, Master Watchmaker and IWC Ambassador
IWC Schaffhausen
Revolution Awards 2017: Lifetime Achievement — Kurt Klaus, Master Watchmaker and IWC Ambassador
2017 marks the 60th anniversary of Klaus joining IWC. In the ensuing years, he would work with the great Albert Pellaton, his mentor, and he would play a major role — if less known to the public than that of the bean-counters and suits — in IWC’s rebirth, as well as that of A. Lange & Söhne.
He was the main designer of IWC’s Da Vinci Perpetual Calendar Chronograph in 1985, a pivotal watch for both the era and for IWC’s reputation. In its own way, it was more responsible than any other timepiece for reviving interest in “grand complications” and other watch functions beyond time, day and date.
Klaus worked closely with Blümlein, whom he acknowledges as a great enabler. Blümlein’s faith in Klaus was exemplified by the way he employed Klaus as a master watchmaker with a key role in reviving that trio of houses. Klaus was thus one of those who, behind the scenes, laid the groundwork for A. Lange & Söhne to emerge from a half-century under the heel of communism to stand — within a decade of its rebirth — as one of the most highly-regarded watch manufacturers on the planet.
He arrived at IWC in 1957, already qualified as a watchmaker, following a period at Eterna. He worked directly for Albert Pellaton, among whose designs was IWC’s legendary Mark XI, creating its anti-magnetic case and its movement, the caliber 89. Klaus recalls assembling these movements from his start in 1957.
Since 1957, Klaus — as inventive as his mentor — has imbued every IWC on which he worked with this credo. The world’s Lange connoisseurs, as well as fans of IWC, owe him thanks. And we at Revolution are privileged to show our gratitude with the 2017 Lifetime Achievement award.