Geneva/Schaffhausen, March 30th, 2022 – IWC Schaffhausen has taken its first step into web3, opening an immersive metaverse environment for a tokenized community. The Swiss luxury watchmaker collaborated with renowned architect Hani Rashid and leading web3 solutions platform Arianee to create the IWC Diamond Hand Club. As members, token owners can unlock unique and exclusive experiences as they venture back and forth between the virtual and physical worlds. IWC CEO Christoph Grainger-Herr announced the exciting project during his keynote speech at Watches and Wonders on Wednesday in Geneva.
“IWC has always pioneered the new and the bold, and web3 has incredible potential to demonstrate this spirit of innovation. Our exclusive new metaverse experience on the Spatial platform will provide a modern and meaningful way to communicate with our clients. By building an inclusive community for members to enjoy and linking the physical world with its virtual counterpart, we can showcase our brand like never before.”
— Christoph Grainger-Herr CEO of IWC
Following Wednesday’s keynote announcement, IWC will distribute a first drop of 1,868 membership tokens, in a nod to its founding year of 1868, on a first-come, first- served basis to clients, watch enthusiasts and the general public. The tokens will be released on various IWC channels and at its physical booth at Watches and Wonders. Following the launch, each client who purchases one of IWC’s newly launched colored ceramic Pilot’s Watches will also receive an NFT.
Each non-fungible token (NFT), minted with the Arianee NFT management platform, contains a raw diamond-shaped digital artwork, the emblem of the new IWC Diamond Hand Club. The term 'Diamond Hand' is widely used within web3, indicating investment loyalty and a member's nerves of steel compared to 'Paper Hands', who panic in the face of fluctuations. In naming its environment the IWC Diamond Hand Club, IWC pays homage to this terminology, attaching the same qualities of commitment and fidelity to its IWC community.
IWC’s environment, designed by architect Rashid, is a bespoke, digital version of its physical high-tech shipping container-style booth at Watches and Wonders. It also features other unique worlds, representing the watchmaker’s new ceramic colours, like ‘IWC Mojave Desert’, ‘IWC Woodland’ and ‘IWC Lake Tahoe’. Devised as the gateway to all of IWC's future web3 initiatives, the IWC Diamond Hand Club will grow as more worlds and features are added, and new collectible tokens are distributed at select occasions.
Through the IWC Diamond Hand Club members will be invited to exclusive virtual events within the 3D space and offered access to physical events and services. Additionally, members can participate in token-gated community channels. The first of the club’s real-world “utilities” is the chance to attend a private performance on April 1st at Geneva's Théâtre du Léman to celebrate IWC’s new 'Colors of Top Gun' watch collection.
“Once the NFT is claimed, its owner will become an IWC Diamond Hand Club member. They can then enter IWC’s newly-launched virtual 3D space, which is hosted on Spatial.io, the digital online platform for a culture that offers creators, collectors, and brands the ability to produce compelling and immersive VR experiences in the metaverse.”
— Maurice Moitroux, IWC’s Associate Director of Brand Marketing
“The IWC Diamond Hand Club is the first NFT-based membership program ever created in the luxury and watchmaking industry. It is a great pleasure for Arianee to combine our web3 expertise with IWC’s spirit and love for innovation. This partnership will open new horizons to the IWC community.”
— Pierre-Nicolas Hurstel, CEO & cofounder of Arianee
“Web3 technology is an exciting new frontier with limitless possibilities, and this is just the start for IWC. Our virtual environment has been designed as a holistic ecosystem, built with our users in mind, for the long term. We aim to augment the experience of our community and engage in 3D, no matter where our clients and enthusiasts might be.”
— Katharina Doepke-Schelling, IWC's Associate Director Digital Strategy & Transformation
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