Watches and Wonders 2026: IWC Schaffhausen sets its sights on space with the new Pilot’s Venturer Vertical Drive

With its sights set on a new era of manned spaceflight, IWC Schaffhausen presents one of this year’s most technically ambitious launches at Watches and Wonders Geneva. Pilot’s Venturer Vertical Drive is not just a new model – it is a watch developed from the ground up to function in zero gravity and during spacewalks. 

A watch built for space – for real

This is not yet another “space-inspired” model. Together with the space company Vast, IWC has developed a watch that is actually qualified for spaceflight. As early as next year it is expected to accompany astronauts to Haven-1 – the world’s first commercial space station, made by the company Vast. Vast is a relatively new but fast-growing player in the commercial space industry. The company was founded in the USA with the ambition of building and operating the next generation of space stations – an area where private companies are increasingly taking over from state initiatives.

Their first major project is Haven-1, a planned commercial space station in low Earth orbit (LEO). The idea is to create a platform for both government astronauts and private missions – from research to industrial experiments and, by extension, space tourism as well.

Unlike traditional players, Vast focuses on modular and faster solutions. Haven-1 is designed as a more compact and efficient station compared with, for example, the International Space Station, which makes it both cheaper and faster to get into operation.

The collaboration with IWC Schaffhausen around the Pilot’s Venturer Vertical Drive also shows how new space companies work more flexibly – where technical development, brand building and innovation go hand in hand. Vast have been involved in both testing and concept development of the watch, specifically with a focus on real usage scenarios in the space environment.

The case in white zirconium oxide ceramic measures 44,3 mm and is a full 16,7 mm thick – dimensions that signal tool rather than dress straight away. The bezel in Ceratanium (IWC’s own hybrid of titanium and ceramic) plays a central role in the functionality and is designed to be usable with gloves during EVA (Extravehicular Activity).

Perhaps the most radical innovation is that the watch has no crown. Instead the functions are controlled via the bezel and a hefty lever on the left side of the case. It activates a vertical drive system that switches between:

• Time setting
• Winding
• GMT function

This makes the watch usable even when fine motor skills are limited – in a spacesuit, for example.

The PVVD is equipped with a “flyer GMT”, where the hour hand can jump in one-hour steps – a function just as relevant in orbit as for frequent travellers on Earth.

The matte black dial is optimised for maximum legibility with minimal reflection. The hands are coated with green Super-LumiNova while the GMT hand glows blue – a clear separation between local time and reference time.

Inside sits a further development of IWC’s 32000 calibre with a new GMT module. The power reserve is an impressive 120 hours. In microgravity, where the automatic rotor does not always work optimally, the watch can instead be wound via the bezel.

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