Since 2005, IWC has been a key supporter of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, a charity whose mission is focused on achieving social change for the better. As a part of this tight-knit relationship, IWC has once again produced a Laureus Sport for Good timepiece, this year using the famed Mark XVIII as a template.
Almost the entire watch is executed in a deep navy blue, including the case, strap and even the dial. Blue is the signature colour of Laureus Sport for Good, which has seen many blue watches produced in their annual collaboration piece. The case is a little larger than the 40mm standard production Mark XVIII, measuring 41mm in diameter and 11.4mm thick.
The case is almost entirely blue ceramic, with a titanium caseback that guarantees the watch to 100m of water resistance. The caseback isn’t the only component hewn from titanium, with the crown and the buckle of the strap also made in the lightweight material. The caseback is engraved with the winning entry of a drawing competition that IWC hosts, depicting the artwork by Columbian 12-year-old Melissa MejÃa Castilla. The image is of ten children around a campfire, and is called Vivir en ArmonÃa, or Living in Peace.
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Powering the 2021 edition of the IWC Laureus Sport for Good is the in-house IWC Caliber 32111. The movement features a soft-iron inner cage to protect it against magnetism, runs at 4Hz and boasts a genuinely impressive 5-day power reserve.
All considered, it’s a strong release from IWC, especially for such a good cause. When annual launches such as this can sometimes become a little staid, IWC has kept it fresh, especially with the debut of a brand new blue ceramic case. The IWC Laureus Sport for Good edition for 2021 is $9,950 and is limited to just 750 pieces worldwide.
