IWC Brings Hollywood to Watches and Wonders 2025 with APX GP

I wasn’t expecting to walk into a film set when I arrived at Watches and Wonders 2025, but that’s exactly what IWC Schaffhausen delivered. Their space wasn’t just a stand to show off the latest watches, it was a full throttle tribute to the upcoming F1 movie, complete with the APX GP Formula 1 car, the full Mercedes 4x4 rig, racing suits, and helmets worn by the stars themselves. I’ve seen brand activations before, but this was something else entirely: cinematic, immersive, and sharp as the lines on an Ingenieur case.

For anyone not already in the loop, F1 is the new movie hitting cinemas on 27th June, starring Brad Pitt as veteran driver Sonny Hayes and Simone Ashley as the team’s rising star. It was filmed in real F1 paddocks, with real cars, real teams, and now real watches! IWC are embedded in the story, just as they’re a title sponsor for The Mercedes-Petronas AMG F1 Team in real life, in the movie, they back the fictional APX GP team. The result? IWC timepieces are now part of the DNA of the film.

At the centre of the IWC stand awas the new IWC Ingenieur ‘Sonny’, a 40mm steel stunner with a green grid dial, directly modelled after the watch worn by Brad Pitt’s character in the film. Seeing it in person, against the backdrop of the APX GP car, gave it a new kind of weight; storytelling in steel. The green hue popped under the lights, and the heritage inspired Genta design looked as fresh as ever. For anyone who collects based on narrative, this watch ticks every box.

What made the experience even better was how tactile it all was. I got up close with the APX GP helmets, the racing suits stitched with sponsor logos, and even a damaged F1 car that was wrecked in the movies. IWC clearly understood that to make this collaboration resonate, it had to be more than surface level branding, it needed to feel real. And it did.

Of course, the hype is bigger than just a movie tie in. The new collection cements IWC’s long standing connection to motorsport and design. Watches like the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 APX GP Edition (also teased in the movie) reinforce IWC’s position at the intersection of performance and luxury.

As someone who’s followed IWC for years, this felt like a defining moment for the brand. It wasn’t about quietly unveiling a new model. It was about stepping into the spotlight, alongside Hollywood, Formula One, and the kind of global storytelling few watch brands ever dare to touch.

If the goal was to create a timepiece that lives beyond the wrist then IWC nailed it. I left the booth wanting to rewatch Drive To Survive, book Silverstone tickets, and maybe, just maybe, put my name down for the Sonny.

Watch The F1 Movie Trailer here

Check Out The Full Range From IWC Here