Karolina Kurkova: ‘I like a nice bold-faced watch to make me feel strong and dangerous’

The first watch from IWC Schaffhausen was created in 1914 — the Savonnette women's pocket watch, a historic timepiece that reflected the elegance and simplicity of the era. It was during this time, the first World War, that women were first hired to do men’s work. Although this may seem mildly revolutionary on the surface, the fact was merely brought on by necessity. Men had to fight in the war and someone had to take their place as police officers, firemen, heavy machinery operators, even weapons makers. Women received lower wages and were immediately sacked after the men had returned. But while we still have a ways to go in the area of present-day equality, the IWC brand thinks it’s about time we came full circle, celebrating with three icons — a supermodel mom, the return of an iconic watch line with new pieces for women, and a feminine inspiration that piqued the curiosity of generations of men around the world, including artist and mathematician Leonardo Da Vinci.

Recently, American watchmaking brand IWC Schaffhausen brought its Da Vinci exhibition to Siam Paragon in Bangkok, Thailand, showcasing historic pieces from their Da Vinci collection — watches inspired by Leonardo Da Vinci, the scientist and artist of the Renaissance. Da Vinci once said “It’s better to imitate ancient than modern work” — and if there is anything at all that’s an imitation, it is how the pieces mirror Da Vinci’s search for geometrically measurable beauty, through the Flower of Life pattern engravings on the models’ case backs. For IWC, it’s a celebration of manufacturing expertise and inventive tradition, through the launch of the new Da Vinci Perpetual Calendar Chronograph and the Da Vinci Tourbillion Retrograde.

The first Da Vinci exhibition in Southeast Asia had the Flower of Life motif from the ceiling to the floor, down to the kaleidoscope photo area that influencers and celebrities from Southeast Asia flocked. The presence of IWC international brand ambassador, supermodel and super mom, Karolina Kurkova, was timely — not only were historic Da Vinci women’s watches on display, the exhibit also marked the return of the collection with strong new pieces for women. Our country’s own influential women, Kim Jones and Liz Uy, were also present at the event (Karolina’s Insta stories showed she also toured with Jones).

Supermodel time

Karolina Kurkova is a picture of the modern woman. At lunch in Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok, she was confident, funny, outspoken — and she wore a sizeable IWC Da Vinci watch that at some point in history would have been deemed inappropriate or too masculine for a woman’s wrist. It’s perfectly acceptable, even encouraged for sheer sexiness, today.

The Czech model, former Victoria’s Secret Angel and supermodel coach on The Face, was once praised by photographer Mario Testino for the “proportions of her body and her face.” Maybe if Da Vinci were her for the Fibonacci Ratio, he would find himself pleased. But she’s the perfect fit for IWC for more than that: she is a devoted mom to two sons, alongside being one of the highest paid models in the world. Plus, she looks good in a suit or a dress, and her wrist pulls off a massive men’s watch like a charm. Here’s what the supermodel had to say:

On being the perfect fit for IWC Schaffhausen. “I like way the brand tells its stories, in luxury, it’s really unique and special especially in the watch industry. It really transports you to iconic moments throughout history. The Da Vinci collection really takes us back in time to his vision. It’s a great brand, great product with incredible precision and heritage. I’ve been with the brand for the last five years, when it was really just men’s watches — which was fine, I really sometimes just like a nice bold-faced watch especially on someone delicate; it makes me feel strong and dangerous. But it’s nice to have now watches for women that are elegant and refined, with diamonds. It’s been fun.”

On watch styling and wearing men’s watches. “Right now I’m very much into the blues, I love this blue strap with the blue face. I like the rose gold watch with the diamonds, it’s great for the summer. It’s something more sparkly, it’s easy. I put time and attention into which watch I pick, the color has to go with what I’m wearing. Men would say, ‘But any watch is gonna be fine!’ But I’m a girl so, they have to come together. Now they are learning. It depends on the mood, where you are, what city,” she says.

The 33-year-old model on beauty. “Smile. For me it’s really about having a good attitude. A smile is contagious; it’s so important. Even if you are in pain or tired, it really changes the cells in your body. If you force a smile, you will naturally smile and become happy. Also, I think, if I’m around people and I always look miserable, they wouldn’t want to look at me. When you’re in an industry that always works with people, you always have to give great energy and a great attitude so people would want to be around you. I want them to have a great time. When I’m in their presence, I always want them to have a great experience.”

On being bullied and giving back. “I know what it’s like to be bullied, so I’m trying to be the best model I can be, not just in fund raisers and glamorous events. Sometimes I’m torn, because that’s how you raise money and it attracts people. But also being on the ground and connecting with people is important. Work like that needs to be done, too. I enjoy doing both. I think giving back is very important, it’s part of everyone’s duty. We all have to help each other, and it’s not just for poor people. It’s about being nice to your neighbor. Telling someone they look great today, it’s important. It’s powerful and meaningful.”

The Da Vinci collection

David Seyffer, museum curator of IWC, shared the story of the Da Vinci collection. “The first Da Vinci (Ref. 3501) was launched in 1969. With ‘Beta 21,’ it contained the first quartz movement developed entirely in Switzerland, and IWC Schaffhausen played a major role in this project. But the watch also impressed with an out-of-the-ordinary aesthetic. The movement was housed in an eye-catching hexagonal gold case, which perfectly embodied the spirit of the 1970s. This pioneering achievement marked the birth of a watch family that to this day combines the inventive spirit of IWC’s engineers with a unique approach to design,” he said.

In the modern Da Vinci collection, IWC carries on with the quest for innovation. “For the first time in the history of IWC, the Da Vinci Tourbillon Rétrograde Chronograph (Ref. 3931) unites a chronograph, a tourbillon and a retrograde date display on a single dial. And the new IWC-manufactured 89630 caliber in the Da Vinci Perpetual Calendar Chronograph is the first from IWC to combine the double chronograph counter with the moon phase display and place them both on a single subdial,” says Seyffer.

He captures the IWC vision perfectly in the exhibition, as well as its mission to capture moments in time through lasting, quality timepieces. Of future trends in watches, he predicts the rise of mechanical watches among young people. “We are always connected and online, but we have no sustainable symbols. With the help of art, culture, or architecture, people have always created objects or symbols that outlasted them. Digital bits and bytes are not everlasting, and especially in today’s sharing economy, everything has become interchangeable. But people need something physical – a symbol they can connect with durably. Mechanical watches can provide this feeling to a certain measure. I am amazed to see how many influencers are posting wrist shots with the new Da Vinci watches, so my guess is that the distinctive 1980s design hit a nerve with a younger generation of watch lovers, too.”

* * *

In the Philippines, IWC Schaffhausen is exclusively distributed by Lucerne.