IWC Schaffhausen announces a new partnership with Boom Supersonic

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Swiss luxury watch brand IWC Schaffhausen has entered into a new partnership with Boom Supersonic, the company building the world’s fastest and most sustainable supersonic airliner. The collaboration is founded on both companies’ special relationship with time, their commitment to engineering excellence, and their dedication to incorporating sustainability across the entire supply chain. Within the scope of the partnership, IWC and Boom plan to share best practices to advance sustainable practices in their respective industries.

Founded in 2014 in Denver, Boom Supersonic aims to redefine commercial air travel by bringing sustainable, supersonic flights to the sky. The company’s supersonic airliner, Overture, will be net-zero carbon and capable of flying on 100% sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) at twice the speed of today’s fastest passenger jets. Boom is aiming to roll out Overture in 2025, fly in 2026 and carry passengers by 2029.

boom supersonic plane

IWC Schaffhausen was founded in 1868 by the American watchmaker Florentine Ariosto Jones. Combining traditional Swiss craftsmanship with modern industrial technology from his homeland, he established the first centralized watch production in Switzerland. Today, IWC specializes in ingenious and easy-to-use complications like chronographs and calendars. The company has also acquired unique expertise in the field of advanced materials.

“Since engineering our first pilot’s watch in the 1930s, a passion for aviation has run like a common thread through the history of our brand. We have always worked with pioneers and supported them on their mission to conquer the skies. Driven by our shared commitment to engineering excellence and sustainability, we are proud to be joining forces with Boom Supersonic,” explains Franziska Gsell, CMO of IWC Schaffhausen.

“Boom is thrilled to be partnering with IWC on sustainability priorities. As a pioneer in sustainable design and manufacturing, IWC has a great deal of insight to offer others across industries. With our shared passion for the value of time, we look forward to our ongoing collaboration with IWC in helping to build the future of sustainable business,” says Kathy Savitt, President and Chief Commercial Officer of Boom Supersonic.

Whether it is about manufacturing the world’s fastest and most sustainable airliner or a complex mechanism like the movement of a mechanical watch: both Boom and IWC need to be at the pinnacle of engineering and constantly push the boundaries of physics. Boom, for example, uses sophisticated computer simulations and wind-tunnel testing to ensure the design of Overture is maximized for performance and fuel efficiency. What’s more, the manufacturing of thermal-stable carbon composite airframe components is a task that requires expert knowledge in material science.

IWC pioneered the use of titanium and ceramic in the watch industry during the 1980s and has since acquired a unique expertise in the field. Today, the company’s new engineering division, IWC Experimental, plays a crucial role in driving cutting-edge innovations in areas like g-force protection or the development of highly advanced technical materials such as Ceratanium®.

Finally, both companies have made it a priority to integrate sustainability across the entire value chain.

Boom Supersonic is expected to be the first commercial aircraft manufacturer to be net-zero carbon. For example, Overture will have a fuel-efficient design and be capable of using 100% sustainable aviation fuels (SAF).

Boom also wants to ensure Overture can be recycled at the end of its useful life. Mechanical watches from IWC are engineered to last for generations and are intrinsically sustainable as such. However, they must be responsibly made. IWC leads the luxury watch industry with its comprehensive and transparent approach to sustainability, committing to biennial reporting and defining measurable targets.

From the responsible sourcing of materials or reducing the volume and weight of primary packaging to developing new and sustainable materials such as paper-based watch straps, IWC continuously improves every element of how it designs, manufactures, distributes, and services its products.

The partnership between Boom Supersonic and IWC Schaffhausen will see various joint projects in the future. For example, Boom and IWC will work together with a special focus on sustainability priorities. Both Boom and IWC are committed to sustainable manufacturing practices throughout the supply chains of their respective industries.