IWC Schaffhausen and Scholz & Friends Celebrate a Brilliant Failure

A cinematic short documentary about the IWC Ingenieur

April 16th 2025 – When the first behind-the-scenes photos from the upcoming Apple Original blockbuster ‘F1^® – The Movie’ began to circulate in August 2024, the watch community quickly noticed a timepiece on the wrist of driver Sonny Hayes (played by Hollywood star Brad Pitt) that, technically, shouldn’t exist: a green IWC Ingenieur from 1976.

This past weekend, during the 82nd Members’ Meeting in Goodwood, West Sussex (UK) – arguably the world’s most exclusive motorsport event – and in the presence of numerous cast members from the film, IWC, official partner of ‘F1^® – The Movie’, unveiled the story behind this remarkable watch. 

A four-minute cinematic documentary tells the story of the legendary IWC Reference 1832 — designed by none other than Gérald Genta, the most renowned watch designer of all time. With its radically new and progressive Genta design, the IWC Ingenieur — originally conceived in the 1950s as a tool watch for engineers — failed to gain commercial traction among its intended target group. It was not until the early 21st century that the model was rediscovered by a new generation. The film intertwines this historical arc with the story of a race car driver, shedding light on the origins of the unique green Ingenieur worn by Sonny Hayes in the movie. 

“IWC Schaffhausen is 'The Engineer and Storyteller of Fine Watchmaking’. Each of our watches tells a unique story, shaped not least by its wearer. With the Ingenieur short film, we are telling the story of one of our most legendary designs, which was far ahead of its time back in the 1970s,” says Franziska A. Gsell, Chief Marketing Officer IWC Schaffhausen. 

“With ‘Our Most Brilliant Failure’, we’ve created an elaborately produced piece of culture  – for a community deeply passionate about watchmaking and design. In the following weeks, we’ll continue to unfold the story, primarily through digital channels,” adds Jörg Waschescio, Executive Creative Director at Scholz & Friends. 

The documentary was directed by Rune Milton (production: Thirsty Film), who previously brought the award-winning IWC origin story ‘Born of a Dream’ to life in 2020. Cinematography was handled by Daniel Voldheim, known for his work on the Apple TV series ‘Presumed Innocent’. Post-production was completed by Chemistry in Copenhagen, with accompanying photography by Lennart Ritscher.