Why Toto Wolff wore two watches at the Singapore Grand Prix
Toto Wolff arrived at the Singapore Grand Prix last weekend with not one, but two watches strapped to his left wrist. This isn’t the first time he’s worn two watches, and, thanks to Mercedes sponsor IWC Schaffhausen, it certainly won’t be the last.
Wolff wore two watches so he could set them to different time zones. One was set to Singapore time, and the other to European time. This way, he could juggle the pressures of the tight night race while knowing exactly what time it was back in Brackley, or potentially Monaco, where his family live.
Wolff has been doing this for a long time. His partnership with IWC led him to don the Big Pilot’s Watch Shock Absorber XPL Toto Wolff edition throughout the Singapore Grand Prix weekend. This 44 mm timepiece, built from Ceratanium and restricted to just 100 units globally, is made to withstand even the strongest of Austrian desk slams – something Wolff has previously been known for.
The second watch appeared to be IWC’s new Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team, which the brand created as a tribute to this year’s Singapore Grand Prix.
Toto Wolff, Mercedes
Photo by: Sam Bloxham / LAT Images via Getty Images
Its purple sunburst dial is inspired by the Vanda Miss Joaquim orchid, Singapore’s national flower, and is paired with Petronas-green numerals and markers, black hands and a matching purple rubber strap. George Russell and Kimi Antonelli assisted with the launch earlier this year.
It’s more than a team-colours tie-in. The 41mm grade 5 titanium case holds IWC’s in-house calibre 69,385 automatic chronograph, with a 46-hour power reserve visible through a sapphire cashback, and it’s water-resistant to 100m. Unlike Wolff’s 100-piece Big Pilot, however, it isn’t a limited edition. It’s part of IWC’s permanent collection and costs CHF 7,700.
Toto Wolff’s IWC watches: how they compare
| Spec | Big Pilot’s Watch Shock Absorber XPL Toto Wolff edition | Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team (Singapore) |
|---|---|---|
| Reference | IW356201 | IW388121 |
| Released | February 2025 | August 2026 |
| Case | 44mm Ceratanium | 41mm grade 5 titanium, 14.5mm thick |
| Dial | Black, textured, with luminous-edged hands | Purple sunburst with Petronas-green numerals and markers |
| Movement | IWC calibre 32101, automatic | IWC calibre 69385, automatic chronograph |
| Power reserve | 120 hours | 46 hours |
| Standout feature | SPRIN-g PROTECT shock absorber, rated for shocks over 30,000 g | Chronograph with day and date |
| Caseback | Tinted sapphire with Toto Wolff’s signature | Sapphire with green Mercedes F1 lettering |
| Strap | Green rubber (black rubber strap included) | Purple rubber, quick-change EasX-Change system |
| Production | Limited to 100 pieces | Not limited (permanent collection) |
| Price | About US$102,000 | CHF 7,700 (about US$9,200) |
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