IWC launches two new race-ready watches in partnership with George Russell

With the Formula 1 season edging closer and closer to kick off, fans will be on tenterhooks looking for new bits of information about the upcoming season. And while it won't give you any insight into car performance, there's something juicy coming out from Mercedes' number one driver, George Russell.

The Brit has unveiled his first ever watch collaboration with brand sponsor, IWC Schaffhausen. IWC and Mercedes enjoy a storied history, with Russell's former teammate and Formula 1 icon, Lewis Hamilton, having created many pieces with the brand.

To kick off his tenure, Russell has launched a pair of pieces – one chronograph, and one pilot's watch. Both employ the driver's signature blue hue, which can be seen in his helmet design. You'll also find his driver number – 63 – engraved on the caseback.

The chronograph model is powered by the brand's 69380 calibre, which offers a 4Hz beat rate, and 46 hours of power reserve. That sits inside of a 41.9mm black ceramic case, which sits a smidge tall at 15.5mm.

The crown and pushers are crafted from the brand's patented Ceratanium – a titanium allow with the hardness properties of ceramic – while the case back is crafted from titanium. The model comes on a blue rubber strap, and is limited to just 1,063 pieces.

The pilot's watch follows a similar theme in terms of design, with a couple of notable changes. It uses a slightly slimmer 41mm black ceramic case, which sits just 11.4mm tall for a much more familiar wearing experience.

That's powered by a 32112 calibre, which offers a whopping 120 hours of power reserve from the 4Hz beat rate. The model also comes on a blue rubber strap, and is water resistant to 100m.

Priced at £10,100 (approx. €11,700 / US$13,850 / AU$19,700) for the chronograph and £7,300 (approx. €8,500 / US$10,000 / AU$14,250) for the pilot's watch, these both sit comfortably in the luxury watch space. Given the limited nature of these pieces and the premium materials used, that feels like a pretty good price.