Max Knives IWA3 — Steel Impact Watch in a pocket watch format

Overview

The IWA3 is the second steel version in the Max Knives Impact Watch series. It shares everything with the IWA1: the PSUPPER drawing, Fred Perrin's endorsement and that pocket watch outline sitting in the hollow of the hand. What sets it apart is the material. A metal body announces itself to the fingers before the eye has looked at it, and that is the whole difference with the coloured versions in the catalogue. It is carried on one finger and hung by its ring.

Steel or polycarbonate: what the material changes

The series comes in metal and in technical plastic, and the choice turns on three things. Mass first: steel weighs in the palm and brings a presence that the lighter polycarbonate is not after. Touch next: metal is smooth and cool, warming slowly against the skin, where the polymer starts out mild. Then how each ages: steel takes on a patina and keeps the record of the years, while polycarbonate stays crisp and never rusts. The IWA3 sits squarely on the metal side.

Technical specifications

A steel body, with no moving part and nothing to adjust. The format follows that of a pocket watch, a round outline pierced by a ring, meant to be taken with a single finger. The ring accepts a belt loop, a bag carabiner or a lanyard. The drawing is by PSUPPER and the model carries Fred Perrin's approval. The IWA3 and the IWA1 are the two steel references in the series, completed by six coloured polycarbonate versions.

Care

Metal is happy with a cloth and a little attention. Dry the piece as soon as it has taken on moisture, then run a drop of neutral oil over the surface every so often; that film is enough to protect steel between outings. Avoid leaving the object shut inside a wet bag for days on end. Dry storage keeps its original look with nothing else required.

Legal notice. Impact tools are restricted or prohibited in a number of countries and are frequently refused in aircraft cabin baggage. Check the law that applies where the order is delivered before purchasing.