IWC’s latest unveiling is the all-new Ingenier Automatic 40 collection. This newly engineered collection references the design codes of Gerald Genta’s Ingenieur SL (ref. 1832) from the 1970s whilst meeting and exceeding the highest standard for watches of this modern era. This new collection is comprised of four new models; Ref. IW328901, Ref. IW328902, Ref. IW328903 and Ref. IW328904. References 901-903 are made from stainless steel, while reference 904 gets a titanium treatment.
The modern design of IWC’s Ingenieur goes back to the 1970s when the brand commissioned Gerald Genta to redesign the Ingenieur. Back when the model was first released back in 1955, it marked a technical milestone for IWC, as it came with an in-house automatic movement and a soft-iron inner case for extra protection against magnetic fields. With Genta’s artistic touch, he then gave the Ingenieur its own unique visual identity.
Gerald Genta’s Ingenieur SL which was launched in 1976 was an innovative and disruptive design IWC needed, as this creation become a collector’s favourite and arguably one of the more sought-after models from the brand’s history. The design of the Ingenieur SL featured a screw-on bezel with five screws placed in a hexagon pattern, a dial with a unique pattern, and an integrated H-link bracelet. All of these design codes are carried over into IWC’s new Ingenieur Automatic 40 collection, giving a rebirth into the iconic 1970s design.
CEO of IWC Schaffhausen, Chris Grainger-Herr explains this new collection by stating “With the new Ingenieur Automatic 40, the steel sports watch with an integrated bracelet returns to our portfolio. While taking inspiration from Gérald Genta’s Ingenieur SL from the 1970s, we invested a lot of time and effort into engineering a new automatic model with perfect case proportions and ergonomics, a high level of detail and finishing, and equipped with modern movement technology. The new Ingenieur Automatic 40 is a versatile luxury sports watch for the 21st century”.
All four variants in this new collection come with a 40mm case, which from previous models has now been reworked and improved down to the smallest detail to get enhanced ergonomics and wearability. The case, bezel, and bracelet have a combination of polished and satin-finished surfaces to give a high level of detail and finishing. The new case design comes with a newly engineered middle-link attachment, rather than the nose-shaped horns on the 1970s design. Although this gives a similar appearance aesthetically, the ergonomics and wearability of the watch have been greatly improved.
One of the striking new features of the case is the polygonal screws used to secure the bezel to the case. In previous designs, the recesses were screwed into the case, however, each would end up in a different position after being locked tightly onto the case. Through this latest design, the screws are now aesthetically pleasing while also remaining functional.
The dial on each of the four variants comes with the same design, albeit in different colours. The design consists of a distinctive “Grid” structure, which IWC states “creates a balance to the technical and very sculptural case design”. This grid structure is created by offsetting small lines 90 degrees from each other, which is then stamped into the soft iron blank before it’s galvanised.
Christian Knoop, Chief Design Officer of IWC Schaffhausen talks about this updated design “It is not every day that a designer gets the chance to work on an icon like the Ingenieur SL. We were aware of the enormous responsibility this task entailed and proceeded very cautiously. Nevertheless, we believe we succeeded in creating a new and contemporary interpretation, perfected down to the smallest detail. While keeping faithful to the original design signature, the new Ingenieur Automatic 40 is a perfect embodiment of IWC’s engineering excellence”.
The four variants in this collection cater to different personal tastes with different dial colours and material finishes. The first model Ref. IW328901 comes in a stainless steel case with a black dial, rhodium-plated hands, and hour indices (with SuperLumiNova), and an integrated stainless steel bracelet. The second variant, Ref. IW328902 carries the same characteristics as the first model but now comes with a silver-plated dial. The third variant in the stainless steel case is the Ref. IW328903. Featuring rhodium-plated hands and appliques (with SuperLumiNova), this reference comes with a beautiful Aqua dial.
The last model in this new Ingenieur collection is the Ref. IW328904. This reference comes with a grade 5 titanium case and bracelet that has a highly detailed finish with sandblasted, satin-finished, and polished surfaces. To match the titanium look of the case, the dial has a grey finish, while the hands and indices have a black outline to make it them stand out for readability.
IWC has given this new collection their in-house manufactured 32111 calibre movement that features the automatic pawl winding system. Operating at 4Hz (28, 800 VpH), the calibre 32111 movement gives out an impressive power reserve of 120 hours (5 days).
This modern re-take on an old classic has all the right ingredients to be a hit in the world of watchmaking. The new Ingenieur Automatic 40 takes the original design signature and adds modern design features to make it more ergonomic and improve wearability, while also giving out high performance.
References: IW328901, IW328902, IW328903 & IW328904
Specification:
- Case: 40mm
- Case Material: Stainless Steel & Grade 5 Titanium
- Dial: “Grid” structure in black, silver-plated, aqua blue and grey dial colours.
- Crystal: Sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating
- Water resistance: 100m (10bar)
- Movement: IWC caliber 32111
- Power reserve: 120 hours (5 days)
- Bracelet/Strap: Stainless steel or Grade 5 titanium.
