During Watches and Wonders 2023, IWC revisited its Ingenieur collection by debuting Ingenieur Automatic 40, a new collection of three steel-cased models, while also adding a new titanium version of the watch.
The new IWC Automatic 40 titanium model. Three steel-cases model also debuted at Watches and Wonders.The back of the IWC Ingenieur Automatic 40 in titanium.
While we’ve seen titanium versions of the post-1976 Gerald Genta-designed Ingenieur in the past, this year’s debut is an all-new ongoing model that, from early notices, seems bound to be a hit for the Schaffhausen-based watchmaker.
With a name meaning ‘engineer in both French and German, the Ingenieur collection has been where IWC placed its most ‘technical’ designs over the years. IWC launched the collection in 1955 to highlight its first automatic movement protected with a soft-iron inner case for magnetic field protection.
This tool-watch focus remains as all the new Ingenieur Automatic 40 references are powered by the IWC-manufactured Caliber 32111, boasting a superior power reserve of 120 hours.
Also, all the new models feature soft-iron inner cases to protect the movements from magnetic fields, and all are water-resistant to 100 meters.
The latest Ingenieur collection traces its design from the 1970s, more specifically from Gérald Genta’s Ingenieur SL, Reference 1832.
IWC modeled the new collection on the 1970s-era Ingenieur SL Ref. 1832, designed by Gerald Genta.
On each Ingenieur Automatic 40 watch you’ll see five functional, polygonal screws along the bezel to secure the bezel to the case. These echo the Genta design, though on the original model the screws were not always in the same location along the bezel.
Here, a permanent pattern for the screws contributes to the case and bezel design while also enhancing the watch’s integrity.
To create its new, distinctive ‘grid’ pattern dial, IWC’s watchmakers stamp the pattern (small lines offset by 90 degrees to each other) into a soft iron blank, and then galvanize it.
The result is a pleasing texture and design that meshes nicely with the entire watch’s technical nature. A new, slightly curved case enhances the model’s wrist friendliness.
For the steel Ingenieur Automatic 40, IWC offers black, silver and aqua dials, while the titanium model is matched with a nice grey dial, notably darker than the silver-dialed steel model.
The titanium watch (Ref. IW328904 ) is also sand-blasted with polished bevels and brushed sides.
Its sturdy integrated Grade 5 titanium bracelet with butterfly folding clasp maintains the entire watch’s lightness, which also contributes to the watch’s wrist-friendliness. Titanium’s anti-allergy properties are also a plus.
The Maurice Lacroix Aikon #tide is made from #Tide plastics. This material, which includes fabric, rope and more, has been recovered and up-cycled for use as a watch case material.
Maurice Lacroix offers its Aikon #tide in ten colors on a white or black recycled strap.Truly a laudable ideal, recovering, reusing and recycling / upcycling is the wave (pun intended) of the future. More companies at-large, and a host of watch brands in-particular, are recognizing the value of conservation and recycling.
The Ulysse Nardin Lemon Shark
Whether this is an earnest effort by leadership concerned with the state and fate of the planet, or the more mercenary motivation of a marketing mantra is actually a moot point. Doing good is worth it, whether it comes from the heart – or feeds the bottom line.
Ulysse Nardin backs Ocearch’s mission to provide resources to better understand the shark’s role in the ocean’s fragile ecosystem.
Oris helps rebuild ocean reefs and invests in clean water initiatives, Ulysse Nardin supports the amazing work of Chris Fischer and the Ocearch research team gathering (and notably sharing) data on ocean going apex predators as well as sea turtles, Blancpain’s Ocean Commitment comes to life around the world in partnership with various scientific and oceanic entities to study and preserve various aquatic ecosystems.
Other brands, like IWC, are vying for carbon neutrality in manufacturing, while Mondaine and others are using unusual sources to develop their own sustainable sources for environmentally friendly materials for cases and straps.
From my perspective as an avid outdoorsman and current resident of the planet, I appreciate these efforts and will continue to promote these relationships in our coverage and encourage more brands to engage as they are able to in conservation, philanthropy, and other altruistic endeavors.
It’s About Time…to save the planet – one watch at a time…
This article first appeared in the Summer 2022 issue of About Time.
After introducing its 43mm Big Pilot’s Watch earlier in April, IWC now adds two Spitfire models to the collection. That initial debut introduced the new 43mm size to the Big Pilot’s collection, offering a smaller diameter option to those who want this collection’s military profile (and distinctive conical crown) to fit more snugly on moderate-sized wrists.
The IWC Big Pilot’s Watch 43 Spitfire features a bronze case and crown.
These two new models, one in a matte grey titanium case with a black dial and one with a very nice bronze case framing a military green dial, offer the Big Pilot’s design but do so with stricter military specs that require closed casebacks.
The Big Pilot’s Watch 43 Spitfire, with titanium case.
Both these new watches offer a titanium case back that IWC has engraved with an image of a Spitfire fighter plane, and both include a soft-iron inner case for protection against magnetic fields.
The IWC Big Pilot’s Watch 43 Spitfire (Ref. IW329702) with the bronze case, gold-plated hands and bronze crown presents collectors with a real visual treat beyond its inherent military demeanor.
The watch’s stylish color combination sacrifices none of its technical chops. IWC says its bronze alloy is considerably harder than traditional bronze because it includes copper, aluminum and iron. And as any owner of a bronze watch will testify, bronze will develop a unique patina over time to create a distinctive look.
IWC has coated the watch’s hands and hour markers with a generous helping of luminescent material and has attached a green buffalo stitched leather strap. Price: $9,350.
IWC’s Big Pilot’s Watch 43 Spitfire (Ref. IW329701) offers its own aesthetic attractions, primarily its historically inspired black ‘observation’ watch dial. This means the hour hands are not the focus for pilots who need to know minutes and seconds quickly. Thus, the minutes and seconds appear larger, printed in white on the outer ring, which make it easier for pilots to read the minutes and seconds.
IWC fits this model with brown calfskin leather strap with contrast stitching. Price: $8,950.
IWC powers both watches with its own 82100 Caliber movement that boasts the famed, hyper-efficient IWC Pellaton winding system and zirconium oxide wheels and pawls. Power reserve is sixty hours. Both watches also feature IWC’s own EasXchange system for quick, tool-free strap changes.
IWC expands its Portofino collection this week with the Portofino Chronograph 39 (Ref. IW3914), a new design debuting as a set of three 39mm steel-cased chronographs.
One of three 39mm steel-cased references in the new IWC Portofino Chronograph 39 collection.
The new, smaller-cased models complement IWC’s existing 42mm Portofino Chronograph. The new trio’s dial design emphasizes Portofino’s minimalistic layout with an even cleaner look than previous chronographs in the collection. With a smaller dial, the new models do not include the day/date display at 3 o’clock or the seconds subdial at 9 o’clock found on the larger chronographs.
The elegant Portofino often flies under the radar at IWC, which is best known for its technical focus (Ingenieur and Da Vinci), its range of larger aviation collections (Pilot and Big Pilot) and its nautical (Aquatimer and Portugieser) collections.
IWC has enriched Portofino in recent years to extend the collection’s unisex appeal, notably with an attractive series of Portofino Automatic models offered in 34mm, 37mm and 40mm cases. Throughout the Portofino collection IWC maintains a clean dial design characterized by the spare use of Roman numerals set between simple applied hour markers.
Here two totalizers (at 6 o’clock and 12 o’clock) balance the dial, each partially hiding the display’s only two Roman numerals. A very thin seconds track frames the dial’s primary elongated markers. Inside IWC fits its Caliber 79350, built by IWC from a very highly modified ETA Valjoux 7750.
IWC offers three steel-cased references in the new Portofino Chronograph 39 collection. Dial options are black, green or silver-plate. All models are fitted with top-notch alligator straps. Price: $5,900.
For 2020, IWC Schaffhausen is updating and expanding its Portugieser collection, focusing on equipping the entire collection with in-house calibers while also re-emphasizing the design’s nautical history.
Among the highlights: a smaller (40mm) Portugieser Automatic model, a smaller diameter (42mm) perpetual calendar, additional examples of the Portugieser Chronograph newly set with an in-house caliber, a new Yacht Club watch with a moonphase display, plus an all-new edition of the watch with a tide indicator. In addition, IWC added several complicated Portugieser watches that combine a tourbillon with a perpetual calendar and a chronograph.
The new IWC Portugieser Automatic Chronograph, also available with green dial or with blue dial (on gold Boutique model).
New Chronographs
The Portugieser Chronograph (Ref. 3716), long a best seller for IWC, is newly equipped in the standard version with the IWC in-house 69355 caliber and a clear sapphire-glass back. The two stainless-steel models ($7,950), one with deep green dial and one glowing in deep ‘claret’ red, are equipped with the newly developed folding butterfly clasp. A third model, elegant in 5N gold, (Ref IW371614, $17,800) features a blue dial, gold markers and gold hands.
The new Portugieser Automatic 40 (Ref. 3583) is fit with IWC-manufactured Caliber 82200.
Automatic, now at 40mm
The Portugieser Automatic 40 (Ref. 3583) marks the return to the collection of the three-hand design with the small seconds at 6 o’clock. You’ll find it now in a compact case with a 40-millimetre diameter–and bearing the collection’s entry price of $7,250.The new automatic model gets its power from the IWC-manufactured 82200 caliber with Pellaton winding. Four versions are available in 18-karat 5N gold or stainless steel cases.
IWC Portugieser Automatic, 40mm
A fifth Portugieser Automatic, in a larger (42mm) case, sports its power reserve display and small seconds on the dial and will be offered as either a gold-cased boutique edition (blue dial, $23,900) or with a the same rich red dial ($12,700) found on the new Portugieser Chronographs. These offer a longer power reserve than the 40mm models (up to seven days) thanks to their larger case diameter, which allows space for two winding barrels.
IWC Portugieser Automatic 42 (boutique Edition), with seven-day power reserve.
The new IWC Portugieser Perpetual Calendar 42 (Ref. 3442).
Smaller Perpetual
IWC adds its own in-house caliber 82650 with 60-hour power reserve to the Portugieser Perpetual Calendar 42 (Ref. 3442). Thanks to the new movement, IWC was able to case it in a smaller 42mm diameter size (above). This could be the sleeper hit given its moderate starting price ($22,900) and full, easy-to-read perpetual functionality. All the displays are perfectly synchronized with each other and can be adjusted with a quick turn of the crown. In this version of the calendar, the displays for the date, month and day of the week are seen in three subdials.
This new IWC Portugieser Perpetual Calendar (Boutique Edition) features a 44mm diameter & displays the calendar information on four subdials and it has a four-digit year display, a small seconds hand and a power reserve display.
Also look for a boutique 5N gold edition of the classic 44mm Portugieser Perpetual Calendar ($37,900, above). This model, with a nautical design, features a blue dial and shows the year in four digits–a feature IWC pioneered with its earlier Kurt Klaus-designed perpetual calendars starting in 1985. Thanks to its slightly larger dimensions of the boutique edition, the movement has room for two barrels that offer a power reserve of seven days.
Yacht Club
Three new Portugieser Yacht Club watches combine a 44mm diameter with a recognizable Yacht Club bezel shape, flat casing ring and very useful flyback function.
The new IWC Portugieser Yacht Club Chronograph.
The Portugieser Yacht Club Moon & Tide (Ref. 344001) is the first watch from IWC to feature the newly developed tide display.
One, the Portugieser Yacht Club Moon & Tide (Ref. 344001, $33,100) is the first watch from IWC to feature a newly developed tide display, which shows the expected times of the next high and low water. The Portugieser Yacht Club Chronograph (Ref. 3907, starting at $13,100) comes with either a stainless-steel bracelet or a two-tone bracelet in stainless steel and 18-karat 5N gold.
By the mid-1970s, the Yacht Club had established itself as one of the most successful models ever manufactured by IWC.
IWC will ship more of the Yacht Club models to its boutiques, including those with expanded maritime-inspired colors (blue and gold). These are identifiable with their blue dials, braided blue calfskin straps and cases in 18-karat 5N gold or 18-karat Armor Gold. The latter is a new alloy that demonstrates a higher hardness value than traditional 5N gold alloys.
IWC History: In 2003 IWC launched the Portugieser Perpetual Calendar (Reference 5021).
Complications
Two watches in the new collection underscore IWC’s expertise at the high end. These are the new Portugieser Tourbillon Rétrograde Chronograph (Ref. 3940, starting at CHF 105,000), which combines a tourbillon with a retrograde date display and chronograph, and the Portugieser Perpetual Calendar Tourbillon (Ref. 5045, starting at CHF 115,000) that combines a tourbillon and perpetual calendar.
The Portugieser Tourbillon Rétrograde Chronograph (Ref. 3940) combines a flying tourbillon at 6 o’clock with a retrograde date display at 9 o’clock and a chronograph.The Portugieser Perpetual Calendar Tourbillon IW504504 boutique edition with 18-karat Armor Gold case, blue dial, gold-plated hands, gold appliqués, blue calfskin strap.
The result is a pleasing texture and design that meshes nicely with the entire watch’s technical nature. A new, slightly curved case enhances the model’s wrist friendliness.
