IWC SCHAFFHAUSEN REVISITS GÉRALD GENTA’S ICONIC DESIGN WITH THE NEW INGENIEUR AUTOMATIC 40

In the 1970s, IWC Schaffhausen commissioned the renowned Geneva watch designer Gérald Genta to redesign the Ingenieur. The Ingenieur had originally been introduced in 1955. With the first automatic movement developed in Schaffhausen and a soft-iron inner case for magnetic field protection, this watch marked a technical milestone for IWC – also evident in the name Ingenieur, the word used in German and French for Engineer. With his unique artistic signature, Genta succeeded in giving the Ingenieur a new, highly distinctive visual identity. His Ingenieur SL, launched in 1976 as the talking piece of IWC’s SL collection of steel luxury watches, featured bold aesthetic codes such as a screw-on bezel with five recesses, a dial with a unique pattern, and an integrated H-link bracelet. With its innovative and disruptive design, the Ingenieur SL was ahead of its time. Today, Gérald Genta’s creation is a collector’s favourite and one of the most sought-after models from the history of IWC. “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,” states Chris Grainger-Herr, CEO of IWC Schaffhausen.

“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,” adds Christian Knoop, Chief Design Officer of IWC Schaffhausen.

The overall dimensions of the case have been carefully reworked and improved down to the smallest detail. The lug-to-lug distance of 45.7 millimetres ensures perfect ergonomics and excellent wearability, even on a slender wrist. While the Ingenieur SL from the 1970s had nose-shaped horns, the new Ingenieur Automatic 40 features a newly engineered middle-link attachment. Aesthetically similar to the Ingenieur SL, this new solution enhances the ergonomics and provides an even better fit on the wrist. The curved casing ring further improves the ergonomics of the case.

One of the most striking changes of the new model is the introduction of functional, polygonal screws on its bezel. For the Ingenieur SL, a bezel with five recesses was screwed onto the case ring. As a result, the recesses ended up in a different position on each watch. With the Ingenieur Automatic 40, five screws secure the bezel to the case. The screws now have a technical function and, as a result, are always in the same position. In addition, the dial features a distinctive “Grid” structure, creating a balance to the technical and very sculptural case design. Consisting of small lines offset by 90 degrees to each other, it is stamped into the soft iron blank before it is galvanised. Finally, appliques with luminescence add additional depth and ensure easy legibility, even at night.

The Ingenieur Automatic 40 features an astonishingly high level of detail and finishing. The case, bezel, and bracelet are elaborately finished using a combination of polished and satin-finished surfaces. The upper parts of the bracelet contain closed links without pins, accentuating the outstanding craftsmanship. The integration of an elaborately finished butterfly folding clasp highlights the beauty and thinness of the H-link bracelet. In addition, a newly designed crown protection further underscores the sporty character of the timepiece.

The Ingenieur Automatic 40 is powered by the IWC manufactured 32111 calibre with an automatic pawl winding system and a power reserve of 120 hours. In keeping with the tradition of the Ingenieur, a soft-iron inner case efficiently protects the movement from the effects of magnetic fields on its accuracy. Moreover, the case is water-resistant to 10 bar, making the Ingenieur Automatic 40 a modern and fully versatile sports watch. The Ingenieur Automatic 40 is available in three references in stainless steel: • Ingenieur Automatic 40, Ref. IW328901: stainless steel case, black dial, rhodium-plated hands and appliques, integrated stainless steel bracelet with butterfly folding clasp • Ingenieur Automatic 40, Ref. IW328902: stainless steel case, silver-plated dial, rhodium-plated hands and appliques, integrated stainless steel bracelet with butterfly folding clasp • Ingenieur Automatic 40, Ref. IW328903: stainless steel case, aqua dial, rhodium-plated hands and appliques, integrated stainless steel bracelet with polished centre links and butterfly folding clasp.

IWC is also presenting one version of the Ingenieur Automatic 40 in titanium. Titanium is about one-third lighter than steel. Other distinguishing features of this material are its skin-friendliness and anti-allergic properties. However, the robust and rugged metal is also incredibly difficult to machine. IWC pioneered titanium in the watch industry in the 1980s and has since acquired unique expertise in this field. The Ingenieur Automatic 40 with a grade 5 titanium case and bracelet features a highly detailed finish with sandblasted, satinfinished, and polished surfaces. The grey dial, as well as the black hands and appliques, further accentuate the characteristic matte grey look of the titanium. • Ingenieur Automatic 40, Ref. IW328904: Grade 5 titanium case, grey dial, black hands and appliques, integrated grade 5 titanium bracelet with butterfly folding clasp.

IWC SCHAFFHAUSEN PRESENTS ITS FIRST 41-MILLIMETRE PILOT’S CHRONOGRAPHS IN CERAMIC AND INTRODUCES “OCEANA” COLOUR

IWC Schaffhausen introduced its first 41-millimetre Pilot’s Chronographs in ceramic. The Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 TOP GUN “Oceana” features a case made of blue ceramic, developed in collaboration with Pantone® and inspired by the colour of the U.S. Navy’s working overalls. The Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 TOP GUN is IWC’s first 41-millimetre Pilot’s Chronograph with a “Jet Black” black zirconium oxide ceramic case. Both timepieces are powered by the IWC-manufactured 69380 calibre, an extremely robust and reliable mechanical chronograph movement.

With “The Colours of TOP GUN,” IWC introduced a collection of Pilot’s Watches in coloured ceramic in 2022. It consisted of chronographs in striking new shades, such as IWC Lake Tahoe white and IWC Woodland green, developed in collaboration with Pantone®. The Swiss luxury watch manufacturer now adds two chronographs in a compact and easy-to-wear case diameter of 41 millimetres to the line-up. This marks the first time IWC offers the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 in a case made of ceramic – an extremely hard and scratch-resistant performance material.

The Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 TOP GUN “Oceano” (Ref. 389404) features a case made of blue ceramic. The ceramic colour “Oceana” was created with Pantone®, an IWC partner and a global authority on colour. The colour takes inspiration from the U.S. Navy’s blue overalls, a work uniform worn by their pilots when conducting arduous tasks aboard aircraft carriers. In addition, the chronograph features a blue dial and a matching blue rubber strap with a denim finish textile inlay. Luminescence on the black hands and on the dial ensures excellent readability, even at night. The pushers and the case back are made of lightweight titanium.

The Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 TOP GUN (Ref. 389401) is IWC’s first 41-millimetre Pilot’s Chronograph in black ceramic. Its “Jet Black” ceramic, inspired by the technical components of supersonic jets, has been the signature material of IWC TOP GUN since the line was established in 2007. A black dial and a black rubber strap complement the pitch-black ceramic case. Here, too, contrasting luminescent elements on the black hands and the dial enhance readability, even in the most challenging conditions. The titanium pushers and case back complement the sporty design. The integrated IWC EasX-CHANGE® system makes it possible to exchange the strap quickly and easily without needing additional tools.

UNCOMPROMISING PERFORMANCE AND READABILITY

Both chronographs are powered by the IWC manufactured 69380 calibre. This calibre family has been engineered with a strict focus on robustness, reliability, and durability. The stopped minutes are placed directly at 12 o’clock to enhance readability. The vertical dial layout is the result of IWC’s functional design approach and has become a distinguishing feature of the company’s chronographs. Both new models also feature a soft-iron inner case to protect their movements from the effects of magnetic fields. The front glasses are specially secured to withstand sudden drops in air pressure in the cockpit. Moreover, both timepieces are water resistant to 10 bar.

IWC Schaffhausen is a pioneer in the use of ceramic for watch cases. In 1986, the company introduced the Da Vinci Perpetual Calendar Chronograph (Ref. 3755), the world’s first wristwatch with a case made of black zirconium oxide ceramic. IWC was also one of the first watch brands to push forward the development of different ceramic colours, such as white, blue, or green. Producing a watch case in coloured ceramic is a feat of engineering. Zirconium oxide is combined with other metallic oxides to give the ceramic its colour. As a result, each colour requires different raw materials and a distinct mixing ratio. The manufacturing process and its specific parameters – such as the temperature and the exact duration of the sintering process – must be adapted to each ceramic colour. What is more, coloured ceramics also place incredibly high demands on the purity of their raw materials.