Stronger, more resistant, larger and more technical, the Ingenieur from IWC is back. The origin of this line goes back to 1944 when Albert Pellaton created a new mechanism for automatic winding. He invented the seated spring rotor and the pawl winding mechanism that improved the energy transmission of the barrel spring, making it the most robust system to date. In the 1950s, this Calibre 8521 gave birth to the first watches called ‘Ingenieur’ that had a classic appearance but were technically very refined, such as their complete protection from magnetic fields.
Over the years, IWC’s Ingenieur established itself as one of the most solid watches of its era, culminating perhaps with the Ingenieur SL, designed by Gérald Genta for IWC in 1976. This is the model that inspired the new Ingenieur family that is being launched today by IWC.
To begin with, this collection is equipped with an entirely new movement, the Calibre 80110 ‘Ingenieur Qualified’, that the brand’s managers qualify as the “most robust watch that IWC has every made.”




Antimagnetic



Group Ingenieur AMG



Ingenieur Midsize & Ingenieur Automatic


With the Pellaton type of automatic winding, analogue jointed-arm shock absorber, and magnetic field protection up to 80,000 A/m (most anti-magnetic watches offer protection up to 4,800 A/m), this precision Calibre was elab-orated with the help of the most sophisticated design, modelling and regulating tools available. IWC has said officially that it is “convinced that this automatic winding device is the most efficient and best protected against wear and tear and outside influences in existence today.” It seems that one can even “play golf with it” meaning it passes all the tests. This Calibre 80110 equips the Ingenieur Automatic and the special version, the Ingenieur Automatic AMG.
Based on the design of the Ingenieur SL from 1976, which collectors have named ‘Jumbo,’ the Ingenieur Automatic favours readability with its luminous hands and markers that stand out against the black dial. This is again a very masculine and functional aspect of this three-part stainless steel watch with integrated metal bracelet, screw-in caseback and anti-reflective sapphire crystal on both sides.
The Ingenieur Automatic AMG version, the fruit of a ‘strategic’ partnership between the Swiss watchmaker and the German automobile manufacturer, Mercedes AMG, is made of titanium, a domain that IWC pioneered in the 1980s. Against a sober background, the red indicators recall the gauges of sports cars.
The new Ingenieur collection includes the Ingenieur Chronograph, in a normal version and in a special AMG titanium version. Equipped with an automatic chronograph Calibre 79350, this ‘rather puritan’ collection is distinguished notably by the harmoniously integrated chronograph pushbuttons.
Finally, the Ingenieur Midsize version, with a diameter of 42.5 mm for the masculine models and a more reasonable 34 mm in the ladies’ timepieces, completes the offer on the feminine side. Equipped with the Calibre 30110, housing an elegant silvered dial and lovely proportions, mounted on a metal bracelet with fold-over clasp, it combines style and lightness while maintaining its solidity and other masculine attributes.


Source: April-May 2005 Issue

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