We zoom in on our favourite new IWC Ingenieur offerings in new sizes, innovative materials and a perpetual calendar, unveiled at this year’s Watches and Wonders
In the realm of the luxury sports watch with an integrated bracelet, the IWC Ingenieur stands out in terms of looks, make and wearability. As this masterpiece in precise engineering crosses into its 70th year, we see the spotlight shining on the Ingenieur at Watches and Wonders 2025, sporting fresh looks in size, material, and with a perpetual calendar worked in.
A bit of history here: The IWC Ingenieur was first launched in 1955 in the form of Ingenieur Reference 666 – an anti-magnetic watch with a soft-iron inner case for magnetic field protection. Since then, the Ingenieur has evolved over time in the spirit of innovation upheld by IWC Schaffhausen. Its present day aesthetic codes, as seen on the Ingenieur Automatic 40 launched in 2023, are derived from Gérald Genta’s Ingenieur SL Ref. 1832 from 1976. In terms of movement, the Ingenieur Automatic 40 also achieved a technical milestone for the brand with the first automatic movement developed in Schaffhausen.
Come 2025, evident in the new Ingenieur timepieces debuted at Watches and Wonders, this bold visual narrative continues. Most prominently, the characteristic “grid” structure on the dial – made up of small lines and squares – gives the Ingenieur its distinctive look. The industrial character of the design is retained, emphasised by the functional polygonal screws securing the bezel on the case.
There’s more than meets the eye though. We zoom in on four new Ingenieur timepieces that caught our eye, each with its own character and allure.
Ingenieur Automatic 42 (Ref. IW338903)
Constructed in full ceramic for the first time, the new all-black Ingenieur Automatic 42 is captivating, to say the least, even at first glance. In person, the timepiece is smooth to the touch and lightweight, its ergonomic black ceramic bracelet connected to the case via its middle links, making the fit an extremely comfortable one. There is also just the right amount of light reflection at every angle. A closer look reveals the high level of detail in the finishing of its ceramic components on the case and bracelet links, accomplished by a combination of satin-finishing, sandblasting and polishing.
It’s well known that ceramic is an ideal choice due to its light weight, durability and scratch-resistant properties. Here, black zirconium oxide ceramic is used for the case ring, bezel, case back ring, and even add-on parts such as the crown and the crown protection. In terms of durability, the zirconium oxide ceramic used here is among the hardest materials on Earth, at a hardness value of about 1300 Vickers. That is why ceramic can only be processed using diamond-tipped tools following the sintering process. In this case, IWC has pushed the boundaries further in ceramic finishing.
The seamless execution of this full ceramic translation of the Ingenieur Automatic 42 taps into the IWC Schaffhausen’s close to decades’ worth of ceramic expertise, which has held us in fascination for the longest time. As early as 1986, IWC introduced to the world the first wristwatch with a black zirconium oxide ceramic case, and most recently, the first watch cases made with a Ceramic Matrix Composite (CMC). Between then and now, the Swiss luxury watchmaker has excelled in its pursuit of material innovations covering silicon nitride, boron carbide, and coloured ceramics.
The choice to go for a three-part pure ceramic case construction is a brilliant move by IWC, allowing for a true-to-proportion ceramic execution of the iconic Ingenieur design, complete with all its intricate angles, while ensuring a slim silhouette. A titanium ring on the inside holds the movement, accommodating the functional screws on the bezel and case back ring, while also ensuring a high 10 bar water resistance. As for the sapphire crystals on the front and the back, they are pressed directly into the ceramic parts.
Through the tinted sapphire glass case back, the IWC-manufactured 82110 calibre can be seen. The Pellaton winding system – components subject to high stress are made of virtually wear-free zirconium oxide ceramic – offers a power reserve of 60 hours through the efficient energy conversion of movements of the oscillating mass in both directions. Precision in timekeeping is ensured with an oscillation rate of 4 Hertz. The use of ceramic continues to be seen in the black ceramic automatic wheel and clicks and white ceramic rotor bearing, and winding system.
Ingenieur Perpetual Calendar 41(Ref. IW344903)
Legend meets legend in the Ingenieur Perpetual Calendar 41, the first stainless steel model to combine the Gérald Genta-inspired Ingenieur design with perpetual calendar developed by Kurt Klaus in 1985. With each case component reworked to accommodate the perpetual calendar movement, the 41mm case provides an optimum display of the three subdials displaying the date, day of the week, month and perpetual moon phase in a balanced layout. Perfectly synchronised, the subdials can be advanced simply by turning the crown.
The subdial at the 3 o’clock position indicates the date, while the one at 6 o’clock combines the month with the perpetual moon phase. A reduction gear train with two intermediate wheels ensures the moon phase display will only deviate by one day after 577.5 years. As for the subdial at 9 o’clock, besides showing the day of the week, it also features a small leap year indicator, which counts down the years to the next leap year, during which the calendar automatically inserts a 29th day at the end of February.
The charm of a blue Ingenieur grid-patterned dial is not lost here but instead, acts as the perfect backdrop for the subdials. The process to perfect the dial is an intricate one. The counters are treated with a sunray finish, with the outer edges reflecting a refined azurage. The azurage finish is applied to the single moon disc visible in the subdial at 6 o’clock. After colouring, the subdials are pad-printed with the calendar display information.
Beating within the Ingenieur Perpetual Calendar 41 is the IWC-manufactured 82600 calibre powered by the automatic Pellaton winding system, building up to a power reserve of 60 hours. The use of ceramic components here is similar to that we have discussed earlier in the Ingenieur Automatic 42 in black ceramic. For the Perpetual Calendar 41, the balance wheel oscillates at 28,800 vibrations per hour, ensuring accurate timekeeping. Featuring an elaborate finishing with circular graining, Geneva stripes and blued screws, the movement is visible through the sapphire glass case back.
Ingenieur Automatic 35 in 18K 5N gold (Ref. IW324903)
In a new style statement of pure elegance, our eyes are fixated on the compact Ingenieur Automatic 35, with a thickness of just 9.44mm. In particular, the 18K 5N gold version with a gold-coloured dial.
The watch comes in three versions; the other two 35mm versions in stainless steel come with either a black or a silver-plated dial (pictured on the right), along with steel appliques and rhodium-plated hands.
Smaller and flatter, this new size sits comfortably on the wrist, even under a sleeve. Compact as it may be, the Ingenieur Automatic 35 features the same improved ergonomics and detailed finish as its 40mm counterpart, including the characteristic bezel with five functional screws, and the integrated bracelet attached via its middle links, the result of exceptional engineering and design.
The wash of gold runs throughout the 18K 5N gold version, with solid gold appliques and gold-plated hands on the matching dial with a date window. In true Ingenieur fashion, the sophisticated combination of satin-finished and polished surfaces, adds visual interest with the play in texture, reflecting light beautifully at every angle. Despite the full finish in gold, the timepiece remains understatedly cool and very much retains the character that defines the Ingenieur.
Ingenieur Automatic 40 in 18K 5N gold (Ref. IW328702)
If you are leaning towards the 40mm case, you can find the same charming 18K 5N gold construction in the new Ingenieur Automatic 40 (Ref. IW328702). The case and case back ring, bezel, crown protection, crown and bracelet links are crafted in this precious metal. But in this model, a black “grid” dial is featured instead, providing for an interesting contrast with gold-plated hands filled with Super-LumiNova® and the solid 5N gold appliques individually set by hand.
Visible through the transparent sapphire-glass case back is the impressive IWC-manufactured 32111 calibre with a double pawl winding system, boasting a power reserve of 120 hours. The movement is finished with circular Geneva stripes, blued screws and a gold-plated oscillating weight enhance the movement.
IWC’s watchmaking prowess shines through as the IWC Ingenieur watch family expands, each addition manifesting the values that the Swiss luxury watchmaker holds true till today. There is one for everyone in the extended line-up, which might you fancy?
Images courtesy of IWC Schaffhausen, artwork by Curatedition. All rights reserved.
Related links:
IWC Schaffhausen: The Art and Science of Telling Time
IWC Schaffhausen: Let There Be Light
