IWC Schaffhausen Celebrates the Legacy of the Ingenieur at Watches and Wonders 2025

Widely considered one of the world’s most iconic luxury sports watches, the Ingenieur by IWC Schaffhausen was first launched in 1955 and then redesigned in the 1970s by Swiss watchmaker extraordinaire Gérald Genta, who infused it with a distinctly bold and fearless aesthetic identity. In 2023, when the Ingenieur Automatic 40 was unveiled at Watches and Wonders (W&W), it stood out for its tribute to the emblematic design of Genta’s Ingenieur SL while staying true to modern codes.

For this year’s showcase at W&W, the brand has chosen to celebrate the legacy of the Ingenieur by unveiling the watch in contemporary avatars that impress on multiple fronts. We take a closer look at the new references.

Ingenieur Automatic 40 (Ref. IW328702)

First introduced in 2023, the Ingenieur Automatic 40 perfectly embodies the bold aesthetic codes of the Ingenieur SL by Genta while ensuring that the thoroughly re-engineered model stays true to modern watchmaking sensibilities. The collection gets a stunning new addition this year: a new Ingenieur Automatic 40 crafted entirely from 18 ct 5N gold.

Sized at 40 mm, the Ingenieur Automatic 40 with its integrated bracelet guarantees perfect ergonomics and an excellent fit on the wrist. The bezel with its five functional screws stands out as does the black dial with its “Grid” structure. The motif, consisting of small lines and squares, adds a distinct texture and depth to the dial, and the appliques — made of solid 5N gold and set individually by hand — further enhance the visual appeal. Filled with Super-LumiNova®, the appliques and the gold-plated hands offer superb legibility in all lighting conditions.

The highly detailed finishings further enhance the overall appeal of the watch. The bezel is satin-finished with its outer edges polished; the H-links and centre links of the integrated bracelet are satin-finished too. The timepiece is powered by the IWC-manufactured 32111 calibre with a double pawl winding system that offers an impressive power reserve of 120 hours. The see-through sapphire glass caseback allows one to marvel at the movement’s workings.

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Ingenieur Automatic 35 (Ref. IW324903, Ref. IW324901, Ref. IW324906)

Available in three versions, the new Ingenieur Automatic 35 has a thickness of just 9.44 mm that perfectly complements the versatile case sizing of 35 mm. Though compact, the Ingenieur Automatic 35 offers the same enhanced ergonomics and highly detailed finishings as the 40 mm version. While one model features an 18 ct 5N gold case and bracelet with a gold-coloured dial (Ref. IW324903), the other two iterations sport stylish stainless steel cases and bracelets. One of the steel references has an elegant silver-plated dial (Ref. IW324901), and the other stands out for its black dial that offsets beautifully against the steel (Ref. IW324906).

Like the 40 mm version, the Ingenieur Automatic 35 impresses with its meticulous finishing. The three new models flaunt a combination of satin-finished and polished surfaces, adding a stunning texture. The bezel with five functional screws is also satin-finished with a polished outer edge. The hallmark feature of these three models is the intricately crafted dial that also has the “Grid” pattern like the 40 mm version. The distinct framing of the date window stands out too. The 18 ct 5N gold version features solid gold appliques and gold-plated hands while the two stainless steel models have steel appliques and rhodium-plated hands.

All three versions of the model have been equipped with open casebacks showcasing the 47110 calibre with automatic winding and a power reserve of 42 hours. The movement is finished with circular graining and Geneva stripes, and features a gold-plated oscillating weight.

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Ingenieur Perpetual Calendar 41 (Ref. IW344903)

This 41 mm timepiece is the brand’s first stainless steel model to combine the Genta-inspired Ingenieur design with the perpetual calendar developed by Kurt Klaus that premiered in the Da Vinci Perpetual Calendar Chronograph in 1985. The Ingenieur Perpetual Calendar 41 retains all the characteristic features of the Ingenieur while also spotlighting the mechanics of the perpetual calendar and moonphase. The three perpetual calendar subdials have been carefully incorporated into the blue dial with the “Grid” pattern.

The counters are treated with a sunray finish, while the outer edges feature a refined azurage. After colouring, the subdials are pad-printed with the calendar display information. The single moon disc, which is visible in the subdial at 6 o’clock, features an intricate azurage finish. The metal markers are filled with Super-LumiNova® and applied individually by hand. The rhodium-plated hours and minutes hands are also filled with luminescent material to enhance legibility.

The watch is motored by the IWC-manufactured 82600 calibre with Pellaton winding system. Wearers can take a look at the movement via the sapphire glass caseback. A closer glance will allow one to admire the elaborate finishing with circular graining, Geneva stripes, and blued screws.

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Ingenieur Automatic 42 (Ref. IW338903)

Another timepiece that marks a first for the collection is the Ingenieur Automatic 42 (Ref. IW338903) in black ceramic that offers, for the first time, a full-ceramic execution of Genta’s vision of the Ingenieur’s integrated bracelet design. The 42 mm model, which features an innovative multi-part ceramic case construction, combines the standout features of the Ingenieur with boundary-pushing material innovation in terms of the use of the black ceramic.

The case construction remains faithful to the original stainless steel design while highlighting the brand’s constant drive to innovate, experiment, and be willing to adapt to modern design codes. The case ring, bezel, and caseback ring are all made of black zirconium oxide ceramic. Even the crown protection and the crown are made of ceramic. Connecting to the case via its middle links, the integrated black ceramic bracelet guarantees an excellent fit. Like the other novelties, this also features the characteristic “Grid” structure on the dial. Ensuring excellent legibility, the black hands and metal markers are filled with Super-LumiNova®.

Be it satin-finishing, sandblasting or polishing, the surfaces reveal highly meticulous attention to detail, a core pillar of the brand’s watchmaking ethos. IWC-manufactured 82110 calibre runs the timepiece while ensuring a power reserve of 60 hours.

Additionally, the brand also chose to unveil a special green-dial Ingenieur Automatic 40 inspired by Brad Pitt’s character in the upcoming F1 film, and the boundary-pushing new Big Pilot’s Watch Shock Absorber Tourbillon Skeleton XPL, a fusion of IWC’s patented SPRIN-g PROTECT system and a delicate tourbillon, housed in a skeletonised Ceratanium case.