Gérald Genta’s Influence Lives On in the IWC New Ingenieur
The IWC Ingenieur released at Watches and Wonders 2023 joined what has become a long list of integrated bracelet watches available, with brands leaning heavily on their back catalogues to reinvigorate our interests. IWC fortunately had a master watch designer previously work with them in the 70s… none other than Gerald Genta (famous for the AP Royal Oak and Patek Philippe Nautilus).
IWC was late to the party, but they were the arrival who certainly brought the canapes which had enough options to make everyone happy. The initial release of the IWC Ingenieur 2023 came in two case materials and three dial colours. The steel release was launched with an aqua, black and silver dial, whilst the titanium release was paired with a matching grey dial, mirroring the subtle hues of the grade 5 titanium alloy.
The latest to join the IWC Ingenious lineup
The new IWC Ingeneiur 2024 release features a dark blue dial, keeping the same brushed finish, colour matched date disc, with crisp polished hands and indices for enhanced legibility. The movement is still the IWC 32111, based off a ValFluerier Baumatic base, encased within a soft iron cage for the anti-magnetic properties.
The specifications of the new IWC Ingeniour 40
While this technology is older and less optimal compared to competitors in the serviceable market space – such as the Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra with its Co-Axial Master Chronometer movement or the Rolex Milgauss with its Parachrom hairspring – the specifications of the Ingenieur line pay homage to its roots while successfully aligning with modern trends and customer expectations. As a result, the Ingenieur offers:
- Design: Tapered integrated bracelet, with a width of 14 mm, seamlessly meeting the unique Genta design idiom, with under-the-bezel rivets positioned evenly.
- Dial: A texture rich, cross-hatched pattern, alternating between horizontal and dotted groves to form a deceptively large depth to the dial.
- Size: 40mm case width, with a lug-to-lug length of 45.7mm and thinly positioned 10.8mm in case height.
- Material: Stainless steel or grade 5 titanium.
- Price: £10,100 for the steel variants, and £12,400 for the titanium model.
History always has a habit of repeating itself
Many enthusiasts muttered that the Ingenieur price, leveraging an increasingly homogeneous use of development, manufactured parts and design is too high. A variant of their movement is found in the Baume & Mercier baumatic and located across other products within parent company the Richmond Group.
My take? If this watch was around the 6-8k price point, it would be more attainable and a realistic grail for many. Breaking the five figure barrier nudges this into the upper echelons of hard justification. As the landscape for luxury goods is everchanging, with continued stress for revenue & profits against a backdrop of challenging economic pressures, ultimately diminishing both the capacity and inclination to make significant expenditures, brands are forced to collaborate and share IP. I’d much rather see evolution and new developments through partnerships and synergies, than losing the chance to see new products and releases.
I can see this happening across other industries right now. Recently, we’ve all been subject to the peculiar rebrands and ad-campaigns that feel slightly detached. Of course I am referencing Jaguar here, but for good reason. If you look closely, It seems there are notable similarities between Jaguar’s design and IWC’s, particularly the Ingenieur dial. Jaguar’s new brand incorporates a new embossed logo, and futuristic curves applied to their concept car. This matters because a watch originally designed in the 70s, stands itself 50 years later in a sea of product designers attempting to take “A bold step forward” and “delete ordinary”. IWC, bravo.
A worth addition to your collection?
I love the IWC range, and the current direction the brand takes to heritage-inspired releases. It may have taken longer than we wanted, but this blue dial, integrated bracelet, stainless steel watch joins an exclusive club of competitors to give further options to our collections.
