IWC Ingenieur: From 1955 Origins to the Silver Screen

IWC first introduced the Ingenieur line in 1955. It was envisioned as a technical watch, something functional, for the gentlemen of the post-war world. The engineering men of the world deserved a nod, and thus the watch was launched for them. And yes, Ingenieur means engineer in French. The three-case with a screw-down caseback and 100-meter water resistance was presented in two models: an Automatic and an Automatic Date.

The watch was refined in 1964, giving it a slightly smaller size. Another refinement was released in 1976, with the Ingenieur SL. This third generation had the benefit of being designed by Gerald Genta. The Ingenieur of 1976 stayed true to the original by being a practical and functional timepiece, but Genta’s touch meant the watch also had the luxury sports feel to it. In 1993, the brand released the Ingenieur as a chronometer, with the highest standard of accuracy. These watches undergo a series of tests to confirm reliability and accuracy across different extreme temperatures, for example, over the course of 15 days.

The Ingenieur was also offered with different variations in the following years, with each variation bringing something a little different to the line. This brings us to 2025, with the Ingenieur Automatic 40 (Ref. IW328908). It has a beautiful green dial, with a special grid pattern that adds texture and visual interest. The date window is at 3 o’clock, and the IWC Schaffhausen and Ingenieur are featured by 12 and 6 o’clock, respectively. While the case and bracelet are in stainless steel, the hour markers, hands, and window are all in yellow gold plating, adding another level of visual depth.

Beneath the dial is the caliber 32111, an automatic winding movement, which is manufactured in-house by IWC. The movement gives a power reserve of 120 hours, has 163 components and 21 jewels, and beats at a frequency of 4Hz. But there is more to the story of this Ingenieur—and that story appears on the silver screen.

F1, as in Formula 1, the movie, has a key character named Sonny Hayes, a former F1 driver making his return to the track. In the movie, Hayes wears a bespoke timepiece inspired by an actual IWC watch, the Ingenieur SL, Reference 1832. IWC is given more than just wrist real estate in this movie, with the brand being a timekeeping partner of Hayes’ team, APXGP. There are other IWC watches seen in the movie, too, but it is the Ingenieur in the movie that has reached into the real world. And for the true horology world experts, keep an eye out for IWC CEO Christoph Grainger-Herr’s cameo in the film.

With only 1000 pieces available, watch lovers and F1 lovers alike will need to move quickly to secure one for their collection.

This article originally appeared in Robb Report Philippines’ Watches and Jewelry Issue, August 2025.