I have in front of me an embarrassment of riches with IWC’s new Ingenieur collection for 2025. The stand out model is the Perpetual Calendar so we’ve separated that for special treatment and its own article. Meaning that here we have the remaining models, including references at a new 35mm sizing, a new green dial and editions made from rose gold and black ceramic. So, as there are a lot of watches to be worn, let’s get into it.
IWC Ingenieur Automatic 42 Black Ceramic
First is the new 42 Black Ceramic edition. At a 42mm it’s the largest of the 2025 models (larger than the original 2023 relaunch at 40mm) and is certainly the toughest and most solid of them all. IWC have a rich heritage in producing ceramic, pioneering its use in wristwatches since 1986. The Ingenieur features all the signature characteristics of the material including impressive scratch resistance, hypoallergenic properties and an intense colour that will never fade. Pushing the boundaries here is the fact the case features multiple styles of finishing including brushing, sandblasting and polishing, all of which is made difficult by the natural resilience of the material.
On the wrist it makes for an imposing presence with its matching ceramic bezel, crown and crown guards. It also has the reassuring heft that comes with the material. Stylistically, it falls into that urban-cool all black stealth aesthetic with everything from the visible bezel screws to the date disk being black. The only exceptions are the white, lumed portions of the hands and hour markers that mean you actually have a shot at reading the time – unlike some blacked out watches I can think of like the Omega Black Black.
Undoing the clasp of the integrated bracelet and turning it over reveals the tinted sapphire exhibition caseback and movement housed inside. It’s the calibre 82110, an automatic movement with 60-hour power reserve and IWC’s signature Pellaton winding system (this winding system is pretty large hence it only featuring in the 42mm Ingenieur). In order to reduce friction in the movement, several components are produced in ceramic too.
Priced at £16,800 it’s not an insignificant jump up from the standard steel 40mm models that all sit just over £10k. However, between the significant upgrade in case materials and the larger size, it feels like a more justifiable price in what is already an expensive collection.
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IWC Ingenieur Automatic 40 Rose Gold
Look at any of the truly famous Genta designed integrated bracelet watches (Royal Oak, Nautilus, et. al) that start life in steel and you’ll see that eventually they graduate from being sports-luxe to just being luxe with the addition of a full gold case. Now it’s time for the Ingenieur, which is also based on a Genta design (technically he did a redesign of an existing collection), to follow suit.
It’s been paired with the same black dial as the 42 Black Ceramic including the characteristic grid pattern that’s found across the collection. It’s accented by gold appliques and gold-plated hands that glitter under the light in a satisfying manner. With a thickness of 10.4mm the watch is also notably slimmer than the 11.6mm ceramic edition, which makes sense in order to keep the dimensions proportional.
Inside is a different movement as well, the calibre 32111. It utilises a double-pawl winding mechanism that helps to supply the 120-hour power reserve. Considering that you likely won’t want to wear a gold watch every day, especially with its £40,200 price tag, having a power reserve that lasts almost an entire week is useful for keeping it ticking between wears.
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IWC Ingenieur Automatic 40 Green Limited Edition
Third up is a limited edition of the standard Ingenieur Automatic 40 with a green dial inspired by upcoming Apple film F1 The Movie. The film stars Brad Pitt as driver Sonny Hayes for the fictional APXGP team taking part in real Grand Prixes. Sonny’s signature colour is green and so IWC have worked together with Pitt and Cloister Watch Company to fabricate a prop watch made from a vintage Ingenieur SL. The limited edition here is then based off of that prop watch with a dial of the same colour in the typical grid pattern.
If you’re a fan of the standard Ingenieur Automatic 40, you’ll be a fan of this too. If you looked at the black, white, blue, teal or grey editions that already existed and thought, ‘but what if it was a bit more sage in colour’ then buddy I have great news for you. The colour is actually really pleasant to look at and in truth it’s a bit more vibrant than sage green but that’s no bad thing as it feels appropriately sporty for a watch inspired by F1, especially under natural light.
The movement here is the 32111 again with its 120-hour power reserve. It is an impressive movement, but it doesn’t make the £11,100 price any easier to swallow for a steel watch, even if it is a limited edition of 1,000 pieces. Still, if F1 The Movie turns out to be a megahit, this watch could be gold dust.
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IWC Ingenieur Automatic 35 Steel and Gold Editions
The final set of Ingenieurs completing the 2025 collection are the Automatic 35s. There are actually three versions being released, though I only have two here. They’re miniaturised versions of the original black and white Automatic 40 and a smaller version of the new Automatic 40 Rose Gold. Interestingly the rose gold edition features a matching gold coloured dial instead of the black of the 40mm version.
The elephant in the room, or rather should that be the mouse in the room, is the new size. 35mm is particularly small even in a climate where vintage proportions are still firmly in the zeitgeist. It’s hard not to regard it as a dedicated ladies collection even through there’s nothing overtly feminine about it. And all the more power to those who do make use of its unisex versatility. Perhaps it’s because I’m wearing them after the 40 and 42 above, but the change feels too dramatic for me personally.
Powering these editions is the calibre 47110 with automatic winding and 42-hour power reserve. What is pretty tempting about the 35 Steel is that it has a lower price point of £8,900. Though swap that to the luxurious gold and it’s £32,700.
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More details at IWC.
