Sometimes all it takes is a colour to reveal a watch in a completely new light. With its brand-new “Pool” dial, IWC Schaffhausen brings a touch of freshness to the Ingenieur Automatic 35, one of the most successful interpretations of the design imagined by Gérald Genta in 1976. An evolution that proves a classic can reinvent itself without ever denying its identity.
Since its revival in 2023, the Ingenieur collection has established itself as one of the pillars of IWC’s renewal. Faithful to the spirit of the original model while meeting contemporary demands in terms of comfort, finishing and ergonomics, it appeals to watch enthusiasts and fans of sport-chic watches with an integrated bracelet alike. This new “Pool” variation confirms the Schaffhausen manufacture’s determination to explore new aesthetic territories without betraying the heritage of one of its most emblematic creations.
On this page
- The Ingenieur, an icon born from the genius of Gérald Genta
- A “Pool” dial that changes the way you look at it
- A watch that plays with light
- The comfort of a perfectly judged diameter
- An automatic movement visible through the sapphire case-back
- An Ingenieur collection that keeps growing
- A contemporary interpretation of a great classic
- Frequently asked questions
The Ingenieur, an icon born from the genius of Gérald Genta
Few watches can claim such a prestigious lineage. When Gérald Genta designed the Ingenieur SL Reference 1832 in 1976, he imagined a steel sports watch whose taut lines, bezel secured by five visible screws and integrated bracelet left a deep mark on the history of watch design.
Nearly half a century later, this architecture remains strikingly modern. IWC has managed to preserve the proportions, personality and visual power of the original design while adapting every detail to today’s manufacturing standards.
Launched in 2023, the new generation of the Ingenieur immediately found its audience. The arrival of a 35-millimetre version then broadened its appeal even further, offering a more compact alternative that retains all the presence of the original model.
A “Pool” dial that changes the way you look at it
The real novelty of this reference IW324902 lies in its dial.
Named “Pool”, this aquatic shade instantly evokes the reflections of crystal-clear water under the summer sun. Brighter than a classic blue and more subtle than a turquoise, it brings a fresh personality to the Ingenieur while highlighting the distinctive volumes of its dial.
The famous grid pattern, made up of a network of fine lines and small squares, plays an essential role here. By catching the light from different angles, it creates an impression of depth that makes the colour shift with every movement of the wrist.
The rhodium-plated hands and the applied indexes coated with Super-LumiNova ensure a perfectly controlled contrast, guaranteeing excellent legibility whatever the lighting conditions.
A watch that plays with light
Beyond the colour, this Ingenieur Automatic 35 perfectly illustrates the care IWC devotes to its finishing.
The 35-millimetre stainless-steel case alternates satin-brushed surfaces and polished areas with remarkable precision. This succession of textures naturally extends the work carried out on the integrated bracelet, whose polished central links contrast elegantly with the satin-brushed side links.
This constant dialogue between the different surface treatments brings the watch to life. Depending on the lighting, the edges stand out, the volumes gain depth and the dial seems to change tone, offering a discreet yet permanent spectacle on the wrist.
This mastery of finishing contributes significantly to the Ingenieur’s high-end character, while recalling the aesthetic demands specific to Swiss haute horlogerie.
The comfort of a perfectly judged diameter
With its 35 millimetres in diameter for just 9.4 millimetres in thickness, this new Ingenieur favours balance.
Far from being a mere shrinking of the 40-millimetre model, this version was conceived to preserve the harmonious proportions of the original design. The integrated bracelet naturally hugs the wrist while the lugs fade away in favour of a fluid continuity between the case and the first links.
This exemplary ergonomics makes the Ingenieur Automatic 35 a watch that is particularly pleasant to wear every day, both on slender wrists and for those who favour more contained diameters.
An automatic movement visible through the sapphire case-back
Beneath its refined looks, the Ingenieur Automatic 35 houses the automatic calibre 47110.
Visible through the transparent sapphire-glass case-back, this movement reveals carefully executed decorations, including the traditional Côtes de Genève, fine perlage and a golden rotor that animates the whole.
Beating at 28,800 vibrations per hour, it offers a 42-hour power reserve and handles the essential functions with great reliability: hours, minutes, central seconds with stop-seconds and a date display.
Water-resistant to 10 bar, this Ingenieur also retains its calling as a genuine sports watch, ready to accompany its owner well beyond urban use.
An Ingenieur collection that keeps growing
With this new Pool variation, IWC continues to develop its Ingenieur collection by offering ever more varied interpretations.
After the silver and black dial versions, the edition made entirely in red gold, the dark-blue dial model or the spectacular reference combining red gold and diamonds, this new shade brings a more summery and contemporary dimension to the range.
Without overturning a recipe that has amply proven itself, the manufacture demonstrates that a simple change of colour can transform a watch’s personality while respecting its DNA.
A contemporary interpretation of a great classic
The Ingenieur Automatic 35 “Pool” perfectly illustrates what makes the collection so successful today. A direct heir to Gérald Genta’s visionary lines, it combines a timeless aesthetic, impeccable build quality and particularly careful execution.
This new colour, at once bright, original and elegant, brings a breath of freshness to one of the most appealing sport-chic watches on the market. Further proof that great watchmaking icons do not need to reinvent themselves entirely to keep surprising us. Sometimes all it takes is a new play of light to reveal the full modernity of a design that has become timeless.
Frequently asked questions
The novelty is its dial. Reference IW324902 introduces a new aquatic colour called “Pool” — brighter than a classic blue and more subtle than turquoise — on the 35 mm Ingenieur, while keeping the collection’s signature grid pattern that makes the colour shift with the light.
Gérald Genta, who created the Ingenieur SL Reference 1832 in 1976: a steel sports watch with taut lines, a bezel secured by five visible screws and an integrated bracelet. IWC relaunched the collection in 2023 and later added the 35 mm size.
The stainless-steel case measures 35 mm in diameter and just 9.4 mm thick, with alternating satin and polished surfaces and an integrated bracelet. It is water-resistant to 10 bar, keeping its credentials as a genuine sports watch.
The automatic calibre 47110, visible through the sapphire case-back with Côtes de Genève, fine perlage and a golden rotor. It runs at 28,800 vibrations per hour, offers a 42-hour power reserve and shows hours, minutes, central seconds with stop-seconds and the date.
It adds a summery, contemporary tone after the silver, black and dark-blue dials, the full red-gold edition and the red-gold-and-diamond reference. It shows how a simple change of colour can refresh the watch’s character while respecting the design’s DNA.
Leave a Reply