IWC SCHAFFHAUSEN MARKS 50 YEARS OF THE INGENIEUR SL WITH TWO LIMITED EDITIONS

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Half a century after Gérald Genta redefined what a steel sports watch could look like, IWC Schaffhausen is honoring his legacy with two new limited editions of the Ingenieur Automatic.

Back in 1976, Genta, the Geneva-based designer behind some of the industry’s most iconic silhouettes, unveiled the Ingenieur SL, Reference 1832. With its integrated bracelet and bold, structural presence, the watch helped define an entirely new category of luxury steel sports watches. Ironically, it wasn’t an immediate commercial hit; only 598 pieces were produced between 1976 and 1983. Yet in the decades since, it has become one of the most coveted references the history of IWC, its design language quietly shaping the modern Ingenieur that launched in 2023.

Now, IWC celebrates the Ingenieur SL’s 50^th anniversary with the Ingenieur Automatic 40 50^th Anniversary (Ref. IW328910) and the Ingenieur Automatic 35 50^th Anniversary (Ref. IW324909), each limited to 1,150 pieces. Both are distinguished by brushed silver-plated dials, a nod to a rare variant of the original Reference 1832, paired with rhodium-plated hands and Super-LumiNova®-filled hour markers. A subtle but meaningful detail marks the occasion: the lightning bolt beneath the “Ingenieur” name has been replaced with the number “50”.

“With its distinctive and bold design, the Ingenieur SL has shaped both the career of Gérald Genta and the history of IWC Schaffhausen”, says Christian Knoop, Creative Director at IWC Schaffhausen, noting that the design “has lost none of its power and magic to this day”.

The 40mm model is driven by the IWC-manufactured 32111 caliber, offering a 120-hour power reserve and the soft-iron inner case that has protected Ingenieur movements from magnetic fields since the 1970s. The 35mm edition features a see-through sapphire case back revealing the Caliber 47110, finished with circular graining, Geneva stripes and a gold-plated oscillating weight. Both are crafted in stainless steel with satin and polished detailing, and secured by the Ingenieur’s signature five-screw bezel.

Alexia Genta, daughter of Gérald Genta and co-founder of the Gérald Genta Heritage Association, reflected on her father’s enduring influence: “It amazes me how his work continues to inspire so many people decades later. I am honored to see how IWC is preserving his artistic legacy”.

With the Ingenieur collection now spanning steel, titanium, 18-karat 5N gold and ceramic, and complications reaching as far as the perpetual calendar and tourbillon, these anniversary pieces offer a compelling reminder of where it all began.