Introducing the IWC Ingenieur Automatic 40

Maybe the biggest change, and an aesthetically important one for those with a touch of OCD, is the bezel on the Automatic 40. The original’s bezel featured five recesses that screwed onto the midcase, meaning that the screws were never in the same place on different watches, unless by chance. Think of it like the logo on a winding crown never lining up with the case when fully screwed down, unless by fluke. The new watch’s bezel has five screws that actually affix the bezel to the case, having both an important technical and aesthetic role.

The dial also takes its lead from its 1970s forefather, with lines offset at 90 degrees that are stamped into the iron dial and then the dial is galvanised. This gives lovely structure to the dial, which itself is key to the watch’s antimagnetic properties. The three steel references have different dials, including black, silver-plated and aqua. The titanium model has a grey dial and black hands that accentuate the matte grey look of the watch, according to IWC.