Borna Bosnjak
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IWC imbues the Ingenieur with its signature perpetual calendar complication.Fully pre-programmed and crown-adjusted, the new Ingenieur Perpetual Calendar has a bit of Kurt Klaus’ magic in it.With a steel case and blue dial, this 42mm novelty is priced at US$36,900.The re-release of the Genta Ingenieur back in 2023 should’ve come as no surprise. It was the peak of the integrated bracelet sports watch craze, and IWC needed a piece to break away from its material-forward Pilot’s Watches that dominated its releases. Though not without its critics, the Ingenieur re-launch was successful, and now, two years later at Watches and Wonders 2025, we’re seeing IWC’s first real expansion of the collection. Though I can understand the masses flocking to the new ceramic Ingenieur, the one that captured my heart is this – the new Ingenieur Perpetual Calendar, combining the genius of Kurt Klaus’ pre-programmed perpetual calendar with a Genta-esque design.Though the perpetual calendar itself is complicated, the execution of the dial is far from. The Ingenieur Perpetual Calendar conveys the information with almost Bauhaus-like simplicity, interrupting the cross-hatched pattern with azurage and sunburst-patterned sub-dials that show the date; day and leap year; and month and moonphase. Though the press photos might not do it justice, this is the same vibrant blue that joined the time-only Ingenieur range some months before, and it really is quite something. With bold surrounds and lumed centres, the hands and indices also do a good job of standing out against the blue backdrop, with enough sporty flair to match the Ingenieur’s spirit. You also might’ve noticed an unusual omission – the Ingenieur QP doesn’t have a seconds hand. While it’s certainly not regular, I can’t say that I’d miss it too much.Now, IWC is not exactly known for small watches, especially so when it comes to their perpetual calendar offerings, with those often ballooning over 46mm in diameter. Thankfully, by using the smaller 82600 movement (more on which shortly), IWC is able to keep the Ingenieur Perpetual to 41mm in diameter. Well, it’s really 41.6mm in diameter – classic IWC playing the round-it-down game. And though the 13.4mm thickness isn’t that significant on-paper, the short lug-to-lug distance and slim mid-case does mean it can be felt from the bulging caseback. It’s a small price to pay for a compact, sporty perpetual calendar that still retains 100 metres of water-resistance though, thanks to the screw-down crown that operates all the functions. On my 17cm wrist, it’s a watch I can comfortably wear.Turn the watch around, and you’ll be met with the Calibre 82600, a Pellaton winding-equipped movement with 60 hours of power reserve. It continues the tradition of IWC relying on Kurt Klaus’ simplified, pre-programmed perpetual calendar mechanism, allowing the wearer to fully operate it by advancing the crown, just as they would on a simple date mechanism. This eliminates the need for any additional pushers, though it also means you’re not able to correct individual indications or go back. So, if you advance the calendar too far, you’ll have to wait for the power reserve to run down, or potentially advance it many, many days ahead in the four-year cycle. One to worry about?before it happens, rather than?when, then.IWC Ingenieur Perpetual Calendar 41 pricing and availabilityThe IWC Ingenieur Perpetual Calendar is available now.?Price: US$36,900?BrandIWCModelIngenieur Perpetual Calendar 41ReferenceIW344903Case Dimensions41.6mm (D) x 13.4mm (T)Case MaterialStainless steelWater Resistance100 metersCrystal(s)Sapphire front and backDialBlue grid patternLug WidthIntegratedStrapIntegrated H-link bracelet, butterfly claspMovementCalibre 82600, automaticPower Reserve60 hoursFunctionsHours, minutes, crown-operated perpetual calendarAvailabilityAvailable nowPriceUS$36,900
02.04.25