Falling in Love - The Ingenieur 1955 Edition 2008 | Archive

Master 5816 posts

8 Jul 2008, 5:40 p.m. 8 Jul 2008, 5:40 p.m.

The Reference IW323301, aka The Ingenieur Automatic in stainless steel with black crocodile leather strap put a spell on me some time ago. Like a small number of other active forum participants I was lucky enough to see the prototype of this watch in October 2007 in Schaffhausen - at which point I found it looking very "replica-like" but when the final model was released in Schaffhausen I was bowled over by it. Actually during the touch and feel session I only actually spent time (>95%) with two watches.....the VC Ingenieur and the VC Aquatimer.........although I did get quickly the Portugueser on my wrist and the SS St Exupery UTC as well.

I was lucky enough to have a Calibre 852 Ingenieur with black dial with me and my Aquatimer 1812AD so I spent a lot of time examining "my pairs" and made a decision to form the pair asap. As fortune and fate would have it my AD was actually visiting/leaving the IWC booth at SIHH just as I arrived and he told me what he had ordered and promised to let me have first look as his orders arrived..........I am really looking forward to Spring next year when he calls me to let me know that his Platinum six-set of the VC arrives.

Anyway I am getting off the point........in my opinion this is a truly beautiful and potentially classic watch that personfies many of the strengths of IWC. The Ingenieur family and all the technical accomplishments over 50 years has inspired me and having a Cal 852 and a Cal 8531 Ingenieur (no dates, black and white dial respectively) I felt this model arrived at the perfect time to expand my Ingenieur family. In Geneva when I seen the watch on the wrist of Nicky and RAVE and then glanced at the twinkle in their eyes - and for Nicky followed up with a confession - it was 100% clear to me that they would be VC Ingenieur owners and indeed they were the first here to share their respective joys.

Am I off track again ? On Saturday I headed off to Schaffhausen to meet an IWC expert for a watch-chat and his first Ingenieur had arrived on Friday but it was not for sale.....he needs something to show his clients......and I had already agreed with myself to remain loyal to my AD in Basel - and when I arrived back in Basel my timing was close to perfect......(a minute before the store closed) but I was very busy and was not able to go into my AD but I agreed in the street to come as soon as I could on Monday which unfortunately was after 5 pm and when I arrived yesterday I was like a kid in a sweetie store......I am sad to say that its true - but I managed to keep my feelings internalised.

When I was in the store and so focused during a moment when the assistant was packing the watch a customer who was about to buy another watch asked me about IWC - and I really have the feeling that his Panerai taste was deflected a little(big) bit to a beautiful Portuguese....I love being an non-offical IWC ambassador/supporter.....

Anyway when I got home I was able to post the box - and did intend last night to post this post - but unfortunately I was called out to an emergency - so now here I am ready to share with you in a pleasure-soaked way my VC Ingenieur that I am going to write a little story about in the future......

I hope you enjoy some quick shots taken a little earlier.....

I fel honoured that I am able to share with you, my friends, my joy and happiness about the VC Ingenieur,

Andrew

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