Vintage Ingenieur Automatic 1955 Laureus

In Context

At 42.5 mm it is sized to the current mainstream: 40 mm is the median across every watch measured in this catalogue. The case back is closed, so the movement stays out of sight, and the sapphire crystal will resist everything short of deliberate abuse. 120 m is genuine swimming resistance — more than the shape of this watch suggests it would need.

The movement winds itself from the motion of your wrist. 44 hours of reserve carries it overnight, but not through a weekend in a drawer. At 28,800 vph the seconds hand advances 8 times a second.

IW3233-10 is one of 11 executions of the IW3233 base reference. Underneath they are the same watch; what separates this one is a blue dial and a stainless steel case. It was a limited edition.

IWC

Black · Stainless Steel

IW3233-01 · 42.5 mm

IWC

Silver · Rose Gold

IW3233-03 · 42.5 mm

IWC

Grey · White Gold

IW3233-04 · 42.5 mm

IWC

Silver · Platinum

IW3233-05 · 42.5 mm

IWC

Black · Rose Gold

IW3233-07 · 42.5 mm

IWC

Black · Rose Gold

IW3233-08 · 42.5 mm

IWC

Ivory · Stainless Steel

IW3233-09 · 42.5 mm

IWC

Brown · Stainless Steel

IW3233-11 · 42.5 mm

+ 2 more variants in this family.

The Ingenieur movement, built for shock and magnetism rather than thinness. Its distinguishing feature is an integrated jointed-arm shock absorber carrying the whole movement inside the case, on top of the usual balance-staff shock protection, and it is specified to withstand magnetic fields to 80,000 A/m. Pellaton automatic winding, quick-set date and a stop-seconds mechanism complete it.

30 other watches in the library run the IWC 80110.

IWC

Vintage Ingenieur Automatic 1955 White Gold / Ardoise

IW3233-04 · 42.5 mm

IWC

Ingenieur Automatic Titanium / CLS55 / Bracelet

IW322707 · 42.5 mm

IWC

Ingenieur Automatic AMG GT

IW3246-02 · 46 mm

IWC

Vintage Ingenieur Automatic 1955 Stainless Steel / Italy

IW3233-09 · 42.5 mm