When we first saw the previews of this year’s Watches and Wonders, it instantly became obvious what the story of the brand would be. With Ingenieurs in precious metal, different sizes, even complications, this was a bigger year for the collection than when it was relaunched two years ago. But what I didn’t expect was that the team would be so divided about what the best release of the bunch would be. I had strong feelings. So did my colleague TanTan. Instead of two big stories on cheap 1:1 replica watches with specs we’ve already covered, I thought we’d go head-to-head and make our best argument for each.
Sometimes, A Small, Verdant Change Goes A Long Way [TanTan Wang]
Let’s get this out of the way first — yes, this high quality fake IWC Ingenieur Automatic 40 watches (ref. IW328908), despite its F1 movie tie-in, is just a dial change. But in the industry’s grand scheme of memorable releases, sometimes a simple tweak of colors is all it takes for something to stand out. And here’s the thing — I am, to a fault, a green dial guy. Chances are, if there’s one in a lineup, I’ll be picking that one as my favorite of the bunch.
I suppose it should have been very expected, when we saw the new lineup of Ingenieurs before Watches and Wonders this year, that the green dial would be my pick. Yes, Mark’s choice of the Ingenieur Automatic 42 Black Ceramic (ref. IW338903) is a great one. Seeing the silhouette of the full-bracelet Ingenieuer in a material that IWC does quite well is indeed very cool, and the execution is done extremely well. But to me, an Ingenier in steel still seems like the proper form for what can be an everyday wearable watch that needs to withstand accidental drops and shocks, and the upsizing of the ceramic watch to 42mm strikes it from the list of AAA UK copy watches that fit my wrist.
This new dial offers a unique take on an existing lineup of colors that have felt, dare I say, a bit safe and traditional. Up close, the metallic green shade here is said to have been inspired by the customized dial of the perfect replica watches worn by Brad Pitt in the upcoming Apple-produced F1 film. While the (fictional) story may appeal to some and not to others, I think that the shade of green chosen here is very attractive and unique. It’s a good excuse as any for the brand to experiment beyond the single shade of dark, saturated emerald green that has spread across the entire lineup, and this new light olive green tone pairs well with the gold indices and hands to create a much vibrant tone than any of the current four dials (black, white, aqua, and blue).
Alright, enough words on a new dial color. I can’t help but think that it’s such a refreshing tone for the line. It makes me wish that we saw more playfulness from the brand in the standard lineup — though this is a not-so-small run of 1000 pieces. Everything else remains the same as the other best super clone IWC Ingenieur Automatic 40 references watches, including the 32111 automatic caliber and soft iron inner caseback for magnetic resistance.
What’s not the same, however, is the price tag of $12,900. It’s something of a steep increase from the $11,700 pricing of the other steel Ingenieur 40s, and I’m not quite sure why. Does this foreshadow a price increase down the line? Regardless, this new injection into the Ingenieur 40 line certainly has grabbed my attention.
– TanTan Wang
Forget The Old Ingenieurs – In Black Ceramic It’s Hard To Beat [Mark Kauzlarich]
I’ll let you in on a little secret. I’m writing my argument for my pick for the best new Ingenieur this year, and I don’t have a single clue what TanTan will say. I’m filing my story first, and while TanTan is a convincing writer, frankly, I can’t see any way that the new top Swiss replica IWC Ingenieur Automatic 42 Black Ceramic watches (ref. IW338903) isn’t the most creative approach to the refreshed line. Steel with another new dial color? No way. Ceramic is where it’s at.
First things first, IWC has done a ceramic Ingenieur before. Back in 2012, they did the IWC Ingenieur Automatic AMG Black, but that was the old Ingenieur. No, not the old old ones – you know, the vintage models that inspired the now two-year-old relaunched collection. But the tease of a ceramic Ingenieur 13 years ago was ahead of its time.
Ceramic is one of the most futuristic materials in watch cases and one that’s built for the future. In theory, ceramic should be here long after people even remember what fake watches for men do. And this watch leans into it as much as any vintage-inspired watch can.
IWC has done a good job at maintaining the design language with a gridded dial that shifts in the light without being distracting. The bezel features the five-point construction and a circular brushing that contrasts against the vertical brushing of the case. And finishing ceramic isn’t easy, nor is keeping relatively thin ceramic sturdy.
The bracelet has polished chamfers on the exterior and the center links. The bracelet meets at a stamped link connecting to a butterfly deployant clasp that – yes – lacks micro-adjust. But it’s comfortable on the wrist. The only visible real touches of anything not ceramic on the case and bracelet are the buttons for the deployant clasp. But am I really going to argue?
Then there’s the movement finishing. I was really impressed by the treatment of the IW338903 movement. Parts of the Pellaton automatic winding system, which are subject to the most stress, are made of zirconium oxide ceramic. The wheel and the clicks are made of black ceramic, the rotor bearing white ceramic, and the caseback is smoked/slightly tinted. Part of me would have just assumed that IWC would have dropped in the standard movement without any changes, and most customers wouldn’t have noticed the difference. But with 60 hours of power reserve, it’s a compelling-looking movement that works well for the Swiss movements copy watches.
At 42mm by 11.6mm, it might not work for everyone. I found it wore a bit smaller in diameter than the measurements might lead you to believe. But I’m lucky that – large or small – the size didn’t make much difference to me. If I’m being honest with myself (and you are as well), what makes the black ceramic Ingenieur work so well is the look. Mean, futuristic, subtle, tough – no matter what adjective best describes why people love blacked-out China replica watches online so much, from Porsche Design to Karl Lagerfeld’s Royal Oak, it’s a look that is hard to beat.
As I pointed out in my intro, there are a few competing black ceramic integrated bracelet fake watches shop on the market, ranging from affordable to wildly expensive, but not only is this new Ingenieur a nice middle ground in price and quality at $19,500, I think it’s the best Ingenieur the brand has done in the last two years.
– Mark Kauzlarich
How About You?
TanTan and Mark have weighed in, do you prefer your Ingenieur a bit smaller and with a limited edition green dial? Or would you side with Mark and lean towards something more expressly modern in full ceramic?