SIHH 2013…

Like its first case in carbon fiber (IW3224), IWC also presents its first case in titanium aluminide this year.  Titanium aluminide is used widely in motorsport: the alloy is lighter and more robust than pure titanium. The black parts of the case are made of zirconium oxide, yet another material typically used in Formula One.

And this is also an interesting piece in IWC’s spotlighted Ingeniuer collection as it is a perpetual calendar, but with digital date and month.  IWC has also employed an innovative “quick-action switch” in this piece.  It works like this:  every night, when the date changes, this sophisticated mechanism siphons off a little energy, stores it and then discharges it precisely at the end of the month to rotate the display discs. At the end of the year, no fewer than five display discs need to be advanced synchronously. On New Year’s Eve/end of year, thanks to the three semi-transparent totalizers, the entire dial is set in motion (a sight to see!).  The perpetual calendar takes the 29th day of February into account every 4 years, and will remain accurate until 2100.

High-res looks/specs, below.

IWC Ingenieur Perpetual Calendar Digital Date-Month (IW379201)

Price $49,700

46mm titanium aluminide case, automatic IWC caliber 89802 — perpetual calendar with digital date and month display, leap year display, flyback chronograph

the IWC-manufactured 89802 calibre with rotor resembling the spokes on a light alloy wheel rim: