Ingenieur Automatic AMG

Mercedes-AMG, the high-performance brand owned by  Mercedes-Benz and domiciled in Affalterbach, Germany,  makes the most powerful series-production models in the  company’s portfolio. At irregular intervals, AMG adds a  highlight to its range with the “Black Series”, which is in-  spired by motorsport. Formula One™ fans are also familiar  with Mercedes-AMG from the Official F1™ Safety Car that  has featured regularly on the world’s racing circuits since  1996. Despite being made for the track, a “Black Series”  vehicle from AMG boasts all the features typically found   in a genuine Mercedes-Benz: quality, reliability, everyday  practicability and a long service life. They are the same  attributes that apply to the new Ingenieur Automatic AMG  Black Series Ceramic timepiece from IWC (Ref. IW322503,  IW322504). This is no coincidence: after all, the engineers  and technicians in Schaffhausen and Affalterbach share  the same passion for handcrafted precision technology at  the very highest level.

IWC’s designers created the Ingenieur Automatic AMG  Black Series Ceramic as a tribute to its namesake. One of  the two versions of the watch is finished entirely in elegant  black, with the exception of the white hands and indices.  But the “Black Series” models made by the car manu-  facturer are available not only in black. This explains why  a second version of the watch features a brown dial, beige  hands and appliqués as well as a rubber strap with a  brown calfskin inlay. The purist design of the watch, with its  three hands, is an expression of the philosophy jointly held  by IWC and Mercedes-AMG: uncompromising performance,  functionality and no gimmicks. Some of the surfaces have  a high-gloss, piano-lacquer-like finish while others are silky  matte. This intriguing interplay ensures that the timepiece  is an attractive eye-catcher. Clear-cut, meticulously aligned  contours underscore the watch’s chic, sporty appeal.

Inspired by the high-performance ceramic disc brakes found  in premium AMG vehicles, the case (water-resistant to 12 bar)  of the Ingenieur Automatic AMG Black Series Ceramic,  including the bezel, crown and solid protective shoulders,  is made entirely of black zirconium oxide. IWC discovered  the high-performance ceramic for the watch industry back  in 1986 and, as a result, has the technological expertise  needed to machine this extremely hard material. In view of  its hardness of 8 on the Mohs scale, the case blank can be  machined only with diamond-tipped tools, which register  10 on the Mohs hardness scale. Apart from being extremely  scratch-, heat- and corrosion-resistant, zirconium oxide is  skin-friendly and weighs about 30 per cent less than steel,  making it ideal for watch cases.  Ten titanium screws with striking ceramic heads hold the  two sides of the case securely together, referencing the  DNA of the modern Ingenieur watches. This is because the  original five bores in the bezel – the brainchild of world- famous watch designer Gérald Genta – were inspired by 

Rather like an AMG Mercedes vehicle, which is as much at  home on the track as it is on the road, the Ingenieur Auto-  matic AMG Black Series Ceramic is ideally equipped to meet  the stresses and strains of everyday use and of ex  treme  situations. This is thanks, not least, to the IWC-manufactured  80110 calibre, one of the most rugged movements manu-  factured by the Schaffhausen-based company. It boasts  an integrated shock-absorption system, which effectively  protects the rotor bearing against impacts and vibrations.  Before an IWC movement earns the right to be called  “shock-resistant”, it undergoes a daunting series of tests  lasting weeks, during which all the parts are subjected to  forces of up to 5000 g (the unit used to measure the earth’s  gravita  tional pull). The watch is thus well equipped to with-  stand the breathtaking acceleration of the current SLS AMG  Coupé Black Series: from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.6 seconds.

A glance through the transparent sapphire-glass back at  the watch’s precision “high-performance engine” reveals a movement with Pellaton winding, 44-hour power reserve  and blackened rotor, underscoring the watch’s technical  appeal. Geneva stripes and circular graining adorn the bridges and parts of the bottom plate. The rubber strap  with its textile or calfskin inlay combines the attraction of a  genuine eye-catcher with the wearability and durability of rubber.

With a clear focus on technology and development, the Swiss watch manufacturer IWC Schaffhausen has been  producing timepieces of lasting value since 1868. The company has gained an international reputation based on a  passion for innovative solutions and technical ingenuity. One  of the world’s leading brands in the luxury watch segment,  IWC crafts masterpieces of haute horlogerie at its finest,  combining supreme precision with exclusive design.

IWC Schaffhausen  Branch of Richemont International SA  Uwe Liebminger  Department Manager Public Relations  Mobile +41 (0)79 957 72 52  E-mail uwe.liebminger@iwc.com  Internet www.iwc.com/press