Angus Davies provides an in-depth review of the IWC Ingenieur Dual Time Replica. This recently launched replica watch is equipped with a GMT function, proving highly useful for today’s battle weary business traveler. You can read more from Angus on his Escapement replica watch blog.
As a child, the mere thought of flying evoked effervescent excitement. Air travel seemed glamorous. I recall sleepless nights, yearning for time to speedily evaporate in order that adventures could ensue. Flying to foreign shores offered new sights, sounds and experiences for a prepubescent boy and the prospect of visiting the cockpit, meeting the pilot, was always the highlight of any flight.
Times have changed and in some respects, not for the better.
My current occupation now means I frequently face the hostile prospect of flying. Air travel has become a test of endurance, not for the faint-hearted. Indeed, flying from my local airport is akin to undertaking a commando assault course and, seemingly, no less physically arduous.
First, there is the need to join a seemingly endless security queue where everyone is viewed with suspicion. “Due diligence” necessitates stringent security controls and there is a ubiquitous sense of distrust. When flying via some airports this is tempered with a sense of warmth and humanity, but sadly not always.
There is usually a need to partially undress. The removal of jackets, scarves, belts and shoes is typical of most airports.
After passing through security, only then can the intrepid traveler look forward to the sight of soiled coffee tables and beer-swilling miscreants enjoying a liquid breakfast before being squashed into an undersized seat aboard a plane.
No, it is not easy being a business traveler in 2014, especially if you have to use the same airport as me. At least I can find some refuge in my own mind, listening to music and dreaming about another fine replica watch on which to wax lyrical. Yes, my prolonged rant is leading to discussion of a fine timepiece and one perfectly adept at cruising above the clouds.
IWC Mens Replica, the masters of masculine timepieces, revisited its former Ingenieur collection, launching a plethora of octane-inspired replica watches. This year, it has been busy again, augmenting the range with some interesting new models.
The new Ingenieur Dual Time, when compared with its siblings, is a rather understated affair, measuring a comparatively restrained 43mm in diameter. This model is not only easy on the eye but, most pertinently, it is perfectly suited for business travel, courtesy of an additional hour hand allowing the wearer to display a second local time of their choosing.
I recently visited the Swiss brand’s UK office and chose to inspect the Ingenieur closely and I was not disappointed.
The dial
The hour and minutes hands are bold and edged with a resplendent silvery finish, articulating time with notable lucidity. The hours are marked with applied and faceted batons, with a soupçon of purplish-blue detail to their centers.
The slim second hour hand features a purple triangular tip and is simply adjusted via the crown at 3 o’clock. A date display sits adjacent the screwed-in crown. It is simple to read with its crisp black numerals presented against a fresh white disc.
A central sweep seconds hand, detailed with a red tip, completes the array of functions, fulfilling the needs of most frequent flyers.
Encircling the dial, a 24-hour ring is used to read-off the prevailing hour in a second time zone. Moreover, the white numerals are presented on a colored background, purple for nocturnal hours and grey when displaying daylight hours. This simple but effective aspect to the specification proves highly intuitive and should prevent phoning home at an inopportune hour. A small, attractive detail is the depiction of the midnight hour in red, matching the tip found on the central seconds hand. Indeed, one key strength of the design language selected by IWC is the restricted and judicious palette of colors employed.
The case
Presented in stainless steel, the case of this replica watch is contemporary but remains visually reminiscent of the Ingenieur SL, penned nearly 40 years ago by design genius Gérald Genta. A key reason for this familiarity is the bezel, punctuated with five holes similar to the iconic model of 1976.
Crown protectors grace the right hand side of the case, according a robust mien. The steel case and bracelet predominantly feature a satin brush polish, tempering the character of the replica watch still further. This is not a replica watch for those who choose to conspicuously consume, this is a model which evinces a graceful and refined air.
