1980s IWC Ingenieur automatic ref. 3506 “The Bear”

Founded in 1868, IWC is a Swiss company founded by Florentine Ariosto Jones, an American watchmaker motivated by the combination of Swiss knowledge and American technology. Today, IWC is recognized as one of the great names in the industry, renowned for its passion, innovative solutions and technical ingenuity.

Since then, IWC has succeeded in becoming one of the world’s top ten brands in the luxury watch segment, creating masterpieces of fine watchmaking, combining high precision and masculine design. It has produced some of the most desirable watches, such as the Portugieser, Portofino, Aquatimer, Ingenieur, De Luxe and pilot’s watches.

Launched in 1955, the reference 666 is the first big success of IWC thanks to its automatic Pellaton movement and its anti-magnetic protection (based on a soft iron cage). The watch name after the main objective of the manufacture, creating a watch for engineers. Often referred to and described as its cousins, the famous Milgauss by Rolex and the Railmaster by Omega, the IWC Ingenieur is resistant to water, dust and magnetic fields.

In the mid-1980s, IWC redesigned the references 3505 and 3506 based on the drawings of the brilliant Gérald Genta, integrating an extra-thin movement. This feat will bring the Ingenieur line back to center stage while maintaining the primary objective of making a high-performance, assertive and comfortable watch for engineers.

Inside the 34mm tonneau case, the nice “graph paper” dial gives the watch its strong identity.

This watch is special as it comes with a customized (yet removable) bracelet link featuring the chinese word 熊, meaning “Bear”, a symbol of strength, health and vitality in China. A word that can also be found on the back of the case.

BrandIWC
ModelIngenieur
Reference3506
YearCirca 1980
Case materielStainless steel
MovementAutomatic
Diameter34mm
LocationParis

CaseGood condition
DialPerfect
HandsOriginal
CrownOriginal
BraceletStainless steel
AccessoriesNone

ASK US A QUESTION ABOUT THIS WATCH

    × WhatsApp!