The second most expensive new IWC Ingenieur watch for 2013, and my favorite new model in the series, is this Ingenieur Perpetual Calendar Digital Date-Month ref 3792 (IW379201). Despite the model’s tongue-twister name it leaves out the fact that it also has a chronograph. Visually stunning and extremely masculine, this is the type of forward-thinking modern design that I like to see in a luxury sport-themed timepiece.

It all starts with the in-house made IWC Calibre 89802 automatic movement, which is a slight revision on the existing IWC Calibre 89800 that is found in the IWC Da Vinci Perpetual Calendar Digital Date-Month ref. 3761 (IW376107) watch. Despite sharing movements and most of the same name, these two models are very different. The Da Vinci collection sports a sort of angular tonneau-shaped case in a more traditional 18k rose gold material. This Ingenieur piece keys into the brand’s new focus on motorsports in terms of design and case material, and what IWC has done with the dial is really fun.

The movement is a very beautiful thing. IWC begins with their 89000 movement family which you’ll find in IWC watches with in-house chronograph movements. The IWC Calibre 89361, for example, features a 12 hour chronograph with a minute and hour counter in the upper sub dial. The 89802 in the Ingenieur Perpetual Calendar Digital Date-Month builds on that chronograph with a perpetual calendar complication. The base chronograph is still there in full effect, with the chronograph hours and minutes both being totalized in the top subsidiary dial. A lower sub dial is used for the running seconds, while there is a central chronograph seconds hand.

Three additional windows are added to the dial for the perpetual calendar system, which is so cool because rather than use a dial with hands, the movement digitally indicates the month and date. These windows each use two discs so you have a “big date” display as well as a “big month” display and a leap year indicator in the lower sub dial. Note that the chronograph features a flyback complication and the Calibre 89802 automatic movement has a power reserve of 68 hours… more »