This model Aquatimer watch centers its design around a face that is unassuming at first glance.  You can see that this watch immediately sets itself apart from the competition by having a face that is encased in platinum rather than the more standard steel.  The impressive gloss of platinum makes a subtle but key difference in creating a watch that is silky smooth to wear and a pleasure to see.  With a diameter of 44 mm, seeing the time on the IWC Vintage Aquatimer Mens Wristwatch Model IW323105 is as easy as it is pleasant.  Chic gloss and unobtrusive bars instead of numerals create a highly professional design that allows this time piece a professional appearance prime to fit in perfectly in any board room.  Additionally, being water resistant up to 400 feet allows this time piece to be rugged enough to follow you in all of your daily activities, whether professional or strictly for pleasure.

There is certainly not a single watch that can be designed to suit all individuals in all situations.  It must be said that this watch is not a good fit for an individual looking for flash in their time keeping accessory.  There are no diamonds encrusting this watch face, nor are there nifty colors obscuring your view of the time it keeps.  Customers who are in search of a watch that stands out from their overall look, rather then enhancing it and complimenting it in a subtle way, will not find their fit with this particular model.

The IWC Vintage Aquatimer Mens Wristwatch Model IW323105 carries with it an intimidating price tag of roughly $38,000, making it a bit out of reach for many individuals.  Those who can afford to purchase this model and brand of watch will surely find themselves utterly pleased with their purchase, however.  Platinum is a metal that keeps and keeps, much like a fine wine.  The leather band allows for daily wearing with comfort, and the incredible durability of this time piece make this watch an incredible value for the dollar.

The Vintage Ingenier.

IWC, the International Watch Company has been making watches for over a century, a fantastic achievement and one that lends a great deal of credibility to any product they release. The Vintage Ingenier Mens Wristwatch IW323301 is a very impressive addition to the line up, a quiet but strong product that maintains a functional, simple elegance.

The functional part of that assessment should be noted and elaborated upon. Bearing a water resistance of 120 meters, the Ingenier is quite welcome in its ability to easily endure near-surface water exposure, able to be worn during shallow swimming or snorkeling.

The watch dial is almost artistic in its design. A black face is dotted by subtle steel markings on the hours, one line on each – two on 12 hours – and ticks between for the seconds. A few inevitable logos mar the design in my opinion, but they are white and unobtrusive. The minute and hour hands look fantastic, diamond-shaped steel coming to fine points at the tips; the hour hand’s point brushes the points of the hour markers while the minute hand’s point glides over their opposite edge. The second hand is tipped with a small arrow that hovers perfectly over the tick-marks between hour markers. Subtle alignments like these catch my attention, and I’m very impressed by this one. The date is also displayed in its more-or-less usual place near the 3 hours-mark.

Well-suited as a relatively inexpensive luxury item that would serve the wearer well in everyday life, the Vintage Ingenier is a spectacularly-designed product, engineered for precision and reliability. With a plethora of luxury watches available for purchase, this would be well worth the look for someone looking for an item with a subtle flair rather than obtrusive flash and glamor.

The Aquatimer Automatic IW323104 watch.

If you’re a man looking for a simple, classy dress-watch, the IWC Vintage Collection Jubilee Edition of the Aquatimer Automatic Men’s Watch (IW323104) is a great pick. Elegant and practical, the IW323104 will serve you well…just try it on to be sure it fits comfortably before you buy.

The Aquatimer Automatic masters the subtle beauty of the classic look with its brown crocodile leather strap and unencumbered face. Its dial is a dark grey, its hands and case solid 18K white gold. On the side are two knobs, presumably one for the hour and minute hands (the IW323104 features a second hand, as well) and one for the date, a small number situated at 3 o’clock. The only numerical markings besides this are the 15, 30, and 45 marks on the bezel, whose rotation is unidirectional. The judicious use of numbers leaves the face clean and readable under its scratch resistant, glare-proof sapphire crystal. The case is 44 mm in diameter. The IWC Vintage Collection’s IW323104 watch has a retail value of $17,000.

The International Watch Company prides itself on making watches that resist damage and continue to tell the time precisely. Before they are approved and released to the market, new models undergo riguorous tests that simulate the battering of wear, which insures that buyers get their money’s worth out of their watch. Thus it is that the IW323104, though a luxury watch, comes with scratch-resistant and anti-reflective crystal, and thus its high water resistance. These features—so often overlooked in buying a dress watch—are huge perks,   when you can find them.

Praise aside, one potential issue with the IW323104 is its ease of wear, due to the open skeleton back. I wasn’t able to come up with any pictures of this back, but one can surmise that if the surface touching the wrist is uneven or has sharp edges, comfort will be compromised. I would recommend viewing and trying one on at the store to make sure that it doesn’t hurt. Another reason to visit the store is to make sure the strap fits your wrist—unlike many other luxury watches, the IW323104’s band isn’t sizable, and so if the 8-inch band with its deployment buckle doesn’t fit, you might want to consider looking somewhere else (or perhaps purchasing a different band).

If the IWC Vintage Collection Jubilee Edition Aquatimer Automatic Men’s Watch ¬does fit agreeably, I would recommend it for luxury model shoppers. But if it doesn’t or the model is out of your price range, look around. There still might be a good watch out there with comparable beauty.

Aquatimer Automatic Quick Facts
Brand: IWC
Collection: Vintage Collection
Gender/Size: Mens
Model #: IW323104
Movement Type: Swiss Automatic Certified (self winding)
Dial: Gray
Calendar: Date
Crystal: Sapphire Scratch Resistant & Anti-Reflective
Case Material: Solid 18K White Gold
Bezel Material: Unidirectional rotating
Case Diameter: 44 mm (1.73 in)
Case Back: Skeleton (Open)
Bracelet Material: Alligator
Strap Color: Brown
Bracelet Length: 8 in (20.3 cm)
Bracelet Sizable: No
Clasp Type: Deployment Buckle
Water Resistance: 100 meter (330 feet)

Stainless Steel and Rubber Vintage Aquatimer Mens Watch

Written by Danielle Holgate

Are you a man with an aquatic lifestyle? Can you often be found doing laps at the club pool? Or perhaps you are a surfer whose second home is floating on the ocean. How about scuba diving or waterfall jumping? While doing all this water activity how do you keep track of the time? How about by using the IWC Vintage Collection Aquatimer Automatic Mens Watch IW323101?

The Vintage Aquatimer Automatic Mens watch is different from many other luxury watches. Most watches have a water resistance of up to 90 meters. The Aquatimer by IWC is waterproof up to 120 meters. It isn’t some delicate fashion timepiece, but a stylish and tough watch that is designed to endure demanding underwater conditions. The modern Aquatimer is equipped with pressure resistance and a sealing system. It also features a screw-in main crown next to a self-sealing crown developed by IWC to set the revolving dive ring.  The second crown does not screw in, providing easier use for the consumer. Keeping with the IWC tradition, the watch’s movement is of the Ingenieur family 80111 automatic caliber. Unlike its ancestors however, is the new see-through sapphire glass back that in no way takes away from the resistance of the watch under pressure of up to 12 bars. Also unlike its predecessors, it now has a 44- millimeter case that makes it more legible.

Details of the IWC Vintage Collection Aquatimer Automatic Mens Watch IW323101:

• Case Material is Stainless Steel with brushed finished edges, polished lugs and bezel.
• Case is 44mm in diameter and 14.5 mm in thickness.
  
• Dial is Analog, matte black dial with highly luminescent Index hour markers that have polished steel edges and a luminescent center.
• Movement is Automatic
• Engine is a IWC Caliber 80111 (28 jewels, 28,800vph) with a power reserve of 44 hours when wound all the way
  
• Watch Functions are Hours, Minutes, Seconds, and Date at 3 o’clock position.
  
• Both the front and back of the watch are made with Sapphire Crystal (convex, anti-reflective)
• Bezel Material is Stainless Steel and its function is fixed.
  
• Overall mass of the watch is 122 g
• Water Resistance is up to 120m/ 400 ft
• The Crown Material is a two layer Screw-down
• Watch Bracelet/ Strap Material is Black Rubber
• Lastly, the clasp is a Tang buckle

Pros: Suitable for swimming and shallow snorkeling.  Most come with a 2 year warranty.  For a luxury watch it isn’t so expensive that you wouldn’t want to take some risks with it, or use it for its adventurous water purposes.

Cons: Not suitable for diving. There seems to be some confusion about its water resistance. Maybe it’s a typo but one website said it was only water resistant to 20 meters.

The IWC IW3231-01 Vintage Aquatimer ranges in price from $5,475- $7,300, and the variations to this particular Vintage Aquatimer range all the way up to $13,260. This is a good wristwatch for the man who wants his timepiece to have a particularly useful trait that compliments his underwater lifestyle. Hey Michael Phelps, I have a suggestion for you…

IWC iPhone App

IWC has joined the ranks of other luxury watch brands and recently launched its very own iPhone app. This app, free of charge, can be downloaded in one of six language and is perfect for IWC enthusiasts, or for anyone looking for a great gadget-related app. A great feature of the app is a “Try-It” function where the iPhone user can “try on” watches from IWC and virtually see how the timepiece would look on their wrist.

Conservancy-Related Watch

IWC may be a fine watchmaker, but they also know that their watches are carried by their customers on the high seas. They are now entering the realm of “ecological responsibility.” The issue of pollution in the world’s oceans and oceanic wildlife habitats is of growing concern to environmentalists and marine biologists as well as individuals and companies. It has been reported that over 100 million tons of plastic are produced every year, an estimated 10 per cent of which ends up at the bottom of the ocean. Other debris such as tires, cans are also negatively affecting the underwater wildlife. As plastic breaks down, it becomes detrimental to coral, turtles who mistake plastic for jellyfish, as well as sea birds and other aquatic mammals.

IWC Watch

IWC has built its reputation on fine craftsmanship and incredible quality. A glimpse inside the factory located in Switzerland reveals previously -unknown secrets to the watchmaker’s success. While automated machines cut the various pieces from titanium or steel to create their unique watches, they also employ master craftsmen to work on the more intricate details of each timekeeper.

IWC Tourbillon Mystere Watch

IWC has released another unique masterpiece with its Tourbillon men’s watch. The Tourbillon Mystere (IW5042-02) features movement created by IWC, a tourbillon escapement at the 12 o’clock hour and even a retrograde date indicator. The Tourbillon men’s watch by IWC is available in 18-karat gold or platinum. has a 44.2mm diameter case and stands 15.5mm tall. The metallic dial is complemented by the polished case and findings. The platinum watch is wrought in ruthenium, and the red gold model boasts silver, the Arabic hour markers are polished, as are the hands. The date display is a stylish arc reaching from the nine to the six indicator on a 31-day indicator, at which point it springs back neatly to its originating point. Lest a month with less than 31 days offer a challenge to the date display, a manual advancer allows the wearer to quickly adjust the date.

IWC Watch

IWC Watches is set to auction off a Big Pilot’s Watch Antoine De Saint Exupery (IW500420) edition for a charity. IWC has worked in the past with a French charity organization ad they continue to do so with this timepiece inspired by aviator Antoine De Saint Exupery. This exquisite watch features a power reserve indicator, IWC-created movement, and power reserves for one week. It is a handsome watch with a leather band, bold stylized numbers and a dial that matches the band.

Product Description

The IW500402 IWC Big Pilots Men’ s Watch has a mechanical movement with Pellaton automatic winding. The seven day power reserve is displayed on the watch face. The dial and subdial are black. The calendar features the date at the 6 o’clock position. The case measures 46 mm (1.81 in) and is made from solid 18K white gold. The strap is brown crocodile. The clasp is a fold over clasp with push button. The crystal is sapphire and scratch resistant. The watch is water resistant up to 50 meter (167 feet). Made in Switzerland, it comes with a 12 month warranty.

Highlights

The automatic movement housed within the IWC Big Pilots Men’s Watch is the largest available and able to generate a power reserve of 8 days, however, what’s extra special about this function is that after seven days, an embedded mechanism automatically stops the watch.

Who’s Wearing It?

Male fans of the IWC Big Pilots watch include musician and “Don Juan” John Mayer, movie director Quentin Tarantino, news anchor Tom Brokaw and then actor, now Governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger.