Reply With QuoteLovely trio, but do me a favour & screw those crowns in a bit - you're messing with my OCD :wink:
Took delivery of my IWC Aquatimer 3536-01 last night.
I'd been consumed with desire for one of these for some time, and it's met all expectations.
The locking bezel is a work of engineering art, as is the titanium bracelet (although I'll be wearing it on the black rubber strap shown for the time being - I think this suits the functional, almost stealthy nature of the watch well).
It makes a handsome pair with my 3227-01 Ingenieur:
Finally, a family shot. IWC has to be my favourite manufacturer....they do seem to be pandering somewhat to fashion with a few of their more recent, function-follows-form creations though, which is a pity.
Lovely trio, but do me a favour & screw those crowns in a bit - you're messing with my OCD :wink:
Andy
Wanted - Damasko DC57
Gorgeous, just gorgeous.
Had a chance to handle an Aquatimer at a get-together at one point and I appreciate them even more now.
Dave E
Skating away on the thin ice of a new day
They're all soo nice. But I must admit that I like the Ingenieur the most
Great looking watches! The Aquatimer is on my all time wishlist too! I don't know exactly how to put it, but there's an ooze of tranquility when you look at that watch. Balanced: materials, dimensions, dial design and colour. All is (imho off course) perfect!
Wear it in good health!
Menno
Great stuff!
Saw my first Aquatimer the other day and I was very taken - this is one of those watches that looks even better in real life.
FWIW I love everything about the Ingenieur too and the 3227-01 is my fave.
And am seriously starting to be taken the Portuguese - been looking at them Watchfinder these past 2 days
Excellent taste :thumbleft:
Mmmmm yum
got an Aquatimer and I had an Ingenieur, would love to add that portugieser in that trim as well....love those blue hands!
very nice collection there
Goat :D
nice portuguese, although I'm prefer to the panda version.
The IWC 3536 is one of the coolest divers watches. However I am not that impressed with the refinished ETA movement.
Best regards,
Kristopher
I love IWC but I hate the way they are going with everything but the Aquatimer series :(
Thanks very much everyone for the kind words :)
If you get the chance to handle a 3227, you must try winding it up... the feeling of tactile quality you will get from the whole process - from unscrewing the crown, to winding the mainspring, to screwing the crown in again - is quite something. If you can appreciate engineering excellence (and, being WISs, most of us can), it's an almost religious experience.Originally Posted by PeterM
In my experience, when I start with all that carry-on, there is only one outcome - and it is entirely inevitable. I look forward to seeing the pics shortly :lol:
Thanks Menno. Your description of the 3536 somehow 'oozing tranquility' and having 'balance' are spot-on.
I think all this derives from the purely functional, designed-for-purpose aesthetics of the watch, the complete absence of any decorative details or flourishes, and the perfectly selected materials. And all of these elements are then allied with the best build quality that IWC could possibly achieve.
It's the paradoxical duality of the watch that I find magnetically attractive. Whereas diamonds, gold etc are traditionally and obviously and flashily expensive, the 3536-01 emits an undeniable, steady aura of uncompromising and expensively-wrought quality, and yet it is anything but flashy or immediately eye-catching.
My own OCD regarding unscrewed crowns was out-OCD'ed by my OCD concerning blurred seconds hands in photos. Am awaiting better light (spring, probably) before taking better photos - will allow the mainsprings to wind down beforehand too so that I can achieve prime hand placement while avoiding seconds hand blur....
Lovely, lovely trio. Congrats on all of them, not just the AT.
Would prefer the AT on the bracelet (pics?!) but, much as I love it and the Portuguese, that dial texture on the Inge is unsurpassable when it comes to IWCs.
3 of my favourite watches out there - I've tried saving for all three at some point in my WIS journey but I've never actually owned any :cry:.
Just superb!
never considered getting the rubber strap for my 3536, anyone got any ideas how much they are?
On another note treated the Mrs to a Toywatch to use as a beater and she's desided that she likes the size and could happly wear my 3536 :shock: not sure if his and her's is the right way to go.....
http://horomundi.com/forums/main/read.php?20,415,683
Very nice watches. Personally i prefer the newer pro 2000 for looks. Please see link and scroll down. The black and yelloow with rubber strap.
Be interested to know which you prefer. The orange is too garish for me as i suspect the yellow is to some of you.
I have a question is the movement in the newer model superior to the older model?
Nick.
A great addition, making a wonderful trio.
Although I love the bracelet, I find mine more comfortable on the rubber.
I can understand why IWC might be your favourite maker :)
Very nice, and with my favourite Portuguese too 8)
"I looked with pity not untinged with scorn upon these trivial-minded passers-by"
That IWC GST, is all the watch, you will ever need. :)
Very nice trio you got there Argon. Aquatimer (black or white dial in steel) is also on my list of watches to get.
Enjoy!
Mac
Now that's what I call a..........
STUNNING STABLE of IWC's!!!
Some serious IWC action going on here.
You sir, are a greedy IWC hoarding so-and-so! :lol: (one can hear that I suffer from a severe lack of IWC watches. I do not think, I will ever get over turning down a nice AT some years ago.)
As mentioned, the bezel of the AT is pure functionalistic class. IMO the only one to rival it, is the Aquaracer's two part bezel. Both the AT and the Aquaracer bezels have a fine balance between positive locking combined with ease of working the bezel.
EDIT: I think it is the Aquagraph and not the Aquaracer, that has the nifty two part bezel, where you push down to turn.
Thanks again chaps.
I'd go for the yellow one. As you say, the orange might be a bit garish.
Having said that, I've never considered one of the 2009 Aquatimers - the 3536 is the one I've always wanted.
It's like the quiet new girl in the office with glasses whom everyone ignores - everyone, that is, except some sentient operator who snaps her up, and everyone then realises that she's the most beautiful girl they've ever seen, and why-oh-why couldn't they tear their gazes from the loud, blonde, mini skirted, cleavage-baring hottie who they were always chasing at after-work drinks every Friday and who now - 10 years down the tracks - looks like Mrs Wildenstein's elder sister.
Can you tell I'm in the horribly self-congratulatory honeymoon phase here? :lol: OK, I'm completely over-dramatising things, but my point is that I feel the 2009 Aquatimers are just trying too hard to be trendy, and therefore that their aesthetics won't stand the test of time as well as the older ones. They have become huge (44mm versus the 42mm of the older ones), and style-wise they are erring too much on the sporty side of toolish for my liking (again, I suspect, in IWC's efforts to appeal to a broader and more fashion-conscious fanbase). It seems that their links with IWC's rich diver heritage are being diluted - the fact that they are not being offered in titanium is further evidence of this. Some of the newer Ingenieurs are exhibiting similar trends - most are no longer even anti-magnetic.
I have no idea about the movements in the newer watches, Nick. I normally only research the movements of watches I'm keen on looks-wise. Would be interested to know though.
Again, no idea I'm afraid - my rubber strap came with the watch. Knowing IWC though, it won't be cheap :|
You know, I think you may be right Captain.
:) Guilty as charged, M'Lord. I think I have all the IWCs I need for now though (although I would quite fancy a Portuguese 5001-07....)
I love my 3636-02 - and I am actually quite impressed with the job IWC has done on the ETA caliber - probably one the best jobs on 2892 - and in my eyes at least as good as in the newer versions, or better. Generally it is also from birth very accurate, and it can be adjusted into something like perfection.
Agree on the lock system on the bracelet - but also the easy way of changing links, just with the help of a toothpick pushed into the small dots on the reverse of the bracelet - and links are on and of so easily - and still it is very secure.
Only complaint is that you cannot adjust it in the lock, but needs to take of half a link - to fine-adjust the length.
With regard to quality, it is in my eyes every little bit as good as the newer - in fact, as far as I know, IWC simply found 3536 so expensive to produce, that profit could be bigger with the new versions.
A GREAT watch -
br
8) Droool
Congrats it's one of the best looking IWC's out there.
Should have never sold mine :(
Excellent :lol:
One gets the impression, that you actually like your Aquatimer :P
The 3536 is wonderful. I have the Ocean 2000, the 3536 and the 3538. They are all fantastic watches but the 3536 is the best.
I am sure I will get the new one at some point. I, too, have become addicted to aquatimers...
:D Very nice one of the best looking divers about IMO, so simple and clean looking, nice trio too.
Congratulations - really nice watches. I like the portuguese.
oh yeah, i join my voice to the potuguese
great watches
Superb hat-trick, great selections.
I'm a big IWC fan myself, though the "in-house movement" snobs would look down on the modded ETA movements they use in many of their watches. I recently met a Nomos board member socially who was trying to convince me that their watches were far superior to IWC, mainly because they did everything in-house. I couldn't be bothered arguing over it with him, maybe he was just incensed by the sight of the Doppel I had on at the time.
Whatever the case - I don't own any Nomos watches while the Ingenieur, though quite a rough-hewn, heavy hunk of steel, has become a favourite on my wrist. A Genta design classic.
P.S. What's the verdict on the Ingy's movement, I think there was some discussion on whether or not it really qualified as "in-house" or not... too lazy to Google it
Lovely watch.
Why oh why are IWC producing the kind of crap that they are now? Totally pollutes the brand history.
Sunnie
nice watches! but i agree with this chap! :shock:
ktmog6uk
marchingontogether!
So beautiful.
i'd not really heard of nomos, so thought i'd check them out. and found this on the neils chronomaster site
And another thing, those "in-house movement" snobs, would they look down on companies like AMG who basically do the same thing? "ooooh they don't even make their own engines..." :twisted:The Nomos watches use a Nomos 1T hand wound movement. The parts of the movement are based on an ETA ébauche
Love the elegant simplicity of that 2000 metri diver!
And great bezel... serious congratulations - wear in great health!
A timeless classic - the 2000m diver.Many congrats and a great collection!!!!!
fantastic piece Argon.
Congrats. I am :mrgreen:
They are just so well put together...the case, simple dial and fantastic bezel
To be fair though, this was only till 2005 (from the oracle/Wikipedia):
"...Nomos has focused on manufacturing mechanical watches with hand-wound movements. The basis for the movement was, until 2005, the Swiss-made ETA SA / Peseux 7001. These watches bear the label "Glashütte / SA" and "Made in Germany", and have gilded movements.
Since April 2005 Nomos has only used in-house movements called "Alpha" (standard manual movement), "Beta" (with date display), and "Delta" (with date and power reserve display). These new movements are labelled "Glashütte" and "Germany" and are nickel plated with Geneva stripes. In the summer of 2006 the "Tangomat" was introduced. This watch includes the movement "Epsilon" (automatic) or "Zeta" (automatic with date display).
The watches were designed in 1990 in the Bauhaus purist style by Susanne Günther and have won several design awards."
I really like Ingenieur's blue dial.
Understated class, all three of them....
Alex
Gorgeous gorgeous Portuguese. My grail...
Wonderful trio and agree, they are so much more beautiful in the flesh. Congratulations.
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