====== IWC Ingenieur 3508 ======
  *See Also [[IWC Ingenieur]]

The **Ingenieur 500,000 A/m** was a technical refresh of the [[IWC Ingenieur SL|Ingenieur SL]] produced by [[IWC]] from [[1989]] until [[1993]]. It is regarded today as both a technical triumph and product failure.

===== Overview =====
Both [[Rolex]] and IWC saw the need for a [[engineer|watch for engineers and scientists]] in the 1950s, combining rugged [[automatic]] movements, [[water-resistant]] cases, and [[anti-magnetic]] concepts in the [[Rolex Milgauss]] and this IWC Ingenieur. The concept has remained for over 50 years, with the [[IWC Ingenieur|IWC Ingenieur family]] spawning many models, including an iconic redesign by famed designer [[Genta, Gerald|Gerald Genta]], a pivot to [[motor racing]], and the use of exotic materials like [[titanium]] and [[ceramic]].

The Ingenieur had become somewhat stale by the mid 1970s but famed designer [[Genta, Gerald|Gerald Genta]] had shown a stylistic path forward with his groundbreaking [[Audemars Piguet Royal Oak]] in [[1972]]. Genta designed three "SL" or "Steel Line" watches for IWC, of which only the Ingenieur was presented for sale. The production "Ingenieur SL", introduced in [[1976]]. Like the Royal Oak, [[Patek Philippe Nautilus]], and [[Vacheron Constantin 222]], the new Ingenieur SL had a "sandwich" case, with both the caseback and bezel being removable. Measuring 40 mm by 38 mm around a 30 mm dial, the "Jumbo" nickname seemed appropriate for the time. Poor sales spurred IWC to search for a smaller and thinner movement to allow the watch to be reduced in size to 34 mm for the 1980s, with most sales focused on the [[IWC Ingenieur 3305|"Skinny" Ref. 3305 and 3505/3506]] quartz and automatic offerings.

Like most watchmakers, IWC lacked an in-house movement coming out of the [[quartz crisis]] and had turned to [[ETA]] to supply a suitably small and slim movement for the "Skinny" Ingenieurs. The company had developed anti-magnetic variants of ETA movements for [[Porsche Design]] ([[IWC 37541|Cal. 37541]]) and the Bundeswehr ([[IWC 3755|Cal. 3755AM]]) and wanted to apply this know-how to their signature [[engeineer]] watch. The result was this **Ref. 3508**, dubbed "500,000 A/m" thanks to the remarkable performance of IWC's new [[IWC 37590|Cal. 37590]]. Unlike previous [[IWC Ingenieur|Ingenieurs]], Ref. 3508 needed no [[soft iron]] inner case to resist magnetism The movement used a special [[hairspring]] made of niobium-zirconium, anti-magnetic [[escape wheel]] and [[pallet fork]], and [[rotor]] bearings made of ruby.

Although a tour-de-force for the company's engineering department, the Ingenieur "500,000 A/m" proved to have serious issues with [[isochronism]] in real-world use. Temperature changes in particular caused havoc for the niobium-zirconium balance spring, causing the watch to gain or lose time. IWC attempted to address this with careful selection of springs but it was no use The technology just wasn't ready for the market. After selling just a few thousand examples, IWC retired the watch from the market in late [[1992]]. It was replaced by the conventional [[IWC Ingenieur 3521|"Officially Certified Chronometer" Ref. 3521]] with a [[Jaeger-LeCoultre]]-sourced movement.

The Ingenieur "500,000 A/m" strongly resembled the preceding [[IWC Ingenieur 3506|Ref. 3506 "Skinny" Ingenieur SL Automatic]], with the same size case and similar styling touches. Like the original [[IWC Ingenieur SL 1832|Ref. 1832 Ingenieur SL]] from [[1976]], it featured a tripartite case with a screw-down bezel much like a traditional waterproof caseback. The [[tonneau]] case also resembled Genta's Ref. 1832, with an integrated bracelet or optional crocodile leather strap.

The "500,000 A/m" Ingenieur was available in steel or [[gold filled]] with or without a bracelet (Ref. 3508 and 3518, respectively), in solid 18 karat [[yellow gold]] (Ref. 9238) or gold with a diamond bezel (Ref. 9258). Sales were poor, and the [[IWC Ingenieur 3521|"Officially Certified Chronometer" Ref. 3521]] took its place in [[1993]].

===== 1990s Ingenieur Range =====
The Ingenieur range was much more limited in the 1990s, with just the three-handed Ref. 3508 or [[IWC Ingenieur 3521|"Officially Certified Chronometer" Ref. 3521]], the [[IWC Ingenieur Chronograph 3733|Ref. 3733 Chronograph]] or [[IWC Ingenieur Chrono Alarm 3805|Ref. 3805 Chrono Alarm]], and the short-lived [[IWC Ingenieur SL Perpetual Calendar 3540|Ref. 3540 Perpetual Calendar]].

The range would be quite stale until a [[2005]] lead by the [[IWC Ingenieur Automatic 3227|Ref. 3227 Ingenieur Automatic]] and [[IWC Ingenieur Chronograph 3725|Ref. 3725 Ingenieur Chronograph]].

===== External Links =====
  * [[http://www.moeb.ch/Ingenieur/10e_500000Am.html|1989-1992/93: The «Ingenieur 500,000 A/m»]]


<WRAP ud ud_mod>

**Reference:**
  * 3508 (1989-1992) [[stainless steel]] or [[gold filled]] with matching bracelet (955 produced)
  * 3518 (1989-1992) [[stainless steel]] or [[gold filled]] with leather strap (327 produced)
  * 9238 (1989-1992) [[Yellow gold]] with gold bracelet (137 produced)
  * 9258 (1991-1993) [[Yellow gold]] and diamond bezel with gold bracelet (7 produced)

**Movement:**
  * [[Automatic]] [[IWC 37590|Cal. 37590]] ([[ETA 2892-2]])
  * 21 [[jewels]]
  * 28,800 A/h

**Case: **
  * [[Stainless steel]] or [[yellow gold]]
  * Ø 34.0 mm, H 8.8 mm
  * [[Anti-magnetic]] movement protects up to 500,000 A/m
  * [[Sapphire crystal]]
  * Screw-in bezel and caseback
  * [[Waterproof]] to 6 or 12 ATM

**Dial:**
  * Black, rhodium, gold, or white dial
  * Bar markers

**Functions:**
  * Hours, minutes, [[central seconds]] 
  * [[Date window]] at 3 00

**Bracelet: **
  * Metal bracelet system with deployant clasp or leather strap

**Production: **
  * Produced [[1989]]-[[1993]]
  * Predecessor [[IWC Ingenieur 3305|Ref. 3305 "Skinny" Ingenieur SL Quartz]], [[IWC Ingenieur 3506|Ref. 3506 "Skinny" Ingenieur SL Automatic]], [[IWC Ingenieur 3350|Ref. 3350 Ingenieur in Titanium]]
  * Successor [[IWC Ingenieur 3521|Ref. 3521 Ingenieur "Officially Certified Chronometer"]]
</WRAP>

{{tag>Watch_models IWC_Ingenieur_models}}