Overview
A battery powered movement that was more impressive than its mechanical peers? One could argue that was the case with the JLC caliber 633, a product of the Quartz Crisis that sought to bridge the gap between modern technology and horology’s mechanical roots. The movement contained over 200 moving parts and utilized two quartz stepping motors to power the main timekeeping hands and a mechanically driven chronograph. As if that wasn’t enough, the JLC 633 was also given an alarm function for added utility.
A workhorse movement like this needed a robust housing that could keep up. IWC delivered in 1991 with the sportiest Ingenieur yet — the reference 3805. Iterating on Genta's foundation for the Ingenieur, the Chrono Alarm added a flieger dial, knurled crowns and pushers, and a red skeleton alarm hand. For a watch with as much hubris, one might expect the case to be up-sized to match. Thankfully, designers opted to keep it the same 34mm size as the standard Ingenieurs of the time.
The example here is one of the nicest 3805s you’ll ever see, complete with the original boxes, instructions, and even an IWC service record from 2009. The case and dial have been wonderfully preserved, with only faint signs of wear and a graceful golden aging of the tritium plots. With so much visual and mechanical interest, it's no surprise the Ingenieur Chrono Alarm has developed quite a collector following in recent years.
Specifications
Brand:
IWC
Model:
Ingenieur Chrono Alarm
Reference:
IW3805-01
Year:
1990s
Case Number:
2539299
Case Material:
Stainless steel
Diameter:
34 mm
Lug Width:
23 mm
Thickness:
9.0 mm
Lug-to-Lug:
42.8 mm
Dial:
Black
Lume:
Tritium
Crystal:
Sapphire
Movement:
Meca-quartz
Caliber:
JLC 633
Bracelet/Strap:
IWC stainless steel bracelet
Max Wrist Size:
7.125 in (22 links)
Hand model has a wrist size of 6.2 in
Condition
Case: The stainless steel case shows minimal wear with only a couple faint hairlines and tiny nicks present. The overall impression is very clean. The lugs are thick and well-defined. The brushed bezel is in fantastic condition with crisp edges. The caseback shows a few hairlines and faint scuffs. The serial number engraving remains sharp and legible.
Dial, Hands, & Crystal: The black dial is in pristine condition with no notable imperfections. The hour and minute hands show a few small spots of patina, while the seconds hand has some yellowing at the base. The tritium across the dial and hands is a nice golden shade of yellow and remains intact with no cracking present. When exposed to UV light, there is no lasting glow. The sapphire crystal is squeaky clean and scratch-free.
Bracelet/Strap: The IWC stainless steel bracelet is in immaculate condition with virtually no stretching and hardly any wear outside of a few light marks near the clasp. The clasp securely closes without issue. The IWC engraving remains crisp and detailed.
Performance
Functions: All functions including the crown-winding, time setting, quickset date, alarm, and chronograph start/stop/reset are working as expected.
Service History: The watch underwent a service by IWC that was completed on 05/15/2009.
