NEW IWC Aquatimer - Is It Any Good?

[@dec1aim_flow432]

So for your info, the extension on the left is NOT an Helium escape valve but the ingenuous bezel mechanism… also, because of the very slim lugs, it actually wears more like a 40.5-41 and works ok for very slim wrist.

[@KAL-589]

Great timing. I've been looking into this for the past week. There is also a manufacture version with 120 hour reserve!

[@ChisholmHunterOfficial]

Very cool!

[@speedzero7478]

I did know. I've been waiting for IWC to update the Aquatimer for years now, getting disappointed at each annual watch event. Glad they finally upgraded one of the most unique and cool divers around, I'll probably purchase it.

[@lucabrazzi8269]

I was in a restaurant having dinner with my wife and a guy walked in with his wife and daughters. They sat on the next table to us. I spotted his watch straight away. I asked him what it was and what model he said iwc aquatimer. It was the navy blue model it looked cool. That nice the next morning I ordered it for myself. I have not seen anyone wearing it since and hope it stays that way.

[@RagnarHoff]

This model is upgraded with the 5-day power reserve movement now which is a reason to get it now. I wanted it for the longest time, but i couldn't justify the price earlier with the basic eta movement.

[@kerrywillner5626]

Dear sir .A question. The iwc you review I believed to have an in house movement with 120 hour power reserve in the latest version. Please correct me if I am wrong.

[@jaredmartignoni7788]

That’s not a helium escape at the 9. It’s the gear housing for the internal rotating bezel

[@daviddigilio3036]

Yup. Thought the same.

[@seansawyer6124]

Was this Guy in the Movie Trainspotting???? LOL

[@JL-xo2ed]

AWESOME watch, got the blue dial with blue rubber strap. 42mm with 5 days reserve and keeping the iconic look works for me!

[@jasont4783]

IWC has really grown on me as of late. The Petite Prince and of course the Big Pilot but after your video I'll need to give their diver a closer look (specifically the blue variant). Enjoy the donuts 😋. Cheers!

[@impexRQ]

Thanks a lot for the review … I always found the IWC Aquatimer very interesting and quite unique with the inner rotation bezel and I was even waiting for the updated on the in-house movement … however, since I got my Blancpain Fifty Fathoms titanium Blue … there is not diver in todays market which can get any closer to it … so, not need for divers anymore … but still quite interesting watch

[@ChisholmHunterOfficial]

Thanks for watching!

[@RS-jb1lf]

Such a beautiful watch.

[@defenstrator4660]

That "double crown" you keep talking about was the knob to control the internal time bezel. Now it is controlled through a ratchet system incorporated into the outer bezel, and the piece on the side is not a helium escape valve. It's part of the ratchet system. You had some nice watch shots though.

[@ronniep9272]

This is a watch that has to be seen in person to appreciate it. Very nice modern industrial design.

[@daviddigilio3036]

This is an important point. I tried it on this week at the AD and I have to say that it's stunning. Contrary to the video, I found it to wear really well on my 6.75" wrist. Not too big at all. And the look is that perfect blend of German minimalism and industrial design. Every surface is so well executed in finish and design. I really love it and am trying to decide whether I want the new in-house or ETA model for my next watch. 120hrs power reserve is really impressive. As my eyes get worse and worse, I've come to appreciate a larger dial that is laid out well and easy to read and the IWC excels in this regard. Two Points for the reviewer: The bulge on the left is a cover that hides the bezel mechanism. It is not an HEV. There are videos on YT that show the action works. This watch thankfully doesn't have an HEV. Also, the bezel is meant to be used in a ratcheting style. When he turns the bezel clockwise, it's not just a gimmick, even though it's fun to work back and forth. It's so that you can slide your grip over the bezel and work it in shorter turns without loosening you grip, making it's action different from a regular bezel.

[@ronniep9272]

@@daviddigilio3036 good points. You're right the finishing is immaculate and very interesting to look at. I saw a submariner and then this watch shortly after on the same day, this was so much more eye catching. The dial looks simple in videos but in person the depth is amazing and the green lume from the 0-15 on the bezel really pops. I honestly don't understand why this doesn't get much attention/love from the public or isn't promoted much by IWC. It has the most unique diving bezel out there and a power reserve of 5 days, name me one other Diver with these qualities, especially at this price point. Are you looking to get it on the rubber strap or bracelet.

[@daviddigilio3036]

@@ronniep9272 I'll be getting it on the strap for sure. Too chunky on the bracelet for me. My BB58 Blue does the bracelet trick for me. This watch wasn't seen as a great value because of the use of an ETA movement, but that is no longer an issue. I think that IWC as a brand had a down decade or two and only (relatively) recently have they busted out with their Pilot's lineup again. WUS were buying the watches in smaller volumes, but their marketing in the last few years and sponsorship of the Petronas AMG cars has put them at the forefront for non-collectors/ enthusiasts. The diver still lags behind by a lot in sales numbers, but the Sub and it's many imitators pretty much suck the oxygen out of the room in the genre. JLC's compressor divers are fantastic to handle and wear. Same for GO SeaQ, Blancpain and a few others. But Rolex, Tudor, and to a slightly lesser extent, Omega dominate the market. Just look at watchrecon and count the number of Black Bays, Subs, and Seamasters up for sale. But imo it's cool to strap watches like this on without all the fanfare, stares, and fear of being held up that comes with wearing a Sub. As long as resale isn't a concern, this is an outstanding choice for a dive watch or one watch collection.

[@ronniep9272]

@@daviddigilio3036 did you buy it? I saw it again in Central London this past weekend and it looked better to me than any sports watch sharing the same display window from Rolex, Omega, Tudor, Blancpain and Zenith. I'm seriously tempted to sell my 2017 Seamaster to help fund buying it!

[@affegorilla1299]

I like it very much!

[@sungmanshin]

120 hours power reserve not 42

[@ams914]

I would trade my "great white" SMP for an Aquatimer, honestly.

[@devnithiavelrathinam1511]

0.21 - 0.36 - I really thought you were taking out the watch from a case, but no, its a donut!! 🤣 Anyway cool review. I'm a big fan of the Omega Seamaster range, and I own a SMP 300 in black and an Aqua Terra white dial. On the other hand, the Aquatimer had caught my eye and I have been eyeing it for sometime now. Probably would pull the trigger soon as I think it's really unique despite its chunky case.

[@donaldneo4317]

Breitling need to learn from IWC on how make a inner rotating bezel like this with high WR for their Navitimer! 30m WR is holding me back from the cool new 41mm Navitimer.

[@popalaurian]

Breitling Navitimer don’t want to be a IWC Aquatimer 😂😂😂

[@user-wi9nn6dz8w]

Dear IWC, please bring back the Aquatimer reference 3548 or a slightly updated version thereof!

[@Talon173]

As an IWC Fan and owner I’m disappointed with this release…it’s been 8 years since the last Aqua Timer launch, to keep the watch aesthetically and ergonomically very similar is a cop out….I was hoping they’d make it more acceptable for a variety of wrists…40mm and 48 L2L would have been far better….then there’s the price…..just not worth it

[@stephanwilliot2324]

There is a new version with in-house caliber and 120 hour power reserve so they didn‘t work on the outside or style but worked on its soul for 500 EUR extra.

[@fifthpint4571]

I disagree, Adam. I think this design (along with the safe dove bezel and the clutch housing on the left) is mature enough to serve as a very strong platform to establish a long-term design language that will evolve in small increments. I don’t see much to revolutionize here tbh. What would you change specifically yourself?

[@bngr_bngr]

They sell for half on the used market.

[@ronniep9272]

@@bngr_bngr then that's a good bargain. It has a 120 hours power reserve and the most unique bezel in any watch.

[@daviddigilio3036]

@@bngr_bngr Most brands not named Rolex, AP, PP (and a few other niche Independents sell) for half price or thereabouts on the used market. Watches aren't investments. Their durable goods meant to be used. The smart move, if you have to buy new, is to find an AD willing to discount 10-20%. But that doesn't make it a bad watch. I suggest handling it and trying it on. It's an outstanding watch with a design language all its own.

[@scottt.4596]

14.1mm?!!! Hmm, what is the ratio of potential deep-sea diver buyers vs desk diver buyers? IWC marketing department: “Let’s spend millions to design and promote a watch to go after the smaller of the two markets.” The dial and case are beautiful! Totally IWC. Place the two crowns on the right, get rid of the date, make it 12mm and take my money! I’ve got $10k to spend on an IWC, unfortunately, they haven’t offered a new Reference that doesn’t have one or two bad design issues. As a watch super-freak I find this incredibly frustrating. Good video. Thanks!

[@torontowatches9709]

HE ESCAPE VALVE 😂😂😂😂

[@antipartisan6921]

I'm waiting for this

[@affegorilla1299]

Nice 😊

[@mkyhou1160]

The date window looks like my beater citizen. Basically too small to read, this would be better without it.

[@rm7097]

This is the old model not the 2022 model with the 32111 Caliber.

[@MrBev19]

Donuts? Idk if we needed that but OK

[@christophsebastians.6917]

I am a fan of the improved movement of JLC Polaris (Black dial) was presented this year.

[@chadboldock2378]

No markings on the bezel?..... can't do it

[@fifthpint4571]

Can’t do what, read? Markings are clearly on the bezel, which is internal - under the crystal lol

[@daviddigilio3036]

To all who are disappointed that the design changes don't add up to much, I think you have to ask yourself why this current design needs to be dramatically changed. If you look at the lineage of the model, it's very easy to see the evolutionary nature of this current design. That's important for a brand. Just look at Breitling for the opposite of this theory. As far as their diver lineup, they're a bit lost as far as what they want to be. As for the current Aquatimer design, if anything, it's its own thing. I like that, and having tried on the watch, I find it a very compelling design and construction. I found that it wears smaller than the SMP's that I've recently owned. It might sit a little taller, but felt more compact overall to me. The SMP was always a little "pancakey" to me. The bezel is a thing of beauty in construction and design. And for my old eyes, the legibility is superb. Add in 120 hours of PR, and you have one compelling choice that looks nothing like anything Sub-derived out there today. So why change it? To make it look more like divers that are already out there on the market? I think IWC has a marketing issue with this watch. That's the problem. They don't market it at all. They make a few great special editions, but I think they could do even more in this regard as well. I wouldn't mind a few more adventurous color choices, but as for an overhaul of the design, put me in the not necessary column. Pu the watch on Tom Brady or Lewis Hamilton, or Chris Pratt and Tom Cruise, and they'd be moving off the shelves at a much higher clip.

[@ams914]

If the AR scratches, ignore it, enjoy your life, and they'll replace the crystal when you service it in 5-10 years.

[@davidb9531]

Apologies but it doesn’t seem to wear big at all

[@ProfessorPesca]

The Aquatimer and Ingenieur ranges from IWC are just so bland looking to me. The aquatimer used to have some lovely jazzy colour variations, now it’s just available in black and this sober blue.

[@ronniep9272]

Have a look in person, it looks very nice.

[@BlakeLewis-q4m]

Jessyca Stravenue

[@JonathanHousand-w6v]

Champlin Lights

[@jeromef.5489]

No HEV, it’s what IWC calls their dive safe system.

[@seayak]

I could see diddly squat when you moved this unique internal bezel, and I was interested in seeing how it worked - if it moves in both directions but only indexes one way, it sounds like it works like a ractchet wrench, which I could see being quite useful. Why not show this in a closeup shot? As it stands, this 'demonstration" was completely uninformative.

[@ShannonHarley-r6r]

Eleonore Shoal

[@DerekJohnson-w2f]

Lowe Summit

[@ElizabethWilson-u9k]

4845 Brekke Unions

[@ABCTEST213]

IWC make diving watches, but they stop updating that series for years.....

[@diegom.8773]

Just nice, i prefer your Omega as a dice watch

[@chriskim7123]

Best flop ever. Citizen or CasioOceanus would make better diver 😂

[@ronniep9272]

Have a look at this watch in person. It looks far more luxurious than any Seamaster, Black Bay or even Submariner. The finish is immaculate.

[@DavyPigou-e3b]

Murazik Divide

[@peterward2845]

Put the cookie down!

[@ChisholmHunterOfficial]

I can't! 😂😭

[@subzero9460]

Very average looking watch which is too big for most medium wrists, powered by a very average 42 hour power reserve. Given the competition I can’t see the point of this release?!

[@ronniep9272]

It has a 120 hour power reserve. Have a look at the watch in person. Its very beautiful.

[@conor2439]

120 hr reserve. It's a man's watch, hence the 42mm case size.

[@richardgordon1031]

What a bizarre video.

[@nikolastojadinovic2534]

I understand the marketing, commercial's but don't talk with your mouth full.

[@subzero9460]

Harrison why are you always zipping your jacket up? What’s that all about?

[@ChisholmHunterOfficial]

Because it puts the watch in a good lifestyle situation for you guys to see.

[@MrZcotty]

that thing is hideous. that gear driven nonsense on the left side should be long gone..

[@TerrellGist-u3y]

Lang Junction

[@hvarcz]

Iwc make divers for years

[@emmanuelcastro4869]

🥱

[@gackerman99]

bummer that it looks so stupid