This is the upcoming major trend in watches (and I've already had a chance to try it on).

      Six weeks ago, I met with Franziska Gsell, the Chief Marketing Officer of IWC Schaffhausen, a Swiss watch brand that operates under the Richemont group (which includes Cartier, Panerai, Piaget, Jaeger-LeCoultre, and Vacheron Constantin), in a bright showroom on the second floor of 10 Corso Como, one of Milan's top shopping spots. Along with watch enthusiasts from around the globe, I was there to preview IWC's 2025 collection, getting an early look at what had just been revealed at Watches and Wonders in Geneva. Unlike most attendees, I don't have a background in watches. I can't recite the specifics of a timepiece, and the world of luxury watches, including the purchasing process, feels just as daunting to me as it does for any newcomer. However, I do understand which watches I like—and Gsell's colleague, IWC's CEO Christoph Grainger-Herr, had just introduced a model that caught my eye: the 35 Automatic Ingenieur.

      A year and a half ago, during an IWC event for the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix, I was generously lent the Ingenieur in its smallest (and only) size at the time, a 40 mm model, which struck me with its sharp elegance and a design that felt both modern and timeless. I wore it daily for a week and found that this men’s watch fit seamlessly into my wardrobe, pairing easily with everything from slip dresses to velvet. Before that trip, much like many women, I had primarily considered investing in smaller, simpler designs—watches that resembled jewelry rather than functional devices meant for utility and impressive aesthetics. I own two luxury watches: one that is rectangular measuring 33.7 mm by 25.5 mm, and another, even smaller, round watch with a 26 mm case. It wasn't until I wore a larger, more robust watch that I realized the advantages it offered, both stylishly and practically. My only reservation was that I needed the Ingenieur to be slightly more compact to suit my wrist size, a preference that, as Gsell noted, is shared by many of IWC's customers.

      Today, IWC addressed that need by introducing a 35 mm Ingenieur at Watches and Wonders, aimed at shoppers who want the features of the Ingenieur Automatic 40—its sleek and sporty aesthetics, elite craftsmanship, water resistance, and versatility—only in a more petite version, creating a comfortable piece for those with smaller wrists. This watch isn't classified as specifically for women or men; it's simply a solution for those who appreciate the Ingenieur. "Who am I to tell someone which size they should choose?" Gsell asks. "However, offering a size for slimmer wrists that fits ergonomically was genuinely what we were lacking in this collection,” she explains.

      Even though the Ingenieur (like all IWC watches) is unisex, Gsell and her team must remain attentive to the increasing interest in the women's market. "Women are showing a real curiosity about mechanical movements and complications," she shares with me. She believes mechanical watches can be conversation starters, and that women wanting one often seek knowledge of the engineering behind them. "A watch is your companion," she states. "It symbolizes a story about you and is typically linked to a milestone you celebrate." It's more than just another accessory; unlike smartwatches, a mechanical watch serves as a heirloom. "It truly holds emotional value," Gsell affirms. "The mechanical watch showcases beauty and craftsmanship." Women are careful consumers, and when considering a significant purchase like a luxury mechanical timepiece, they aim to understand its complexities and take proper care of it, ensuring it can be handed down for generations.

      If IWC needed confirmation that the challenging process of downsizing the Ingenieur from a 40 mm to a 35 mm was worthwhile, I was it. After discussing the brand's decision with Gsell, I quickly headed to a testing room where the new model awaited my try-on and photographs. I first picked up the steel version with a white/silver dial, slipping it onto my wrist and instantly recognizing how much better the 35 mm fit compared to the larger model (which I had already admired in 2023). It retains all the elegance and sophistication of the original Ingenieur Automatic 40 but looks more balanced on smaller wrists like mine. I particularly noted how the new size allowed the Ingenieur to genuinely reflect its understated essence. "It's not a watch you should be able to see across the table," Grainger-Herr mentioned about the Ingenieur earlier that day. "It's not a watch that shouts." For me, the 35 mm presented a more natural appearance, a characteristic rooted in the Ingenieur's design by Swiss designer Gérald Genta in the 1970s.

      Having styled the Ingenieur several times in the past, I was confident in putting together an