Ask your average horological nerd what the most appropriate watch would be to wear to an F1 track, and invariably, the answer would be some kind of chronograph: a Heuer Carrera, perhaps, or maybe a Rolex Cosmograph Daytona. With their integrated stopwatch complication, these pieces were developed to time discrete events such as laps, and the tachymeter tracks around their dials or bezels could be used to calculate speed and distance. (The Speedmaster, in fact, was developed as a racing watch, not as a dedicated Moonwatch.)
Brad Pitt, star of the upcoming 2025 Jerry Bruckheimer-produced film F1, sprung for a timepiece decidedly less on the nose when he made an appearance at the paddock of the F1 Grand Prix of Hungary in Budapest last week. On his wrist was an Ingenieur SL ref. 1832, the luxury sports watch developed in the mid-1970s by none other than famed watch designer Gérald Genta, the man also responsible for the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak and the Patek Philippe Nautilus. (The latter and the Ingenieur SL ref. 1832 were actually released the same year, in 1976.) You’ll notice of course that the “Jumbo,” as the 40mm-wide, 12.5mm-tall watch is known by collectors, is not a chronograph, but rather a time-and-date watch.
While this perhaps makes it less useful for timing laps, its sleek design with integrated H-link bracelet, anti-magnetic movement, and industrial-looking bezel give it a futuristic bent that gels perfectly with the envelope-pushing automotive designs found in Formula 1 racing. After all, in an age where computerized systems linked wirelessly to paddock technicians monitor a driver’s every move, a mechanical chronograph complication seems that much more anachronistic. (Plus, it would seem that Pitt modified his vintage “Jumbo” with a special green dial that was never offered in IWC’s catalog. Cool!)
If you pay attention to the new models and references released each year at Watches & Wonders in Geneva, you’ll no doubt recall that IWC launched the Ingenieur Automatic 40 in early 2023, heralding a return of Genta’s famous design in a slightly upgraded (but largely faithful) package. This modern “Jumbo,” available in three steel references and one in titanium, maintains the original’s 40mm diameter as well as the dial’s unique “grid” structure. The bracelet, with an updated link shape, features multiple finishes, and the automatic IWC cal. 32111 movement offers anti-magnetic properties and an impressive power reserve of 120 hours. Available in titanium with a gray dial, the steel versions feature black or silver-plated dials—plus an incredible aqua-hued option that, dare I say, would be perfect for summertime wear.
So why didn’t Pitt spring for the brand-new, aqua-hued Ingenieur instead of customizing a vintage “Jumbo?” The answer seems decidedly pourquois pas—plus, the results are cool as hell. But Pitt is also a known collector with a love for vintage: He’s been spotted in a to-die-for Patek Philippe ref. 2526; the reissue of Vacheron Constantin’s 222; a rare steel, vintage version of said 222; and a svelte Tank à Guichet, a watch favored by none other than Duke Ellington. Who knows what will be on his wrist when the F1 film hits theaters next year, but if it’s anything as hip—or as unique—as his custom, green-dialed Ingenieur “Jumbo,” we’re already on board.
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