A gentleman's 18K solid gold manual watch from the International Watch Company (IWC), in excellent overall condition. This model dates sixty four years ago to 1955 and houses the cal.89 movement, judged by knowledgeable collectors to be the best manual movement ever manufactured by IWC. The case is large for the period, measuring approximately 36mm across as opposed to the normal 33/34 mm. The dial presents very well and the freshly oiled and adjusted movement is running strongly and keeping time. The watch is fitted with a black vintage strap.
This is a very expensive connoisseur’s watch made by a low volume elite company which has a reputation among aficionados for producing some of the finest quality watches in the world. The movements in these watches are pure works of art and of a quality which is second to none. To those who have only a passing interest in top quality watches, an IWC watch is not immediately obvious as a high end timepiece but at auctions, hammer prices of IWC models often surpass the levels reached by more well known high end makes. IWC watches are truly remarkable and HIGHLY sought after by collectors (who must have at least one) as well people wanting to wear a watch with elegance and understated class. I always keep at least one in my own collection.
Dial: in very good condition, signed “International Watch Co. Schaffhausen Swiss”. The hours are marked by gold coloured batons and Arabic numerals. The hands are in very good shape and the crystal is clean and clear. The dial has been expertly restored to a high standard.
Case: 18 carat solid gold, measuring approximately 36 mm across, excluding the crown and 45 mm from lug to lug. The inside of the rear cover is signed by IWC and includes the famous circular logo containing the words “IWC Probus Scafusia”. It is also hallmarked as 18K solid gold with a Swiss Assay. The case shows the expected signs of careful use over the years, but no signs of abuse, dents or scratches of any significance that I could see to point out to you. There is a presentation engraving on the rear cover, dating to 1965, 10 years after this watch was manufactured so it is reasonable to infer that this watch was to celebrate some kind of 10 year's achievement.
Movement: IWC cal. 89 17 jewel mechanism, freshly oiled and adjusted, winding and setting smoothly, running well and keeping time. The cal 89 is a robust reliable power unit, used in most IWC manual watches manufactured during the 1940's/50's. It is signed “International Watch Co. Swiss” with a serial number dating the watch to 1955.
Strap: fitted with an unused vintage imperial measurement strap, which attached to the watch measures approximately 208 mm from buckle tip to last hole.
