1940s IWC - is this redial?

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OllieOnTheRocks

·Oct 20, 2021

Hey guys I was going to bid on this watch I really liked the look of and then it dawned on me this could be a redial.

I have only owned one IWC in the past so I am not so versed in their models etc, but really enjoyed the overall aesthetic of this piece.

Initially I noticed the printing all seemed a little sloppy, particularly the minute track and then - it's missing Schaffenhausen under IWC. It's clearly relume - but I was hoping to pick it up cheap and relume it once more (but better).

Were there ever models without Schaffenhausen on the dial?

It appears to be a cal 61, and I found only one other similar example, marketed with Tiffany on the dial (see below).

I dated this one to 1942 from the serial but cannot see any other similar radium dials online.

Here are some pics:

Thanks for the help.

Ollie

Edited: Oct 20, 2021

 

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JamesTYO

·Oct 21, 2021

Not really the era I know particularly well, but I've personally not seen an IWC without Schaffenhausen, apart from the WWW..

 

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size11s

·Oct 21, 2021

I have seen IWC's without schaffenhausen before, not often, but I have seen a couple. If I remember one was on a cal 83.

 

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gatorcpa

·Oct 21, 2021·ΩF InvestiGator

You might want to post a query here:

https://forum.iwc.com/c/vintage-timepieces/6/

It’s a factory sponsored site, so you could get an answer from an IWC archivist.
gatorcpa

 

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OllieOnTheRocks

·Oct 21, 2021

gatorcpa

You might want to post a query here:

https://forum.iwc.com/c/vintage-timepieces/6/

It’s a factory sponsored site, so you could get an answer from an IWC archivist.
gatorcpa

Thank you for the advice! Will check it out 😀

 

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size11s

·Oct 21, 2021

This isn't my watch but is a 1950's dial on a cal 85.

And another from t'internet...

 

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OllieOnTheRocks

·Oct 21, 2021

size11s

This isn't my watch but is a 1950's dial on a cal 85.

And another from t'internet...

Thank you for those images, are they indeed original examples then? Or perhaps they are redials too. The top one looks suspicious with the "automatic" font.

I will await an answer on the IWC forum and see if I have any luck there 😀

Thanks for your help.

 

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size11s

·Oct 22, 2021

I am certainly no expert but they have a feel/look of 'originality' to me, the IWC script looks good. What looks suspicious about the auto one to your eye? It will be interesting to see what the IWC forum think.

Edited: Oct 22, 2021

 

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OllieOnTheRocks

·Oct 22, 2021

size11s

I am certainly no expert but they have a feel/look of 'originality' to me, the IWC script looks good. What looks suspicious about the auto one to your eye? It will be interesting to see what the IWC forum think.

Yes the actual IWC part looks fine to me but the "automatic" wording seems off. Not central, justified left slightly of the centre. I'll update you if someone responds over there 😀

 

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size11s

·Oct 22, 2021

Me again....if you look through the catalogues on Greg Steer's fabulous site you will see several dials without Schaffhausen under the IWC
http://www.gregsteer.net/IWC/Catalogues_1940s_onward/Catalogues_1940's_onward.html

 

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OllieOnTheRocks

·Oct 22, 2021

size11s

Me again....if you look through the catalogues on Greg Steer's fabulous site you will see several dials without Schaffhausen under the IWC
http://www.gregsteer.net/IWC/Catalogues_1940s_onward/Catalogues_1940's_onward.html

oh now that is exciting. So there it is possible that this is indeed an original dial then. I think it's still open to debate, but here's one from the catalogue you sent.

 

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size11s

·Oct 22, 2021

Agreed it will be interesting what the IWC forum thinks but it looks good to my eye. I agree with a more sympathetic lume it will be a nice watch, albeit quite small.

I think the automatic looking off centre is an angle of pic issue, the M looks to be directly above and centred on the 6, which is correct I believe. Good luck if you go for it.

 

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JamesTYO

·Oct 25, 2021

Found this one on sale here in Japan, cal 88. Think this looks quite nice...

Nice looking crown too.

Edited: Oct 25, 2021