Community Stories

Getting all fancy with my IWC

Walrus
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Yes I’m living large with my IWC. This movement and dial cost me the incredibly high sum of 15 bucks. The dude at the antique shop melted the gold case and tossed the movement aside. He got 325 usd for the gold case. As you can see the dial is in decent condition and was near mint prior to him taking it out of the case and me bringing it back and forth to the watch maker.

Anyway big shout out to @redpcar whom, offered to assist and with me showing him pics of the dial and movement with measurements from a caliper brother @redpcar was able to send me one single case that made this happen. I literally brought six to my watchmaker prior but it’s well known I’m smooth brained and eat crayons so little surprise I didn’t get it right.

So my main goal was to save the 1966 IWC caliber 401 and with a fresh service and the amazing assistance redpcar man I have done that. I really like IWC and think people who wear IWC are cool and now I am one of them. I’m probably gonna start looking down upon a lot of you. No but seriously I think it came out nice and I’m really glad I was able to save this watch. It actually was one of the more expensive services I’ve had but since I only paid 15 bucks for the movement and dial it was worth every penny to save this little piece of history. A few pics to show the fine case redpcar picked out, don’t mind the cheap strap I just needed something so I could wear it.
image.jpg image.jpg image.jpg image.jpg image.jpg
 
TimeODanaos
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Walrus Walrus
I really like IWC and think people who wear IWC are cool
You are not wrong, Mr Walrus, and you just made IWC another bit cooler. Congratulations, good job! 👍
 
Syzygy
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What on earth was antique shop dude thinking? Would he not have netted more than $340 had he just sold the watch in tact? Even if the case was beat to hell and back?
 
Walrus
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redpcar redpcar
I should have sent a decent strap with that case 😗
😉
Ha ha least of my worries I have a top of the line 18 dollar Hadley Roma for now just need to figure out what will look best. I am so far behind in getting decent straps right now I don’t let it bother me I’ll get it all together eventually.
 
ahsposo
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Nice save! The watch looks great.
 
Walrus
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Syzygy Syzygy
What on earth was antique shop dude thinking? Would he not have netted more than $340 had he just sold the watch in tact? Even if the case was beat to hell and back?
Ya that’s the sad part had I been a day or whatever earlier I could have got the watch for gold value as that’s all he wanted. Don’t these people do five minutes of research to see what they have? I really don’t get it.
 
Syzygy
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Walrus Walrus
Ya that’s the sad part had I been a day or whatever earlier I could have got the watch for gold value as that’s all he wanted. Don’t these people do five minutes of research to see what they have? I really don’t get it.
Might be a good place to visit more often, or tell him 'hey, I kinda like these old watches...makes me feel nostalgic...call me next time you get something, if I like it, I'd be fine giving gold value to maybe save a little piece of history'

Who knows, might work out!
 
Walrus
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Syzygy Syzygy
Might be a good place to visit more often, or tell him 'hey, I kinda like these old watches...makes me feel nostalgic...call me next time you get something, if I like it, I'd be fine giving gold value to maybe save a little piece of history'

Who knows, might work out!
SOB has my phone number he’s just too focused on the quick buck I guess.
 
Jones in LA
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Wow, it's a spectacular watch with an amazing story behind it! I wish you many, many years of healthy and happy wearing 😀
 
kev1976t
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Whilst that does indeed look great, i do feel sad about what happened to it's case
 
Walrus
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kev1976t kev1976t
Whilst that does indeed look great, i do feel sad about what happened to it's case
Oh I’m right there with you I stop by frequently although my schedule has impeded my ability to get there as frequently as I once did but with this IWC I will admit I raised my voice at the owner which was improper on my part I realize but I just told him it was like destroying history and if he wanted gold value I would have met or surpassed it. He hung his head and said “I know man but I got over head and bills really I do best when I get things in and out as quickly as possible.” I apologized as I’m not wearing his shoes and he is just trying to get by like everyone else. We came to a mutual understanding and he said he saw my side as well so it was all good in the end but tbh I still get disappointed thinking about it. I got it going now I’ll focus on that what is done is done.
 
wagudc
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Walrus Walrus
Oh I’m right there with you I stop by frequently although my schedule has impeded my ability to get there as frequently as I once did but with this IWC I will admit I raised my voice at the owner which was improper on my part I realize but I just told him it was like destroying history and if he wanted gold value I would have met or surpassed it. He hung his head and said “I know man but I got over head and bills really I do best when I get things in and out as quickly as possible.” I apologized as I’m not wearing his shoes and he is just trying to get by like everyone else. We came to a mutual understanding and he said he saw my side as well so it was all good in the end but tbh I still get disappointed thinking about it. I got it going now I’ll focus on that what is done is done.

It's a hard time to be a shopkeeper, so you can cut him some slack this time. Nice save though.
 
Walrus
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wagudc wagudc
It's a hard time to be a shopkeeper, so you can cut him some slack this time. Nice save though.
You are absolutely right he made it through covid where so many of these “junk/antique” shops closed. It’s actually quite staggering to see how many went out of business during covid. That’s why I apologized to the guy it was not proper of me to almost lecture him. Who the hell am I. He probably picked it up at a storage locker and that gold probably paid off the unit or went a decent way into keeping his place open for another month. I have been back sense no luck with watches lately but often he will leave things aside for me to look at which is very nice of him. He also seems pretty stressed out as he is always running around doing estate sales etc. trying to make things happen so it was not cool on my part to judge like that but as I said everything is good if time allows tomorrow I’ll stop in bring him a coffee show him I managed to get the watch he sold me together.
 
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