http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/221353179626?clk_rvr_id=573111212258Purchases made through these links may earn this site a commission from the eBay Partner Network
Any issues? I know it's a Hungarian seller, but feedback looks okay. Case and movement numbers seem to gel. May go for a lot of $$ ?

 

Case looks sweet to me, there are some scratches under the lugs but this could be proof it has never been polished

 

It looks OK to my inexperienced IWC eye but may get costly.

This one is much better

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/221353218880Purchases made through these links may earn this site a commission from the eBay Partner Network

 

First, it's NOT a new old stock (NOS) watch. The case has been lightly restored by somebody who certainly knew what they were doing though so it's only a minor knock IMO. The scratches under the lugs are probably from strap changes. I hate the grossly misused term NOS - it's almost as over used as RARE on eBay, and this seller does use both words in his description, albeit "rare in this condition" and "almost NOS" so he doesn't deserve my full scorn.

Second, the font of AUTOMATIC looks a bit off to me so it might be a high quality redial. There also seem to be quite a few redialers who have a good die for International Watch Co SCHAFFHAUSEN. Color me skeptical. I'd have to see it in person with a loupe to be sure.

A few of us have bought some really nice watches from Hungary but you are correct to be a tad wary. And with 5+ days left it's going for a tidy sum already. A very nice 18ct IWC automatic from the 60's recently sold for almost $2300.

 

Do all the accessories come as pictured?

 

So you're another one who just leaps in without reading the description!



I bet you never even read the instructions for your snow monster

 

Thanks gator. Shipping is average to get it to Australia really. Usually about that. We do have to pay 11% GST on top, however. And thanks for finding the pictorial reference.

 

Thanks Dennis. I'm not concerned about what the seller calls the condition of the watch - the pictures tell the story, if they're any good, of course. There is a return period mentioned, which is great, but I'm not sure whether I could actually tell if it was an excellent redial - perhaps my watchmaker could, I'm not sure. Did you think that $2300 for the 60's 18k auto was cheap or expensive?

 

Shipping is indeed steep... or a better description is excessive! I got one IWC also from Hungry too, but believe shipping charges were ~$35 (that's USD)

 

Dennis, all things being equal, how does a caliber 853 like the one in the OP, would compare in price to a caliber 89?

 

Hi Alam. My experience from following IWC's for only a couple of months now, is that "everything being equal", the automatics are more expensive, particularly the cal 852's upwards.

 

Very observant and exactly correct. Condition, caliber type (i.e.: chronometer) and case metal (yellow gold being less sought after than pink gold or white gold) being the same, an automatic almost always fetches more than a manual wind. While the caliber 89 is a fine movement and rightfully deserves the title of "The Working Man's Patek", the Pellaton winding system in IWC's automatic calibers is much more historic and influential.