Very recently a thread was started on the topic of vintage IWC quality vs. Omega Seamasters. It became popular, with the consensus (correctly, in my view) arriving at the conclusion that in some respects, IWC did produce higher quality watches. You can read it here: https://omegaforums.net/threads/do-...mp-no-pun-intended-vintage-seamasters.116655/ Having taken part in the thread, I remembered that I have a very nice and uncommon Yacht Club that hasn't been getting nearly enough wrist time, so I decided that it's time to let someone else enjoy it. IWC was my first vintage love, many moons ago, and I have owned more than a few Ingenieur and Yacht Club models. The Yacht Club, first introduced in the mid/late-'60s, was an extremely successful model line for IWC, and it continues to this day. These were really high quality sports models that featured a number of characteristics that set them apart from the (then growing) crowd, including cutting-edge shock protection, and the same "pressurized" crown assembly as were used in the (now extremely expensive) early Aquatimers. The excellent quality cases employed are 36mm, excluding the crown. The iconic "fish" crown, of course, denoted water resistance. I bought this watch several years ago at a watch fair in Zurich. It was represented as having been owned by a watchmaker, and in any case was clearly a watch that was worn, not kept in a drawer. I would say that it is in good to very good condition throughout. There are plenty of signs of regular use, but they are mostly obvious under magnification, and not off-putting, to me eye. I was attracted to it because of the dial variation, and because it is a "wearer", rather than one that should be preserved like a delicate flower. One of the most special aspects of the early Yacht Clubs were the superb dials. There were two types used, the "sunburst" style, and vertical brushed. This one features the latter. Both styles were finished in such a way that the darker versions, blue and grey, often change dramatically depending on the lighting and viewing angle. These grey dials can appear a light blue/grey, to almost black. Once you have worn a watch with one of these dials, you will appreciate just how pleasurable it is to see such mercurial changes, as it not only pleases the eye, but almost seems as if one is wearing different watches without ever having to actually make a change! This particular variation is doubly uncommon, as it is a non-date version. The early Yacht Clubs were overwhelmingly produced with date functions. IWC is tight-lipped about production numbers, but I would estimate that no more than 5% of the models produced were non-date. A non-date grey dial version, such as this one, is even more difficult to find, as they represented a small subset of the total non-date production. The dial is patinated to some degree, and does have a couple of fine scratches, one horizontal, and one vertical, which are easily seen in the photos below. Note that the long vertical one to the right which is visible in the first photo is NOT on the dial, but rather the crystal. The two dial scratches can be seen clearly at some viewing angles, but almost disappear at others. The hands are in very good condition, and the original Tritium is intact, as it is on dial. The steel case shows various small nicks and scratches accumulated over time, and I do not believe that it has been polished. It is attached to a desirable IWC Gay Freres "flat link" beads-of-rice bracelet, from 1968. It is in good condition, with some, but not a great deal of stretch. Note that this example has an uncommon, earlier IWC insignia, more associated with models from the late '50s and early '60s. If the buyer prefers, I can switch it with a more common style associated with the late '60s Yacht Clubs, but bear in mind that on the open market, these bracelets have real value (~$400 and up), and one with this clasp is far less common, and may well bring more were one to choose to sell it separately. The IWC cal. 854 was one of the very best automatic calibers produced by any manufacturer during the '60s and '70s. It featured the iconic "Pellaton" winding system, developed by Albert Pellaton, then technical director at IWC, and patented in 1946. To underscore how outstanding it was, IWC still employs an updated version of it today! Here are some insights into the system from the IWC website: GRAVITY FORCES THE ROTOR TO MOVE DOWNWARD It is all made possible by gravity and inertia. The centrally bearing-mounted rotor is a semicircular segment made of brass, whose outer edge consists of a heavy metal such as tungsten. In view of the positional error, gravity continuously forces the rotor to move downwards. Even the slightest change in its horizontal position causes it to turn. And then there is inertia: If the watch case is accelerated at a certain angle, the rotor initially remains motionless but then generates even greater torque at the centre. The torque transmitted to the barrel via a reducing gear, where it winds the mainspring. The mechanism is particularly efficient when the wearer’s arm moves relative to his body when walking. At IWC, the automatic system is inseparably linked with Albert Pellaton. The scion of a watchmaking family from Le Locle, he was appointed Technical Director to the Schaffhausen-based company in 1944 and made the development of an efficient automatic winding system his top priority. “From a design point of view, the difficulty lay in converting the rotor’s bidirectional movements into a unidirectional winding motion that would put the mainspring under tension,” says Gäumann, describing the initial situation. Most systems back then either diverted the rotor’s movements to a complicated transmission or used only rotations in only one direction to wind the movement. The resulting power and energy losses were considerable. THE PAWL-WINDING SYSTEM MAKES USE OF EVERY SINGLE MOVEMENT Pellaton hit upon a surprising solution: instead of putting a ball bearing or cog at the centre of the rotor, he used a heart-shaped, eccentrically bearing-mounted disc. The latter converts the rotor’s revolutions into the to-and-fro movements of a rocking bar. The bar’s rocking movements are then transmitted to the winding wheel by two pawls: while one of them pulls the wheel (i.e. winds it), the other glides smoothly over the top of it until the roles are reversed. The mechanism patented in 1950 is unusually efficient. “The rotor’s smallest movement in either direction is used to wind the mainspring,” explains Gäumann. And here is a good description from a 1980s IWC catalogue, with useful diagrams: http://www.gregsteer.net/IWC/Cal_85/IWC8541.html Unfortunately the case back is too tight for me to open in order to take movement photos, but I guarantee that it is in very good or better condition, and fully correct. If the buyer would like me to take it to my watchmaker and send some images, I can do that. These movement were very nicely finished, and an online search will yield plenty of examples. The watch is working well, and was purported to have been serviced by the previous owner about five years ago. I would, however, recommend a service for regular use. While there are plenty of Yacht Clubs for sale at any given time, I stress again that non-dates, and particularly with grey dials, are not easy to find. A quick check of Chrono24 shows a grand total of one grey dial – with date ($2000 asking price), and three non-date models with silver/white dials, one of which I believe to be a redial ($2400), and one with an asking price of $3100. I will let mine go for $1500 (or EURO equivalent), including EMS express delivery from my home in Portugal. PayPal or bank transfer. Feel free to ask any questions!
Oh baby that's a nice one and great price! If only I didn't have a $2500 a day heroin habit I would have jumped on it
Thank goodness for that. I've spent the last three hours rehearsing a very difficult conversation (as they say in HR) with my other half, and juggling my acquisitions budget in my head, without success. You hit me right in the wheelhouse, but I'll be better soon!
Thank you for your kind words! I'm almost never satisfied with my photos, though, and would have paired the collection down much further if that part of the process weren't so time consuming.
Hear hear! Whenever Tony puts up a FS, I know three things are going to happen: I’m going to be tempted! I’m going to drool over the photos. And I’m going to learn something.
