Hi All,

I am using this on a daily basis and quite happy as the watch is very comfortable and seats well on the wrist.

Any particular information on this model?

I have dated around 1970, it comes with an original IWC SS bracelet, that gives the watch a awesome look.

Any comments much appreciated

 

It was a basic model from the era, but given the quality of the 85x caliber, a very good quality watch. The dial and hands are very similar to the higher-end and very popular Yacht Club model from the same period. I like the mesh band, as well.

 

Very nice watch

 

Hi Thanks for feedback.

Was the Ingenieur from the same period?

 

The Ingenieur was introduced in 1954, with the ref. 666. The second generation ref. 866 was introduced in the late '60s, and manufactured into the mid-'70s. Those two are the iconic versions.

 

That’s very nice. Great movement. Classic.

 

A terrific movement that is comparable with the best from Omega or Rolex from that time. I have a Yacht Club as my daily wearer and find it extremely comfortable and the build quality is excellent. There is actually a website and even an app for dating your IWC very accurately http://www.moeb.ch/dyIWC/

You generally find a few posts on IWC in high end watches forum https://omegaforums.net/forums/high-end-watch-brands-forum/

 

Wow, this is a stunning watch the blue dial is more than awesome... i am in love....

I wanted to stop collecting more and more watches but seeing this I just can't

what is the price point for this model?

 

Hi thanks for the feedback.

Very nice watch that you have, that dial is something...

Is the movement similar to mine?

Thanks

 

It depends very much on the condition like most watches and the IWC bracelets can be very expensive, so finding one on a leather strap would probably save you quite a lot. I actually have it on a Milanese bracelet from Meister Singer above, but it has a Gay Frères IWC bracelet shown below that is rather nice and not easy to find.

The blue dial is a bit lighter than it appears in the photos and the shades change across the dial as the light hits from different angles, making it a pleasure to hold in the hand and study how the tones change with the angle of light. The pictures don't come close to doing it justice.




I just had a look on eBay and the cheapest was about £1500 and the most expensive was £3400. Very strangely the gold ones never seem especially popular and cost much the same as stainless steel.

There is generally a premium for the blue dial and there is an excellent article explaining it all here here http://mansfinelife.com/2015/03/09/...t-club-an-avant-garde-answer-to-the-datejust/

 

Mine is the 8541B, which is the same as the 8541, but with the added hacking feature. You can see one here:

All the 85 series are excellent robust movements and the 8541 is basically the last in that line. From an ownership point of view my only criticism is that IWC don't make parts available to independent watchmakers.

They have a very cool date change feature that you can see here:

 

Thanks for all your additional info @Sgt_Bilko

The usual issue with the bracelets... always difficult to find watches in good condition with the fitting bracelet. And if you buy the watch without the bracelet and want to have it then again you need to search for a long time, get correct end links etc.

I really like the Milanese bracelet of @jsflog - a harmonic combination.

I know exactly what you mean. I have an Oyster Perpetual with a blue dial which looks different from all angles and with different types of light... from intense blue to dark blue to almost purple.

[/QUOTE]

Thanks for the article. After reading it seems to fit to my 2 C-Case Constellation and Oyster Perpetual collection

I found this one which looks quite interesting but without a bracelet: https://www.chrono24.de/iwc/yacht-club-automatic-blue-dial-in-good-condition--id5770740.htm

The white indices could look good. And I like that it is without date (often do not set the date anyway - annoying if you change watches every day ).

Another watch on my list thank you for that

Best, Thomas

 

@turbo_muc I agree that bracelet of @jsflog is a nice match for that watch. I actually have a Jpeg shown below with various references for IWC bracelets from 1966, but it could be his is from a later time.



I would say that one of these would make an excellent match for your Oyster and Constellation. My father has a 1959 Oyster Perpetual with a gorgeous bezel and we have a couple Connies from this era. One has the Cal 564 with a stylish recessed crown, but I've had this IWC since last November and only realised the other day that I haven't worn another watch for more than a couple hours since first trying the Yacht Club. There is nothing wrong with the other watches, but somehow this is the one I want to wear and reach for automatically.

 

Hi Thanks for all the relevant information.

In my watch movement is also 8541B with the quickset date mechanism.

By the symbol in the clasp can anyone confirm me if the bracelet was made by Gay Freres or it was another fabricator?

Thanks

 

The 8541B is considered by many as the best automatic movement IWC has ever made. You have a very fine quality watch there.

If the bracelet was from Gay Frères I would expect to see some kind of identification like on the back of mine shown below. You'll note the letters G and F with the design in the middle. Your one also appears to have the letters F and G, but with some other marking that looks like a B. I'm not expert enough to tell you anything more.

 

As an afterthought if you Google the IWC forums and post pictures in their vintage section I imagine somebody will be able to tell you a lot more about your watch. I just ran a date check on your watch using that web link I posted initially and it shows the following information:

The movement is a calibre 8541, dating from the year 1969.
The case was most probably produced around 1970 and delivered up to 1973.

It's two years newer than mine and not at all unusual for the case to be made later than the movement.

 

Thanks for the update.

I also have downloaded the link you send.

I will keep looking in IWC forums so I can now more about this model.

Many thanks