Vintage IWC: What's up with this caseback?

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Modest_Proposal

·Feb 1, 2021

What's up with this caseback? Any ideas?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1940s-IWC-...=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

 

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Dan S

·Feb 1, 2021

Somebody modified the case-back for some reason that is hard to comprehend.

 

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Modest_Proposal

·Feb 1, 2021

Dan S

Somebody modified the case-back for some reason that is hard to comprehend.

I know! I crave to understand the history of this watch.

 

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Dan S

·Feb 1, 2021

Modest_Proposal

I know! I crave to understand the history of this watch.

You can own it, but you can never understand it. 😉

It's an extreme version of all the posts about frankenized Speedmasters with service parts where people speculate about how a given watch came to be in its current state.

But I totally get it. 😁

 

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Modest_Proposal

·Feb 1, 2021

The inner case seems to have an ancient piece of tape/adhesive. Presumably to keep the holes "plugged". At least, I think that's what it is.

 

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Dan S

·Feb 1, 2021

OK, should we make guesses?

It seems that maybe someone added through holes to screw something onto the back. There is a mark on the back suggesting this. Perhaps they wanted to mount the watch on something other than a watch strap.

 

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Modest_Proposal

·Feb 1, 2021

Dan S

OK, should we make guesses?

It seems that maybe someone added through holes to screw something onto the back. There is a mark on the back suggesting this. Perhaps they wanted to mount the watch on something other than a watch strap.

Yes, I agree. It was clearly mounted to something.

 

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Dan S

·Feb 1, 2021

I'm surprised that there is enough clearance inside the back for screw-heads.

 

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Dan S

·Feb 1, 2021

Possibly the holes are tapped, but there seem to be circular marks surround the holes on the inside, as if there were screw-heads or washers. Not sure.

 

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Modest_Proposal

·Feb 1, 2021

Here is a slightly higher quality image:

 

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offrdmania

·Feb 1, 2021

Yup, looks like something was mounted to the case back. Probably in order to mount to something else. Whatever it was, it was there for a long time. It looks like some corrosion had started under whatever was there.

 

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Vercingetorix

·Feb 1, 2021·Spam Risk

Some idiot thought it was a screw back case.👎

 

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redpcar

·Feb 1, 2021

Sold for 2.5K. That's all of it ☕

 

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Vercingetorix

·Feb 1, 2021·Spam Risk

 

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Dan S

·Feb 1, 2021

redpcar

Sold for 2.5K. That's all of it ☕

What makes you think it sold?

 

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redpcar

·Feb 1, 2021

Vercingetorix

Snap back case. That would be interesting.

 

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redpcar

·Feb 1, 2021

 

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Dan S

·Feb 1, 2021

redpcar

Interesting price. Especially given the dial. The back can be repaired.

 

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Shabbaz

·Feb 1, 2021

38mm case. Calibre 83. Introduced in 1935 up to 1947. 69,600 were made. 6,000 were used in the WWW Mark 10 military watches. (Source: OF)