Vintage IWC: What's up with this caseback?

Posts

2,927

Likes

6,239

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

 

This website may earn commission from Ebay sales.

Posts

21,792

Likes

49,448

Dan S

·Feb 1, 2021

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

 

Posts

2,927

Likes

6,239

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.

 

Posts

21,792

Likes

49,448

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. 😁

 

Posts

2,927

Likes

6,239

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.

 

Posts

21,792

Likes

49,448

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.

 

Posts

2,927

Likes

6,239

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.

 

Posts

21,792

Likes

49,448

Dan S

·Feb 1, 2021

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

 

Posts

21,792

Likes

49,448

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.

 

Posts

2,927

Likes

6,239

Modest_Proposal

·Feb 1, 2021

Here is a slightly higher quality image:

 

Posts

115

Likes

142

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.

 

Posts

3,690

Likes

6,265

Vercingetorix

·Feb 1, 2021·Spam Risk

Some idiot thought it was a screw back case.👎

 

Posts

4,013

Likes

9,009

redpcar

·Feb 1, 2021

Sold for 2.5K. That's all of it ☕

 

Posts

3,690

Likes

6,265

Vercingetorix

·Feb 1, 2021·Spam Risk

 

Posts

21,792

Likes

49,448

Dan S

·Feb 1, 2021

redpcar

Sold for 2.5K. That's all of it ☕

What makes you think it sold?

 

Posts

4,013

Likes

9,009

redpcar

·Feb 1, 2021

Vercingetorix

Snap back case. That would be interesting.

 

Posts

4,013

Likes

9,009

redpcar

·Feb 1, 2021

 

Posts

21,792

Likes

49,448

Dan S

·Feb 1, 2021

redpcar

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

 

Posts

4,964

Likes

18,427

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)