2. On a trip back home to Portugal I spent some time in Lisbon and visited the IWC boutique where I was intrigued by all the beautiful IWC watches especially the Portugieser line.
3. Recently I had the opportunity to purchase a IWC vintage, a watch that I thought was a Portugieser 325 cal.74. After sending it to Schaffhausen to get it authenticated I found out that the watch is more a mystery, they authenticated the movement as caliber 74 from 1920 pocket watch. They didn’t recognize the case which is confusing and disappointing.
Welcome to the Forum, Botas - are you a Formula1 fan?
Unfortunately many gold pocket watch cases have been destroyed over the years due to their melt value. Today we see this happening again as gold hits record highs. You can find movements of vintage pocket watches installed into newer wristwatch cases, and this is likely what you have here. One thing to be careful of, these pocket watch movements typically do not have shock-protection on the balance, as they were not designed to be worn in such an active way.
Thank you for the warm welcome happy to introduce myself 😊
1. Where are you from? I’m from Pakistan.
2. How did you become a collector of IWC watches? What was the key factor? I’ve always appreciated clean, functional design, and that’s what initially drew me to IWC Schaffhausen. The combination of engineering precision and understated aesthetics really stood out compared to many other luxury brands. I also like the strong aviation and technical heritage behind many of their models.
3. Which IWC watch(es) do you have? At the moment, I own one piece a model from the Pilot’s line. I love how versatile it is; it works just as well casually as it does in more formal settings.
4. What is your next IWC or holy grail? My holy grail would probably be a Big Pilot or a Portugieser Chronograph. Both represent what I admire most about IWC clarity, balance, and mechanical integrity.
5. Are you interested in meeting other collectors? Absolutely. I think watch collecting becomes even more meaningful when you can share stories, experiences, and see pieces in person.
6. Profession and hobbies? I work in the digital/content space. Outside of watches, I’m interested in design, technology, and visual creativity. I enjoy analyzing how precision and craftsmanship show up not just in horology, but also in digital tools .
Looking forward to learning more from everyone here and seeing your collections!
Hi everyone, I’m Lius from the UK. Glad to finally join the forum after browsing for quite a while.
I got into IWC because I’ve always liked watches that feel understated but still have strong engineering behind them. A lot of modern watches try too hard visually, while IWC pieces feel balanced and timeless to me.
Right now I own a Pilot’s Watch Mark XVIII, which has probably become my daily wear. The simplicity is what sold me in the first place.
My next IWC would probably be a Portugieser Chronograph. That’s been on my list for years now.
I’d definitely be interested in meeting other collectors someday. Half the fun of collecting is hearing the stories behind people’s watches.
Outside watches, I work in tech and spend a lot of time around fitness and strength training. Funny enough, I enjoy data-driven things in general, whether it’s mechanical watches or even performance scoring systems and calculators used in sports.
2. How did you become a collector of IWC watches ? What was the key factor for you to buy an IWC ? I just liked IWC, I owe many vintage IWC's I love pellaton movement
3. Which IWC watch(es ) you have ? IWC Ingenieur, YachtClub, 1872, r810, Calatrava 89, Pellaton jumbo 36.5 804a 647a, 648a and much more
4. What is your next IWC ? Or your holy grail from IWC ? whatever I like
5. Are you interested to meet other collectors during a collectors meeting ? maybe, why not
This was somewhat amusing, apparently I had created an account approximately 20 years ago when I first became interested in IWC, but now that I have acquired one piece and have another inbound it's time to introduce myself.
1. Where are you from ( country/state ) ? USA/Virginia.
2. How did you become a collector of IWC watches ? What was the key factor for you to buy an IWC ?
Long story, summed up: Career engineer, wanted an Ingenieur as a professional watch. Was always interested in the hybrid history of the founder and brand.
3. Which IWC watch(es ) you have? Mark XX Le Petit Prince 40mm, as of this morning NOS Ref 5300 Pocket watch inbound.
4. What is your next IWC ? Or your holy grail from IWC ? Likely still an Ingenieur, or Portugueser.
5. Are you interested to meet other collectors during a collectors meeting ? If there is a meeting near me.
6. What is your profession and other hobbies ? I am now semi-retired in my late 50s, going back to University full-time to re-invent myself into a new career field.
My name is Luke, I'm new to the forum. I currently live in Georgia, USA. I came to greatly admire IWC's in the mid to late 90s, at the outset of the two and a half decades I lived in NYC. I worked in the same building as Tourneau, on Madison Avenue, and the moment I saw IWC watches I knew I was destined to own one. Alas, I would have to dream for a few years, until, fresh out of grad school, finally able to afford rent, and with a (very) little disposable income, I bought a Portofino 3533-01. A couple years later I bought a Mark XV (photo attached). My brother bought the same vintage in the Spitfire model!
I wore these watches incessantly for 25 years until COVID, work from home, and the ubiquity of the Apple Watch in the workplace consigned them to my safe.
Two months ago that changed. I had them both fully serviced and I'm thrilled to forgo having my steps counted to wear these cherished possessions once again. And I started dreaming again - looking back through the historical catalogue, learning more about the history and the references and the movements. Reading new and old reviews. Even learning about other brands (gasp!). AI has fast tracked a lot of that.
I love the 'luxury tool' aesthetic of the IWCs, especially from the early to mid 2000s. As of late, I have been looking high and low, with very little success, for an Ingenieur 3239-04, which I consider my personal grail. One day, I hope. Wish I had been paying attention when these were in production!
I think the Aquatimer GST 3536-01 might be the finest dive watch ever made. Alas it is too big for my wrist, and, as much I've considered owning one anyway, I believe watches are to be worn and not stored away like Gollum's Precious.
My other hobbies are squash, surfing, chess, and playing guitar (at least faking it). I try to find time for work in between :)
In any case, thanks for allowing me to introduce myself. Looking forward to opening this new door and to joining some of the discussions.
Since every journey into the world of fine watches is distinctly personal, making connections with other IWC collectors is always a rewarding experience. I'm originally from [Your Country/State], and my interest in classic design and fine engineering led me to start collecting IWC. I was particularly drawn to IWC because of their tradition of fine craftsmanship mixed with a contemporary, subtle beauty. The IWC Portugieser Chronograph was the first item I purchased; its simple design and extensive horological background struck a chord with me right away.
