DFB Double Chrono - Anti Magnetic Soft Iron Core

Awaiting delivery of this fine doppel chrono. rubbing hand with glee

Ive tried looking up the service portal and the diagrams for both watches, but i cant find the answer. Would anyone happen to know anything about the anti-magnetic protection for the DFB watch.

The DFB watch is based on the Spitfire Double Chrono (ref 3718 02).

The Spitfire has antimagnetic soft iron core protection
From the IWC technical documents the Spitfire dial is soft iron (silver plated) in nature and this gives the watch protection in the front. The spitfire also has a full soft iron core surrounding the movement and back of case.

Does the DFB have the same iron core antimagnetic protection?
Or has this been removed from the watch as it is predominantly a "Football sports watch"?

The dial on the DFB is different from the Spitfire double chrono also, does this mean that the dial side of the antimagnetic protection is lacking on dial side the DFB double chrono?

would be most grateful if someone chould shed some light before i go near the MRI room.

best regards from Singapore,

JM

DFB Double Chrono - Anti Magnetic Soft Iron Core

Does this link help?

www.iwc.com/collection/popup/popup_frame.asp?l=en&view=4&v=41201

somewhat......

Indblr, thank you for the link.

the graphics makes its clearer. you see the soft iron as a blue color in the link posted. this is the soft iron antimagnetic protection.
looking carefully the side profile of the dial; is also colored blue to indicate soft iron for the dial.

the question remains, since the DFB double chrono does not use the same dial as the Spitfire double chrono...do i still have the antimagnetic protection on the dial face? (assuming that the rest of the DFB has the soft iron core surround and the caseback soft iron shroud)

I'm sure if there's a soft-iron back....

...then the dial is made of a soft-iron material, as well.

I reviewed the Press Kit specifications, which also were published here around the end of May if I call the date. They do say "soft iron inner case for protection against magnetic fields" (emphasis added).

It would make no sense to have a soft-iron back by itself : the only principle is a "Faraday cage" which encircles the entire movement. A back wouldn't provide any real protection.

Regards,
Michael

thank you Michael for the input

is there a PDF press release for the DFB on the forum?
could not find it.

i look fwd to being united with the DFB soon :-)
simply beautiful.

kind regards

JM

PS: joke is, i dont even watch soccer!

You're welcome; here's the Press Release...

Hi Ju Ming,

I think I might have not posted it previously. I believe I did the Zidane and Boesch models, but didn't publish here the full PDF file on the DFB. My apologies.

But all's well that ends well --just click on the link below.

Regards,
Michael

click here

You may not watch soccer, but...

you will be staring all day at your new watch when you get it. Love the dial.

Its a really great watch

I tried one on earlier today.....congratulations.
Andrew

Got an answer from IWC!

Firstly thank you MF for the PDF. extremely helpful. much appreciated.

i got an e-mail from IWC/Richmont this AM and this is what they have to say about my query:

The Spitfire Double-Chrono (IW371802) has been antimagnetic in the past. We
have recently made some modification on the watch and the current Spitfire
(IW 371806) does not have the soft-iron dial any more, but a brass based
dial. I.e. it still adheres to the common industry antimagnetic standards,
but it does not conform with the former excellent IWC anti-magnetic
protection any more.

The DFB watch has the same brass-based dial and offers the same properties
as the new Spitfire Double-Chrono.

Hope this answers your questions.

Thank You.

Got an answer from IWC!

Hello Mr. Wong,
Leaving the faraday cage in-situ and installing a different variant of dial/hand-kit is not unique to this model.....it's all been done before... pre limited edition era.

'Lest We Forget'

the only IWC instance of that...

is the white dial Mark 11, which had a brass dial but a soft-iron inner-back. However, almost all collector-experts, except you, believe those dials were made in the aftermarket and not by IWC, and not used as such by the military. I realize you don't believe that and am not entering into any debate on this subject.

There were, of course, other IWC anti-magnetic watches using other approaches, primarily with different materials for escapements (mostly the cal. 87 Anti-Magnets). But none of those had a "half" Faraday cage and by today's standartds they were nominally antimagnetic).

I wish the Press Release were stated differently

Thank you for your report, which I'll assume is correct (the fact that someone associated with Richemont wrote it to an end-user doesn't always make it so, since there are few true specialists).

I still very much like the watch, and judging it on its own merits, it's a fine watch to own and have, A great design, and I'm not sure what a football-related rattrapante needs to be highly antimagnetic. But I do perceive the Press Release specs as unintentionally incorrect. As you know they state "soft iron inner case for protection against magnetic fields". Without an amagnetic dial there is no encapsulation or case.

Virtually all mechanical watches made today, by all companies, adhere "to the common industry antimagnetic standards".

Regards,
Michael

the only IWC instance of that...

Collectors believe whatever they are told in general, i do hope you supposition that they were not used by the military includes usage on 'Dry Stations' . Irregardless of you taking Mr. Dowlings words with a pinch of salt...personally i'd wager a lot of money on him having procured them way back when from military auctions...simply because people before him did the very same thing.

Some collectors believe IWC Mk X1's are too late to be signed JWC...others believe the Anglage designation on the c.89's refers to the bevelling....each to thier own.

Intresting watch Mr. Wong, thank you for making your post....much appreciated.

It had nothing to do with Mr. Dowling (nt)

It had nothing to do with Mr. Dowling (nt)

If Mr. Dowling is declaring in print that he bought these watches with the silver/white dials already installed then guess what.....he's right in the plot. The German Surplus dealer however is not so 'legged in' by dint of all the non English researchers not being able to supply a name.

Talking about what collectors like to believe....some well known experts actually believe that the British MOD would not have used watches that were non Inca well into the mid-fifties......"Honest to God".

no soft iron....no worries

thank you all for the information presented, very helpful indeed.
in the end it does not matter to me much if the dial was brass or soft iron. i would have bought the watch based on aesthetics and the R Habring split mechanism on the cal 79230 alone.

just an inquisitive guy that like to find out about the fine details in the mechanics. thats the fun part!

kind regards,

JM