E-mails I've received about IWC vintage watches

From time to time, I receive interesting unsolicited E-mails about IWC. Mostly they are from individuals who have “discovered” an old IWC watch and probably did a little searching on the Internet for information about it. Assuming the post is non-commercial, I usually try to direct the enquiry to this forum. Interestingly, that seldom works and it’s usually the last I hear of the enquirer.

I thought I’d relay a few of the more interesting E-mail enquiries I’ve received about vintage IWC watches since the first of this year. They first was from a person in Iceland, who inherited his grandfather’s IWC pocket watch. It was an ordinary Calibre 57 and he asked about case repairs.

[](www.iwcforum.com/)

The second was from a collector in Taiwan, who was thinking about buying a Jones. I’m not sure why he thought in the individual tutoring business, but I sent him a form reply suggesting he visit the forum That was the last I heard from him. Still, it looked like a very nice watch:

[](www.iwcforum.com/)

And then the other day someone from Germany wrote me, with a simple question “what do you think this watch would be worth to a collector?” It was a very fuzzy photo but a very interesting watch to most collectors. He had figured out what it was.

[](www.iwcforum.com/)

Personally the last one to me is not the best example of its genre (those Louis XVI hands!) and it is very expensive –but that’s why different watches sell to different people. And it was a very interesting enquiry. By the way, there’s no need to write me –it’s not now for sale. ;)

Regards,
Michael

Great stories Michael, thanks for sharing! nt

This last one, is for sale for so long time at....

a respectible dealer in the Benelux, which I visited few times.

They call it the "missing link", which once was explained to me, but I forgot or did not fully understand. What I remember is that it is indeed an original Portugieser, but what about the hands? the case? and its material. Is it platinum or steel? And may this also influence the price?

Actually, what I would like to better understand is the fact it is named the "missing link" which seems to be accepted in a broader collector's world.

Has it to do with the switch from pocket to wrist watch ?

I believe to know there are listening forumers who know all about it.
Thanks for your reply.

Ciao, Rob.

About the "missing link" nomenclature

I personally think that the “missing link” is a glorified self-marketing term promoted by a few collectors and now dealers. It is not quite correct, it is not official and it is not a special term.

The original Portuguese wristwatch (ref. 325) production occurred every few years, generally in small numbers, starting in 1939. That more-or-less production stopped in 1958.

IWC then tried twice to resurrect the model. It produced another round of Ref. 325, watches, totalling 88 examples, between 1968 and 1981. All had cal. 98s, and most were made between 1979 and 1981. These subsequent attempts at reintroducing the model generally did not meet with much success. Most went to the German market. I personally believe that the later ones were an attempt to unload some pocket watch movements in inventory.

I believe most of these later Portuguese were steel, although I tend to recall seeing some in gold. Several had these Louis XVI hands; I believe I’ve seen some that did not but I’m not sure.

Because these watches were a “transition”, at least in the sense of time, between the “original original” Portugiesers and the Jubilee, they have been called by some the missing link. I personally don’t consider them “missing” nor do I consider them true “links”. But I do consider them true Ref. 325 Portuguese wristwatches by IWC.

Regards,
Michael

An addition

Yes there are some with Louis XV hands but there were also some with those "Lancette" hands like my "missing link".
Well I see it like Michael do. The name also refers to that "mystery" about the last batch of Original Ports.:
[i]After selling the last batch (around 1981) some years later another demand came and so they went to the "Apotheke" (store room) in Schaffhausen to search for the last 70 (or so) parts to build a new batch.
But those parts disappeared and nobody knows where they are.
So the batch of 1981 was the last one.
PS: here a scan of my "missing link" with LANCETTE-hands

Meaning of "lancette"

I think at some stage there must have been a problem, something lost in translation. "Lancette" in italian means just "hands". "Leaf hands" or "Feuille hands" as they are, in italian would be "Lancette a foglia". Somebody must have shortened this to "lancette" which in itself is non descriptive.
Ciao
Franco

Very interesting thread.

I agree. This is the type of thread that

makes this site much more interesting than some where the discussion is mainly "what are you wearing" or "where do I find a strap". Obvioulsy those discussions are fun here, too, but the depth of this site is just terrific.

About the "missing link" nomenclature

frankly speaking I never heard about this "serie"in gold but it would be very important to know if somebody can be sure of the opposite.

Absolutely.

I like the threads where people post lots of pictures. I also find it interesting to note the geographical location of all these watches. But agree that what really makes this interesting is when you have a post like this where I can learn things about my favorite watch!

The knowledge at this forum is astonishing!

Meaning of "lancette"

So hands are called lancette in Italian? Amazing, I always thought that lancette was referring to the shape of the hands, knife-like. Still, it makes sence, both the english hands, the german Zeiger, and the italian lancette, the last one because you can imagine these "things" looking like swords or so.

Kind regards,
Paul, wearing Saint Exupéry Chrono, where the hands really look more like knives than like hands

I agree too; thanks guys!

This is where I come to learn. nt

I hope someone else has a copy of Kahlert, et al.

who show 74 different hand designs (pages 482-483) - Louis XV versus Louis XVI among others.

To my eye and this menu, which i think is dated, I think these hands better match "hirondelles revide'es," if you can swallow that. "Hirondelle" is the French word for a swallow. I don't know what "revide'e" means.

I'm curious what someone else's eyes might match.

Leaf hands?

The images above are from IWC Fournitures No. 7 and I would have described yours as No. 33 - Leaf hands.

More examples can be found in the archives on the link below, with some from an earlier Fournitures posted MF and examples from Jobin (reproduced in Kahlert, Muhe and Brunner) posted by the cellar.

Cheers from the cellar

IWC watches - Variety of Hands

Leaf hands?

I believe Greg is right . The English nomenclature, used by IWC is "leaf" hands. I read somewhere that the term "leaf" was directing to the leaf of the olive tree.
By the way, the surgical knives, used about a century ago where called "lancet" The blade of a "lancet" has exactly the same shape.
Regards,
Adrian.

An article about this watch

A German forumner Marco Schoenenberger (also the creator of the important "DATE YOUR IWC-program) wrote this article.
He also did not see any cases in gold nor do I.

The missing link

And another one who agrees!

On one hand it must be frustrating not to hear anything back (not even a thank you). On the other hand it also is exciting.
Thanks for sharing, Michael.

An article about this watch

thank you Hans, this confirm my knowledges, and avoid to make confusion again....