IWC PD 3700 or 3702?

@all...

I started to sort my IWC watches and have some questions, but first I do seek for some answers concerning this one:

in front of me is this very nice IWC PD watch, with the "Titan" plus the "Porsche Design" engravement at the bracelet.

It comes with the original black round box, red inside, and unfortunately no papers.

As I understand, it has the 2nd execution of the braclet. The clasp had the "PD" engraved. There is no additional engraving at the back of the case, only the serial nr..227xxx and A-24x.

In some threads I have read, that the A-xxx should mark a limited run. Are there reliable infos available or can anyone decipher these numbers?

Thank you in advance

with best regards

haul

Sorry to respond so late to the question. Traffic here is slow, and I rarely check anymore!

Considering the wealth of knowledge here, I'm surprised no one has responded. Then again, the Porsche Design watches are loved by few, and considered something of a "black sheep" in the family.

There is not much in the way of reference material for searching Porsche Design Titan watches, so I offer a response based on what little I have read combined with what I have (or have not) observed in the wild. If I'm mistaken, I am usually corrected by members who prefer to "correct" the info rather than offer it in the first place.

The case back carries the serial number, and will fit cases for the 3700/3702/3704. I believe the serial number for the 3700 started with 2278100. I have a couple in the range, and both have the A-XXX (023 and 198). The A-XXX was stamped on the case back by Tourneau in New York City, NY, as a commemoration of the first 500 Titan models sold. But since this was not done by/at IWC, the order of sales 001 to 500 do not relate to the sequence of the IWC serial numbers.

Now the part I can't explain from experience: the first 3700 models had unique components that were upgraded over the years during their time on the market (1981 to 1997). The second link on the 6 o'clock side that is engraved PORSCHE DESIGN only appeared on the first (1981) models until IWC included PORSCHE DESIGN on the dial of the second version in 1982. As far as I know, the link with PORSCHE DESIGN engraved on it are only the Gen 1 bracelet link-type with a single pin holding it to its neighboring link (or to the TITAN link in this situation).

If you have a PORSCHE DESIGN bracelet link with the Gen 2 bracelet (two pins), I would be surprised and frustrated. I say frustrated because IWC either didn't track details of production, or isn't interested in sharing the details. As for the PD clasp, I have seen these in Gen 1/single pin configuration as well as Gens 2 and 3.

Further complicating the issue is that the earliest 3700 cases were connected to the earliest bracelets through the TITAN link, which had to be separated from the PORSCHE DESIGN link to reveal access holes for pushing back the pins securing the link to the case. Is your TITAN link welded (two spot welds) to the PORSCHE DESIGN link, or are they two, separable links? I expect they are separable only because I have never seen the PORSCHE DESIGN link welded to the TITAN link in the updated configuration. But I have seen very few PORSCHE DESIGN links over the years.

Hopefully this information is helpful if not timely. Since I have responded to this thread, I expect the Forum will email me if anyone else responds, or if you have more details or questions.

Still great information here provided. Thanks for the great response. Hopefully the traffic and participation here in the Forum can be revived soon.

thank you @all in advance. My IWC came back from factory service and I decided to let it go, as I am not wearing her often enough. And now the condition is nearby mint/NOS, perfect working condition.

www.early911sregistry.org/forums/showthread.php?170373-FS-1st-hand-IWC-Titan-Chronograph-Ref-IW3702-1-Porsche-Design-from-1982

Looking at the photos in your listing, this is the first I have seen the PORSCHE DESIGN link in this format: it reflects the third version whereby the head link TITAN is spot-welded to the connecting link PORSCHE DESIGN, and then screwed onto the case itself. Sadly for a collector like myself, IWC (or a skilled independent watchmaker) at some point has modified the watch from its original configuration to a more modern (at the time) revision. Only the case back and parts of the movement remain original.

For a prospective buyer, it retains the style of the first cases in which the crown is slightly recessed. I prefer this to the later version where the crown is not recessed. To me, the recessed crown fits better with the sleek design of the case with its integrated pushers. The Gen 2 bracelet with the two-pin link design is an improvement over the earlier single-pin design, but itself was found to be prone to wear and breakage. It also requires a special tool to facilitate removing a link, or extreme patience and care with the "wrong tool" like a pair of thin-bladed micro-screwdrivers (with which I managed to remove a link while breaking a pin!). The Gen 3 with its long pins passing through the side of the link into a collar at the center was the ultimate solution that ended bracelet failures. The original adjustable clasp marked IWC was replaced by the PD-marked clasp which resolved the weakness in the first two designs (but lost the ability of the first design to perform micro-adjustments while on the wrist).

The original dial, which made no mention of Porsche Design, was replaced by the third version known to collectors as the "full signature dial" because it featured the most writing of all the dial versions. (This is my second-favorite dial after the original). The black-on-white date disk was revised to the more appealing and matching white-on-black disk.

The leather PD case is also the first of its kind I have observed. I don't know if this was due to different markets, or if the case was originally intended for a Porsche Design model other than the 3700/3702/3704 Titan automatic chronographs? The very first were burgundy colored on the outside, and had black interiors. Subsequent cases I have observed were black on the outside and inside.

All-in-all, an interesting example that retains the certain evidence of its early build with the caseback early serial number and A-XXX stamped above it. Best of luck with transferring it to the next lucky owner!

Thank you for this very excellent reply, the really thoroughly analyses, thus makes me getting even more curious. I will reach out for the factory again, in order to get an exact date of production.

I will come back as soon as I have more infos.

again, thank you

Thanks for the great response