IWC Reading Material - Mixed bag!

Having very recently been attracted to IWC and purchasing the mark XII, I thought I would like to read up to find out more information about the brand.

I purchased a used copy of the IWC 'WATCH' magazine in mint condition (03/2011).
I tried to subscribe online but I was directed to a payment page with German buttons (I tried again making sure I selected the English version but again I was sent to the same German page).
Is this normal?

I cannot express how dissapointed I was with this magazine!
It has 72 pages and only approximately six pages have any reference to IWC watches, the rest of the magazine was random advertising and interviews with mainly unknown people!
If I had wanted a 'style' magazine I would have purchased the well known UK market leader in this field.
The point of this rant is, do all the issues follow this format of 5% IWC watch information and 95% ......blah, blah, blah?
I understand there are 4 issues per year so surely each issue could focus on a particular range, include questions & answers, exciting competions etc...
If the magazine has changed then please ignore the above and accept my apologies.

On a positive note I was yesterday given the free hard cover 2011/12 catalogue from a London AD.
What a contrast, it is a beautiful, superb quality 'small book' with excellent images of current watches and respective descriptions about their history, movements, etc..
I am so impressed with this catalogue that I will be sourcing previous versions to study and keep.

The magazine is only a tiny part of the IWC experience. Get the latest catalog and go to the top of the masthead here and explore all that the website has to offer. Go to the search function and look for all kinds of interesting and informative articles by our moderator Michael Friedberg. Check out the recently started blog.
After all of that, and after a few months of taking in the IWC culture, then you will better appreciate what the magazine has to offer.

I guess it is quite difficult to fill 72 pages every quarter with watch information of one brand only. Most normal people (non watch nuts) would find that a bit too much to swallow too. As it is, about all new models will be treated one time or another during the year, the rest indeed is a kind of life style on topics that may interest the kind of people that like IWC watches. Sometimes celebrities in combination with watches are treated. If you rally want a magazine about watches, there are plenty of them, but there is only a tiny bit of IWC in those magazines. I think all in all the IWC magazine is quite nice, showing the good side of life, including IWC watches.

Kind regards,
Paul

I agree Alan, Paul. The WATCH magazine is only one small source of information about IWC watches - but one key thing o point out is that often there are a number of splendid articles that are information first for IWC fans too. After a few weeks all the current material in WATCH becomes available in the iPad app and normally the most watch specific articles appear here too.

Your tactic to track down older catalogies is a great project. You are not alone - many have die so successfully - I did the same a couple of years ago and also mananged to find all of the WATCH magazines - all the way back to the first issue.

Thank you for your feedback gentleman.
I have today taken delivery of my first IWC (Mark XII Automatic)
I am wearing it now and it looks terrific.
Over the next few days I will see how good a timekeeper it is.

One thing did puzzle me however?
The instructions said to wind it up approximately 60 turns, but I always thought automatics were self winding?

On a final note does anyone know which previous catalogue/s would have this watch in them?

Thank you.

Automatic watches are self winding. But when first starting it is good to fully wind the watch to full advantage of the power reserve at max.
After that, normal wear should suffice.

Can you over-wind them?

I don't think so. There is a mechanism that slips the gears when fully wound. Also you should be able to feel the tension increase when you get to that point.

I usually wind about 40 turns and then slow down until I feel the tension increase.

Thank you.
If I may one last question.

I have held the watch over a light bulb for 1 minute, turned the lights off and I cannot see any of the luminous markers whatsover!

The watch was originally puchased in 1997 so is it normal for these markers to lose all their luminous properties over a 15 year period?

To me this seems to be excessive loss of lume. Others may have more insight into this than I do.

Luminova should luminescene after light exposure. Tritium would Lose its lume after 15 years. May e it is T dial?

Yeah, i agree, the magazine has too many fashion, art, dining, etc, type articles. While a few of those may be interesting, i would really ike to see some articles about diving, fllying, exploring/climbing/adventure. Give us some articles showing the aquatimers, pilot watches, and Ingenieurs in action. iWC says their watches are engineering for men, so lets see some artciles for Men being men, exploring and having adventure.

Yes, it is a Tritium dial, there is a small 'T' either side of Swiss made.

[b]Hi Steve et al,
I'm also a proud owner of an IWC Mk Xii(12)
Does anyone know how many Luminovas versus Tritium Mk Xii were made? I have the former which appears identical to yours minus the T's at each side of Swiss Made. Are both as desirable as the other and what are the differences inside?? Mines just back from IWC service so I know it's genuine.
Regards
Antony
ps If I wasn't such a Luddite I'd post a picture but doesnt appear too easy on this site!

Steve--

I completely agree with you.

Even with the inclusion of "lifestyle" content--including Briggs umbrellas and other expensive gear, which the typical reader may not be at all interested in--I do feel that IWC's magazine could stand to have a lot more content on the company and its watches, history, etc.

Cheers!

Donald

Steve

I agree with you that the content of the quarterly magazine is not great, but don't subscribe to it 9and therefore pay for it) just make a quarterly visit to your local IWC dealer and pick up a free copy, it is pretty good when it is for free.

Alternatively get the App on your pad. The current issue has the full length Ingenieur advert (TV spot) seamlessly interpolated. And it's free.

I would love to but there is no app for us poor Blackberry users :(

The way I see it (IMHO) is that IWC is using the same marketing techniques as many car adverts.
Cars changing shapes, driving on water, parachuting from planes and other such nonsense, why not simply show you the engine, the safety features, the HiFi, the interior and other elements that would influence your buying decision and not some 'arty' video mans talent with a special effects machine?
Call me old fashioned but surely the content is paramount...Joe Public is not stupid and would appreciate the facts more without the over the top bling?

In a round about way,IWC is saying that it only associates with quality. And whilst I agree,these third party advertisers are surely paying Richmont for the privilege to be given an appearance in a relatively high profile magazine.But at least,non of the advertising is tacky.

Personally I think a watch is more than the sum of its parts (to an extent). I have a Portuguese, and I love the association with sea-faring and discovery, although being strictly honest, if you'd have put it in front of me and said "what does this make you think of" I don't think it's terribly obvious, so there's an element of salesmanship involved at many levels, although that one is far more sophisticated than an advert in a high end magazine.
Am I going to get hell for this?