Some deals are too good to pass up --or at least I minimized my downside. On an Internet auction site, someone was offering this watch --he thought it was "just" a quartz IWC. He didn't know that "quartz electronic" on the dial meant something different.
It is a Beta-21: one of the first quartz watches produced. It originally was reference 3070 (see the link below from 1972 catalog in the Vintage Catalog Project), but then was renumbered as Ref. 3003 -the same as the quartz Jumbo Ingenieur. Go figure.
This model was introduced at the same thime as the "original" Da Vinci Beta-21. The watch, when introduced was expensive --much more so than, say, a true vintage Aquatimer. Not many were produced, and this is a "second generation" beta 21 , with a calibre 2002 rather than 2001. It also has an IWC steel bracelet by Gay Freres, whio made Rolex braclets at that time as well.
The only problem was that the watch didn't keep good time. In fact, it kept horrible time, so I sent it to Jack Freedman. He wa smart enough to diagnose the problem --it has an incorrect battery (which is shown in the photo above). These watches use 1.35 v Mercury batteries, which now are no longer sold in the U.S.. But Jack had one --and now it keeps perfect time. At least until it needs a new battery ;)
Regards,
Michael
click here for 1972 catalog page
