Service of a Mark XII

Iwc service on a Mark XII

Dear Forum members and experts.
It's been a while since I wrote here the last time, but I still continue to read and to love IWC watches!

I am from Italy and I have a question about the service of a 25 years old beautMark XII, with tritium dial and hands, which continues to run very accurate but it needs a service.

I am a bit concerned to go through the official AD way because I heard they might replace the dial, the hands and the fish crown during the service.

Do you know if there is a way to ask and to be sure that they will not replace these parts during the service?

Thank you for your help

Best regards

Greetings Alessandro! I am curious; if your Mark XII is running very acurately, what made you decide that it needs a service? Unfortunately the decision to replace hands and/or dial can be slightly subjective. I expect that parts with tritium that is degraded and crumbling are likely to be replaced. If the lumed areas of the dial and hands are in good shape, they should be left intact, but why risk it if the watch is perfoming well?

Dear Ben,

what a honor, I think you are one of the most expert about IWC! I read many message from you on my time spent on the forum, as a reader much more than an active member.

I went to an indipendent watchmaker who put my Mark XII on a chronocomparator: +6 s/d, but the amplitude is about 220 degrees. He sai is too low and that the watch needs a service. Moreover, the crown rotation has become harder than it used to be. Probably the movement has not enough lubrication. He said the service would prevent to replace parts, and this would be the inconvenience if I wait again.
About the replacement of the dials and the hands, I agree with you: I don't want to take that risk.

min this case I should take my Mark XII to an indipendent watchmaker.
One thing I would regret is about the ability to polish the case: I saw serviced watches look like new after service at IWC.

Nevertheless, replacing dial and hands on an watch which originally used to have tritium ones is a bit odd and looks like having an heavy restored but less original one.

Thank you very much for your support

Best regards

Well, thank you for the compliments, I like to think that I can contribute to the forum from time to time. The truth is, there are a number of members here with great knowledge and who are of immense value to the IWC collector comunity. We are quite lucky that IWC has been able to provide this ad-free space for us (now if we could only get rid of those annoying bots).

Yes, it may well be the case that the lubricants in your Mark XII are old and dried. Fortunately, it is a movment that a competent, independedent watchmaker should be able to easily service. I do agree that a factory case refinishing would be nice. Although a factory complete service would likely be more costly than a service by an independent watchmaker, the results would be fantastic.

How does the Tritium on your hands and dial look to you? If it all looks clean, it may well be fine to send in to IWC - I would just indicate that you would only agree to service if the dial and hands could be left intact. You should be given a service estimate and agreement with various options before any work is initiated.

Allesandro, I sent my Doppelchrono 3711 with T Swiss T hands to Schaffhauen for serivce via the NYC BTQ . I specified in the paperwork that the hands were not to be replaced. They abided by that directive. I was very clear in the apporval process authorization that Schaffhausen would follow the directions. Hopefully, if you use an authorzied IWC AD or an IWC Boutique to handle the service for your your watch you will have your watch back in pristine shape and witht the service completed as you directed.

Dear Ben,

thank you again for your kind support.
I attach here a picture of my Mark XII. The hands and the dial are in good conditions. The tritium is not damaged, even if it cannot make any light anymore.

I think I will follow your precious advice and try to put some condition before IWC starts to service my watch.

Thank you so much, I did not know this option would be possible.

Really appreciated.

Best regard

Dear Bill,

I saw your message just a few minutes after writing again and posting a picture of my MARK XII.

Another important forum member who helps me, thank you very much!

Thank you for clarifying the procedure to me. Are you still waiting for your 3711 to come back from the service? In this case, do you mind letting me know how IWC will handle your specific request about the hands?

How did you manage to send it to Shaffausen? I think here in Italy, the IWC AD would send it to a local service instead.

Thank you again

Best refards

Hi Basu,

A service order with the IWC Boutique in Switzerland proceeds as follows: you hand in the watch and IWC then sends you an estimate of all the work to be carried out. A distinction is made between mandatory and optional work. Then you have to decide which optional work you want to have carried out, the mandatory work must be carried out, otherwise IWC will reject the order and the watch will be returned unprocessed. Only then is the final order placed and the service work carried out by IWC. I assume that the dial will be left as it is. However, there is a risk that the luminous material on the hands will be damaged during the work and the hands will have to be replaced.

Anyhow the work done by IWC is outstanding.

br

Cromagnonman

Yes, the serivce on my Doppel was done several years ago. I took it to the NYC Flagship Boutique. I specified that it be sent to Shaffhausen for repair as well as the request not to replace the hands. The Boutique and SH service / repair experts were very faithful in following direcitons. An authorized IWC AD should do the same for you.

Dear Cromagnonman,

thank you very much.

Very clear!

I am still thinking about the best option. I don't want to take the risk that the hands are replaced but I would love the case being polished by IWC itself!!

Thank you so much!

Best regards

Dear Bill,

thank you very much.
As I replied to Cromagnonman, I not sure what would be the best option!

Your support has been so important and you let me understand what would be the way in case I decide to service my Mark XII rhrouan IWC AD.
Thank you very much

Best regards

Hello Basu.

Ideally you contact our Concierge in Italy +39 02 360 11868 they will figure out the best way for the service.
OR you try this online via www.iwc.com/it/en/services/service-price-calculator.html

Best
Andreas