The new Da Vinci bracelet's deployant

I had the opportunity to try the new Da Vinci with steel bracelet the other day, and discovered a new feature that's only very briefly mentioned in the literature: it has a hidden quick adjustment function!

If you look inside the deployant itself, you have several teeth that allow you to minutely adjust the bracelet via a recessed button. You don't even have to take the watch off your wrist to make the adjustment. I'm guessing that you can change the bracelet length by about half a link, if not more, via this feature.

Personally, I'm constantly fiddling with the strap or bracelet length, particularly in summer in Hong Kong; with the temperature and humidity differential between indoors and outdoors, the fit on my wrist can change quite a bit during the day. I think it's nice that IWC went a bit further with the bracelet adjustment features.

The other nice aspect is that the bracelet is wider than the strap, and gives the watch a much more balanced effect on the wrist.

Just a quick note on another rainy day in HK ...

This is a good feature...

some of the GO bracelets do this and it is a great help on those hot, steamy days where your arm swells a little.

Sean - Outstanding feedback >

I have not seen, or demo'd the new DaVinci Bracelets yet - I am keenly interested in them.

Rain??!!! Oh no, I'll be there next weekend :-( nt

nt

a little about IWC's micro-adjust bracelets

Hi Sean,

Thanks for posting; this is an important feature --I should have taken photos since this is particularly well-engineered here. There essentially is a ratchet system which is an improvement on many other brands' constructions.

Many people have welcomed this product and the need for such a bracelet improvement. I think for a long time IWC felt that it's half-link system was "close enough" but even I have found some bracelets a little loose or tight. Close enough, yes, in the sense of comfortable and well-made --but not perfect. Some lesser brands with less expensive bracelets do have some micro-adjust feature which people like. However, many of the finer bracelets made --Patek and Blancpain come to mind-- use the half-link approach rather than a micro-adjust feature.

That said, about three years ago, IWC had developed a micro-adjust feature for its Ingenieur model. This is not well-known, but I saw it and tried it. I then was surprised --it wasn't announced at SIHH and I couldn't figure out what happened. I asked someone in Product Development and was told [i]"We had to discontinue it. You saw a prototype but it was very expensive --the design would have added about $1000 to retail pricing."[i]

I of course asked what happened to the prototyoe. The person said [i] "I have it in a drawer and use it occaisonally". [i]I didn't have the guts to ask if he'd "loan" it to me.

I'm glad the new steel Da Vinci chrono has it.

Regards,
Michael

Re: micro-adjust bracelets

Hi Michael,

Micro-adjustable buckles is really not new to IWC. They first introduced this type of buckle in the early 1980's with their Porsche Design model 3702 titanium chronograph and also with their PD 3510 watch with the aluminum bracelet. Though the ratchet system was a clever design and a very useful feature the company discontinued them because consumers were fidgeting and playing with their bracelets prematurely wearing out the teeth on the folding unit. A more robust design was reintroduced years later with their PD 3511 Compass model made from titanium but, to the best of my knowledge, it wasn't on most other model bracelets. There were all in all just a handful of models that ever had such buckles.

However, when big size and heavier timepieces went into vogue in more recent times IWC was able to take advantage of producing a heavier and more durable version of the micro-adjust ratchet system buckle which apparently holds up much better.

That's what I like about IWC. They keep reinventing the wheel and are always on the lookout to IMPROVE their products.

Regards,
Jack Freedman

Great feature!

Too bad it wasn't available 3 years ago for the Inge!
Thanks for sharing this, Sean.
Regards, Peter

Any pics of this feature? (nt)

more info about micro-adjust bracelets

[b] ABOVE IS A PHOTO OF THE PD 3511 TITANIUM COMPASS MODEL MICRO-ADJUSTABLE BUCKLE

I forgot to mention that the early micro-adjustable buckles that IWC used on some PD & IWC models were of a different engineering design. They had many more parts held together from the bottom by a plate with four screws.

The PD titanium compass watch had a second generation type of adjustable clasp as shown in the photo. The opening pusher on the side of the clasp had a set of teeth which locked in to the position selected once adjusted to the customer's wrist.

The current and latest micro-adjustable bracelets are far more superior in design in which the teeth are on the opposite part of the folding clasp. They are thicker, more angled for smoother operation and made to last a long time. As of this posting I have no photos available but I have requested an exploded photo from my colleague at the IWC factory and will post it when received.

Jack Freedman

Weather forecast is OK for next weekend :)

But it'll be very hot! The steel bracelet would definitely be a good option to have.

sorry --I didn't take any (nt)