Sothebys Offers A Glimpse Into IWCs Past With Ingenieur Ref. 1832, Original Portuguese, And Mark XI

April 22, 2013

photo ? Sothebys Geneva, 2013 Lets take a short break from all the hoopla surroundingBaselWorld this week and take a peek at some historical watches from a companythats NOT in Basel.Sothebys is hosting an auction on May 11th in Genevaand the usual suspects are present: Rolex, Patek Philippe, and Audemars Piguet, to namea few. But while we never tire of seeing a vintage Polarisor 3-6-9 dial Submariner,its a rare treat to find a healthy quiver of great old IWCs at auction. Andthere are three of them here that offer a glimpse into the companys past and showdirect inspiration for modern pieces from three of their watch families. Seeing as its the Year of the Ingenieur in Schaffhausen,how about this reference 1832 Inge from 1976, created by Mr. Gerald Gentahimself. While not the first Ingenieur (that was 1955), the ref. 1832 isperhaps the most beloved and the one to which the latest Ingenieur Automaticpays faithful homage, with its anti-magnetic movement holder and distinctive bezel. If you want the real thing, or just dont want to jump onthe Nautilus or Royal Oak bandwagon, sign up to bid for Lot 240. 1940s IWC Portuguieser ref. 325, photo ? Sothebys Geneva, 2013 Another great old IWC we like is Lot 228,the 1940s Portuguieser, which, like the Genta Ingenieur, is another touchstone design for IWC. This reference 325 has the oversized case(42mm) and hand-wound pocketwatch movement IWC built into the watch to suitthe tastes of its Iberian clients. Look at the current Portuguese line fromSchaffhausen and you can see the family resemblance. Of course, if you wantthis ancestral version, prepare to pay dearly for it, as the estimated sale price is 28,000 - 48,000 CHF. 1951 IWC Mark 11, photo ? Sothebys Geneva, 2013 Finally, moving over to the Pilot family, there is a vaunted Mark11 from 1951 (Lot 281), perhaps thequintessential pilots watch of the postwar era. This was the one issued toRoyal Air Force pilots starting in 1948, and it bears the distinctive Broad Arrowdial marking as a consequence. Despite its humble dimensions (36mm x 12mm) andmechanics (hand-wound calibre 89), the Mark 11 enjoys celebrity status amongmilitary watch collectors and its influence is seen in all the subsequentMark Pilots watches from IWC, right down to the current Mark XVII.While Sothebys is best known for its important sales of highly collectible and fabulously expensive pieces (the?Graves Supercomplication?for example), anyone can rub virtual shoulders with the rich and famous by just signing up to bid and jumping into the fray. On May 11th, any of these terrific old IWCs would be a great place to start. You can find?more information here.