IWC Schaffhausen - Jumbo in Solid Rose Gold - The Movement of the Mark 11 - Boxed Set - Circa 1950

By 1950 the world was moving again. Travel was booming and ocean crossings that had meant a week on a ship were down to a single overnight flight, and the grand hotels that had gone dark through the 1940s were lighting their windows again. A fine watch post WWII was still a discreet thing, a slim yellow-gold disc of thirty-three or thirty-four millimeters that slipped under a cuff. This particular IWC set out to breaks all the rules from the time it was born into. It left Schaffhausen around 1950 in solid rose gold rather than yellow, its lugs are flared and wide, and its bezel large and flat to catch the light.

Inside runs the caliber 89, created by Albert Pellaton in 1946 after leaving Vacheron Constantin to serve as IWC's technical director. It kept such precise time that the Royal Air Force chose it in 1948 for the Mark 11, the watch collectors now call the definitive pilot's watch.

For those searching comps, this example is unique from almost every IWC dress watch of the period. The metal is rose gold; most caliber 89s were yellow gold. The watch is a hair over 38 millimeters wide and nearly 42mm from the top lug to the bottom lug, larger than the 37mm iwcs most dealers sell as jumbos, and far above the thirty-four-millimeter norm of 1950s. The case style is the most elaborate IWC offered in the era: broad flared claw lugs, under a wide flat bezel known as a disco volante. Any one of the three is scarce on its own. All three on one case is extremely rare.

The dial is original and unrestored. The silver-white has warmed to the tone of old eggshell, and a fine butterscotch freckling has settled evenly across the whole face, the kind of slow and even foxing a refinisher can never reproduce. The ring of rose gold minute dots at the edge has darkened, and tarnished with the years. Bright rose gold darts mark the hours, and matching rose gold dauphine hands cross the center. International Watch Co Schaffhausen is printed at the top in the old script.

Under the caseback, the movement winds by hand, its bridges striped with broad Geneva waves and signed International Watch Co, the finish still bright.

The case is solid rose gold, hallmarked on the inside the back with the Helvetia head and the 0.750 stamp for eighteen karats. The lugs are also halmarked. The casae carries some scratches and appears to be unpolished. It comes on a modern brown leather strap which has wear near the lugs but is holding up well. The watch runs and keeps excellent time,  its service history is unknown.

Terms: Please review all photos carefully as they are a part of the listing. This is a vintage timepiece. Accuracy, power reserve, and water resistance are not guaranteed. Vintage watches may require periodic service. Performance can vary with wear, temperature, and position.

All sales final.