Important Collectors' Wristwatches, P...

New York, Dec 09, 2009

LOT 229

IWC Die Grosse Fliegeruhr International Watch Co., movement No. 1013926, case No. 1033326, Ref. 431 "Type A." Made in 1940 for the German Air Force, delivered on November 4, 1940 to S. Heindorf, Berlin. Very fine and extremely rare, large, anti-magnetic, anti-corrosion stainless steel military pilot?s wristwatch with hacking center seconds and the original aviator?s leather strap. Accompanied by an IWC Extract from the Archives and a Wrist Compass.

USD 30,000 - 50,000

CHF 30,000 - 50,000 / EUR 20,000 - 34,000

C. Four-body, matte gray, lapidated bezel, concave lugs, large conical winding crown, stainless steel numbered cuvette, snap-on case back with movement number to the reverse, band engraved with FL 23883. D. Black with luminous Arabic numerals and baton indexes, outer minute division. Luminous blued steel lozenge hands. M. Cal 52 19''' H 6-SC, gilt brass, straight-line lever escapement, large cut and compensated bi-metallic balance, blued steel Breguet balance spring, swan-neck index regulator. Case signed, movement numbered. Diam. 55 mm. Thickness 17 mm.


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Grading System
Grade:
Case: 1

As new
Movement: 1

As new
Dial: 1-01

As new

HANDS Original

Notes

According to the reference book, "IWC Pilot?s Watches" by Ebner Verlag, the meticulously kept records at the IWC factory state the first Cal. 52 SC with serial number 1013801 was made in 1940 and the last serial number for the calibre, number 1015000, was also made in 1940. With production lasting of less than a year, a mere 1,200 movements were originally constructed. Interestingly, Antiquorum sold an almost identical "Type B" version of this model in October 2008 (lot 265) bearing movement number 1014295 and delivered to S. Heindorf in Berlin on November 14, 1940, just 10 days after the present watch was delivered. Type A differs from Type B by the use of a conical winding crown and the movement number on the back of the case.