Important Collectors’ Wristwatches,Po...

New York, Mar 23, 2005

LOT 5

International Watch Co., Schaffhausen, ?Mark XII,? Automatic, No. 041/500, Ref. 3241. Made in a limited edition of 500 examples in 1993. Fine and rare, center-seconds, self-winding, water-resistant, platinum aviator?s wristwatch with date and a platinum IWC buckle. Accompanied by a fitted box.

USD 6,000 - 8,000

EUR 4,700 - 6,000

Sold: USD 17,940

C. Two-body, solid, polished and brushed, soft iron core to provide an antimagnetic shield, concave lugs, screwed-downcase back and winding crown, domed sapphire crystal. D. Blue with silver painted Arabic numerals andtritium coated geometric markers, aperture for the date. Tritium coated steel ?bâton? hands. M. Cal. 884/2,rhodium plated, 36 jewels, straight line lever escapement, monometallic balance, shock-absorber, self-compen-satingflat balance-spring.Dial, case and movement signed.Diam. 36 mm. Thickness: 9 mm.


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Grading System
Grade: AA

Very good
Case: 2

Very good
Movement: 2

Very good
Dial: 2 - 01

Notes

?Die Fliegeruhr Mark IX - XV? IWC?s first aviator?s wristwatch was produced in the 1930s and sparked a succession of aviator?s watches, now famous as the? Mark? line. The ?Mark IX? was similar to watches made by A. Lange & Söhne, Wempe, Stowa and Laco in Germany. The ?Mark X,? released in 1944, was widely used by the British, German and American armies during and after World War II. Its successor, the ?Mark XI? from 1948, was a favorite of the British Royal Air Force, about 6,000 of them were supplied. The watch was the first ?Mark? with a soft iron core to provide an anti-magnetic shield and stayed in production until 1984. The present example, the ?Mark XII,? was introduced in 1993, almost 50 years after the ?Mark XI.? In 1999, IWC launched the ?Mark XV,? a major change with different movement and slightly larger case.