Hi folks
My name is hongT & I'm a newbie of vintage IWC watches :) I was looking for a Mark XI RAF sometimes. I noticed that all the dial of Mark XI with a circle T were only with a "Swiss" on the bottom near 6 o'clock.
Someone offer me his Mark XI & I noticed that the dial of his watch has a "T Swiss T" dial other than a normal "Swiss" dial. I would be grateful if some expert can let me know if this kind of dial exist? Thanks in advance.
With Best Regards,
HongT
Hi HongT,
I am not an expert, but I am trying to learn about these
also.
In my a stash of pictures of Mk 11s that I use to compare
different versions, there is one Mk 11 from 1948 with this
dial. It is different from your dial as it has some
blemishes that your dial does not have. (Sorry I can't make
the pictures available.) The dial has a circle T AND
T Swiss T under the 6.
So there are at least two examples of these.
Best regards,
-mmh.
I am not an expert on the model, but that dial appears suspiciously new to me eye. There's no way, in my view, that either the white numerals or yellow markers would be so bright and clean if they were decades old.
I'd say that it's either a replacement dial, or a redial.
Regards,
Tony C.
Thanks Mark & Tony's sincere answer!! I also found the tritium too perfect for a 60 years old watch! I've google the Mark XI photos from the internet, normally all the dials of the Mark XI has some different level of defects!! Seldom see the perfect dial!
Here attached some photos of the watch & certifcate of origin for reference. Unfortunately I didn't have a 89 movement photo.
Also,
You might want to look at this thread:
www.iwc.com/forum/en/discussion/38959/
Regards,
-mmh.
Rieser + Clémençon is a respectable Schaffhausen watch dealer of vintage IWCs with impeccable reputation.
The Mark 11 in question was most likely restored by IWC Schaffhausen and a new dial and new hands were installed.
Collectors may prefer the original dials/hands showing their age, but that is what we get if we send a Mark 11 to IWC for restoration and do not specify that dials/hands must not be replaced.
Most appreciated your answer & Thanks so much Mark & Clepsydra!!
I understand that the dial of the watch most likely sent for service and with a dial, hands replacement by Oem IWC.
Hi All,
I have a follow up on this one.
I noticed that the T on my Mark XI is printed in a thinner line... where I also often see the T printed in a thick line. Where those marks added afterwards and thus are there different version?
I had mine spa treated this year and received the extract confirming it 'originality' so I don't doubt that... but still... does anybody know this?
Merijn
The dials were bought from special manufacturers in Switzerland. As there were several batches, made over the years, minor differences exist. Remember that the Mk 11 was not a collectors watch for many years. There are ( rare) dials where the circle around the "T" is not present and there were discussions on the Forum about the "hooked 7", being another version.
It is my guess tha HongT's watch has it third dial and it is still ligimit.
As he has an early Mk 11 the first dial must have been the Radium loaded dial called by collectors the "white 12"( see the thread by clepsydra).
The second dial must have been the "encircled "T" Trium dial, when the watch came to service in Herstmonceux and the "white 12" was taken off for health reasons. The third dial is most probably the current dial on the watch.
Kind regards,
Adrian,
(alwaysiwc).
Thanks Adrian, Your answer are very sound and clear!!
Thanks!
To my meager knowledge, some of these dials had the "T" stamped on later, so not originally printed, and can be brushed off quite easily when the watchmaker is not careful...as can be seen on my '48 replacement dial
