• Graduate
    18 Feb 2018, 7:52 a.m.

    I recently bought an IWC Mark XVIII (the Mark XVI tribute piece), which came on a NATO strap.  I am planning to purchase an IWC bracelet for it.

    I've been told by multiple sources that the Mark XVII and XVIII bracelets will both fit on the XVIII.  They're both 20mm, but obviously that doesn't tell you anything about the curvature of the end links.

    I actually like the XVII bracelet better, asthetically, because I like the arrangement of the smaller and larger pieces wheras the bracelet pieces on the XVIII are all the same size.  I know most people like the new design better, but for some reason, my eye likes the old one a little better.
    /site_media/ckeditor_images/0bfc210d46bcb01ea74513a65bbd7ccd.jpg
    Does anyone on the forum know if the XVII bracelet will fit fine on the XVIII, as I've been told?

  • Master
    19 Feb 2018, 1:15 a.m.

    I'm sure it fits because the case didn't change a bit. Just the dial and the bracelet changed. So you have free choice.

  • Master
    19 Feb 2018, 2:22 a.m.

    I don’t think it will fit. 
    MarkXVII is 41mm and Mark XVIII is 40mm 

  • Graduate
    19 Feb 2018, 7:38 a.m.

    Sorry to say: It does not fit, 100 % sure. The radius of the end links is not the same. 

  • Master
    19 Feb 2018, 2:10 p.m.

    Sorry Tilo, see Mark's comment: it is a smaller case, even if it's just 1 mm....

    Regards,

    Bob

  • Graduate
    20 Feb 2018, midnight

    Thank you so much for the comment; you just saved me a lot of hassle and expense.  IWC bracelets are insanely expensive, even when you buy them second-hand, and buying the wrong size would have been a royal pain.

    I suspect most people who were telling me "it would fit" were only paying attention to both having a common 20mm lug width and ignoring the shape of the end links.  Hopefully this thread gets indexed by Google as others have asked this question and received a similar (but apparently inaccurate) "it will fit" response.