IWC Quartz ? something to collect ?

I have sold many of my quartz watches, but I will keep this one.

Die REISEUHR is the master of the IWC/PD by IWC quartz era.

And it has a decorated movement, now even some modern IWC don´t have decorated movements anymore ?!

I’m currently not owning one, but I have my eyes on the mecha quartz chronograph.

I recently studied the quartz period of IWC and I used for that the PhD thesis of David SEYFFER who has meticulously described all aspects of the IWC history in his 2 volumes, 840 pages long text book, to be considered as the standard work for everything about IWC. As many of us know the quartz crisis of 1975-1985 brought IWC to the verge of a disaster. But some interesting facts are described by David. Many Swiss watch manufacturers had a strange concept about quartz watches. They understood that they were extremely accurate and because of this they thought that it would be extremely expensive to make a quartz watch, as for mechanical watches it was true : the more accurate, the more expensive to make. They did not realise that Japan would make a quartz movement in 1985 for 10 $. The Beta quartz made by IWC was very expensive to produce, but this was caused by the need of complete other production machines, methods and personnel. In the meantime Japan had exported in 1985,800 million quartz watches. IWC was nearby a bankcruptcy and the president Hans Ernst Homberger, begging for money from the Swiss banks got an uniform answer : 'No Mr. Homberger, the mechanical watch is dead'. Already in 1968 H.E. Homberger stated :'We have to create more opportunities for the electronic watch as by the year 2000, the customer expects his watch not to deviate more than one hundred of a second per day'.
So, my personal view is : from a historical point of view it may be interesting to collect IWC made quarz watches. Viewed from an emotional side, this timepiece nearly killed the mechanical watch and has little in common with every aspect that makes the mechanical watch a piece of art.
Adrian,
(alwaysiwc).

I have the Bund quartz watches in my collection.

Yes there are some collectible IWC quartz watches around, but be careful. For some movements there are no spare parts available these days.

For sure, the OCEAN BUND quartz, the EDISON and Ing. 3303 are keepers as well.

Very nice discussion. Something new, different.
I have Die REISEUHR, and the Ocean Bund in quartz- both beautifully pictured by Heiko. (your photography skills amaze me. Just wonderful.)

And I would also like to wish every person here a Most Merry Christmas, and the best 2018!

Nelson

Thanks Nelson and Merry Christmas to all.

BTW, my most favourite IWC watches are these.

Adrian, I second that.
Nobody then knew where all was going and maybe if IWC had invested more in Quartz technology with the help of the bank, they wouldn't exist anymore today. But who can know it?
I prefer the mechanics too but the Quartz era no doubt is a part of IWC's rich history and an interesting one without a doubt too.
Tonny, cool watches you have there. The initial quartz Da Vinci is a true milestone and thus an item for collectors. And I like the design somehow. A witness of time and watch history!
[](scontent-frx5-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/25591783_890829801086655_2467162385884508880_n.jpg?oh=f4334039b6dcfe7646f46d8418e5b372&oe=5ABCBFE4)

I do not collect Quartz driven watches for two simple reasons: (i) It is already by now hard to find the correct batteries. (ii) The integrated circuits do not stand as long as metal does.

Even my oldest Jones watches are in working order and start to friendly tick once wound. Does anybody expect a Quartz movement to run in 140 years? I dare to say they won't. And a "dead" watch is nothing to collect.

A Merry Christmas to all Forumers and a Happy New Year!

Th. Koenig

Collecting some iconic IWC quartz watches may be a good idea, if one is willing to accept that, sooner rather than later, the movements will stop functioning, and one would be stuck with a worthless piece. (This assuming that, a watch that is no longer capable of measuring the passage of time, is no longer a watch.)
Quartz and electronic Accutron movements have manmade materials, which were not tested for longevity, and that will deteriorate/fail with time. Repairs would be impossible due to the lack of replacement parts, and no one that I am aware is fabricating parts for quartz movements from the 1970s.
I own only one wrist watch with a quartz movement and it is not an IWC. It is a Breitling Neptune from the Iraqi Air Force, which I bought non-functioning, cheaply I thought, somewhere in the Middle East. To have it brought to life I spent an inordinate of time searching for someone who would repair it, Breitling refused, and then way too much money to bring it back to working order. I will never be able of recovering not even 1/3 of what I invested in it.
I'm keeping it because of the story behind it, but the whole episode went to the "lessons learned" file.

Season's Greetings to all.

Some information about batteries already exisist on the Forum.

Batteries

The mercury-containing batteries with 1.33 volts are no longer available, various batteries with 1.55 volts are available and will be available.

For the Edison I use modern batteries with 1.55 volts (see the attached circuit)and the watch works perfectly fine.

The later quartz movements Caliber 2405 and 2250 are designed for modern 1.55 volt batteries.

Critical parts of the quartz movements are in particular condensators and the solder joints of the components.

Due to corrosion of the solder, the contact can be interrupted.

The repair of the later quartz movements should be possible for a longer period of time and if batteries will diappear from the market, other batteries can be used via adapters.

Don’t own a quartz IWC as of yet but I’m sure I will. Just a matter of finding the right one.

Merry Christmas all.

Let’s not forget the magnificent Flieger Mecaquartz Chronograph ref 3741.

Great post here Gents.

I definately agree with what Adrian writes - and these Quartz timepieces if we like it or not, have their place in IWC history.

Heiko’s pictures as are his watches - absolutely great.

And Mr. Koenig no argument on that front - no electronic component is going to outlive a mechanical one!

Antonio, I’m always amazed to get to know what I did not know - Iraqi Airforce Watches and Quartz in your stable - amazing !

Hi All,

Interesting post indeed. I think we all look for nice mechanical watches with refined movements that house smart and effective solutions eg Pellaton etc

Quartz is a piece a history to the whole watchmaking branche so I keep one tuning fork (yacht club case variant and this Yachtclub 1 quartz.

I must admit that I like this watch. I think it's rare and has the sturdy screw back yacht club case and a sapphire glass.... one of the first in IWC history.

[](s1241.photobucket.com/user/mb75/media/A5D8BE43-622D-43AF-98B3-EC2811B4FB60_zps9sng20sg.jpg.html)And yes I wear it from time to time with fun!

It's the most accurate watch I have:)

This thread has motivated me to swap to old High Tech with a hardness of 1100 Vickers.

Tony is at heart a Mil-Watch collector ;-)

Hi Mark,
The correct phrase is "I am always amazed at what I did not know I did not know." ;-)
"It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble. It's what you know for sure that just ain't so." Mark Twain

Hi Jimmy
You may very well be right, but I would be a fool to enter the world of Mil-Watch collecting at this time, at the current prices.
I am content with my collection of IWC military watches and have no intention of venturing into other brands, tempted as I occasionally may be.