IWC Titan Chronograph 3702 - 3704

latest
addition to my watch box

i had my difficulties with the IWC watches from the eighties,

but finally i got over it.

br

Cromagnonman

What a beauty - I think these pd watches were so ahead of their time, that
they are finaly being fully appreciated now!

Congratulations :o)

Congrats on that Titanchrono.

The ref. 3704 with the screwed crown, the nice decorated movement and the
micro adjustment clasp is the rarest variant.

Mine has just got an case/bracelet overhaul by laser and freshly shot blasted.

IWC has done a great job, it looks like new now again.

Some photos before/after and the movement.

Once again I am late to the party. While most things "IWC" interest me, my
true OBSESSION is for all things IWC Porsche Design Titan automatic
chronograph! Congratulations on your acquisition.

Judging by the dial, your watch is a reference 3700 and dates from the
mid-1980's. Originally it would have come with a bracelet whose links were
held by a single pin on the backside of the link. Be happy that you have a
later bracelet with a pin pushed through the sides, as these are very sturdy.
The single-pin (and subsequent double-pin) link designs were not great, as
they wore down with use over time and failed to hold the bracelet together.

The dial on yours is my favorite. Some folks love it because it has the most
writing of any of the six dial variations. We Titan "nerds" call it the "full
signature dial." Those who do not favor this dial sometimes call it the "wall
of text," and prefer the dials with minimal writing. I hope you are in the
"love it" camp!

The appreciation for, and discussion of the Titan automatic chronograph seems
sparse on this or any other forum (which is part of the reason I seldom visit
here anymore). Granted, the Titan was first sold in 1981 and continued
production until the Porsche Design partnership ended in 1997, so it seems
forgotten over the last couple decades. Most of the attention for Porsche
Design watches goes to the Ocean 2000 dive watch, and to the Compass watch.
Admittedly, both of those are fantastic watches featuring amazing
capabilities. Still, it's the Titan automatic chronograph that is my favorite,
not just among other IWC's but among the hundreds of watches I have collected
since 1986!

Hope you continue to enjoy yours! My "full signature dial" version says Hi!

edit: Or not...I have trouble attaching photos to this forum, but it looks
like yours, so no surprises! ;)

I agree that it is Ref. 3700. I own one with the same "full signature dial".
However, mine also has a "TITAN" inscription on the case:

Your "TITAN" link is correct. Mine is missing. It was either a special request
from the buyer (same link at 12 o'clock side), or replaced during a service by
IWC. IWC frequently "updated" older watches to more closely resemble the newer
models.
Personally, I prefer the TITAN link. Unfortunately, the extra TITAN link I
have is the later screw-on type, but my watch head is the older "pins into
tab" version.
So many variations...

Hi Time Exposure,

you are completly right. The original reference was 3700. See the picture of
the caseback.

Judging by the serial number, I guessed the year correctly too! Likely
produced in or very near 1985, according to the "Date Your IWC" website.
Shortly after yours was produced, IWC modified the dial by removing the "pd"
logo from below "PORSCHE DESIGN." To be fair, this was about the time that IWC
switched engravings on the bracelet clasp from "IWC" to "pd."

I do not know with certainty if the constant changes to the dial were the
result of ongoing battles between IWC and Porsche Design for "visibility," or
if there were different dials for different markets (say, where Porsche had a
greater presence than IWC or vice-versa). It is my dream to visit with David
Seyffer (IWC Museum curator) and extract his resources for the "complete"
IWC/Porsche Design story, or quiz Jack Freedman of Superior Watch Service
about his intimate knowledge of the Titan automatic chronograph. But I assume
Jack is very busy providing watch repair services that live up to the name
"Superior." Both of the Titans he has serviced for me (that I still have) are
running within a few seconds per week. And Herr Seyffer does touch on much of
the relationship in his doctoral thesis (some of which I have painstakenly
translated from German using a Google translator!).

I have an uneasy feeling that perhaps IWC doesn't reflect fondly on the times
they were in partnership with Porsche Design. Both sides wanted the original
20-year partnership to end as scheduled in 1997, with IWC moving forward with
the GST line, and PD purchasing Eterna to fabricate their designs. The IWC
partnership with Porsche Design should be celebrated for the accomplishments
achieved. Although taste in style is subjective, no one can deny the greatness
of engineering achieved by IWC from 1977-1997. And personally, I think the
style is absolutely fantastic, even today.