• Apprentice
    13 Dec 2018, 4:34 a.m.

    Hello All,

    I tried searching this but couldn't quite find enough info on it. I recently
    got my first IWC, a Mark XV. I didn't know the service history and it was
    running a bit slow. It also failed a pressure test so I decided to send it to
    IWC for a service. I specifically asked in my request that the original
    (simple) fish crown be maintained if at all possible. I even called the
    concierge line to reiterate this request, but later I received an email
    stating that unfortunately my crown would need to be replaced and that it
    would have to be with the Probus crown. In my searches I found a for sale post
    from a couple of years ago where the seller had a fully serviced Mark XV where
    he said he was able to request and receive a new replacement original simple
    fish crown.

    Does anyone know of this is still possible? Am I not insisting enough on
    getting the original crown? Is there a secret word or phrase I need to say to
    get them to open the vault where they keep the original crowns? Or is it
    possible that they really just don't exist anymore? It would kind of stink to
    have the watch so changed from its original form. Will it lose value and
    collectibility? Or am I worried about nothing?

    Thanks for reading.

  • Master
    14 Dec 2018, 1:21 a.m.

    Considering that your watch would not be the only one that had a "fish" crown
    replaced with a "probus" crown, I wouldn't lose sleep over it. It is the
    standard and, as far as I know, only option from IWC after sales service. I
    would personally opt for a fully serviced and water-resistant watch than one
    that may be copromised. If water resistance is not an issue and you are set on
    having the original "fish" crown, you could reject the service assesment, have
    the watch returned to you and then have it serviced by an independen
    watchmaker. A competent watchmaker should have no problem servicing this watch
    with a movement based on the ETA 2892.