NOSTALGY FOR .........IWC POCKET WATCHES.

The mystery of the IWC Varion Pocket Watch.
In 1886 IWC sold a rare pocket watch to F.Santorini, Palermo, Sicily It was called " La Magique". The extraordinary thing about this P.W. with 24 hrs dial was that it could be seen an open p.w (Lépine) but also as a hunter (Savonette) p.w.after some "magic".
As far as known, only 2 of these watches have been built with the movements numbers 5887 and 5889, respectively.One of the two watchs is owned by Hannes Pantli, the only executive from IWC who proudly wears an IWC pocket watch with chain. Mr. Panli's watch can be seen in the IWC museum. It has a cal 59 movement....

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During the revival of IWC Pocket Watches during the 1980-ies, a special piece, referring to "La Magique" was launched by IWC, among several other complicated or specially decorated pocket watches. This was ref. 5410, called the "Varion" watch or "Cabriolet" Also this p.w. could be transferred from a Lépine into a Savonette. The IWC expert Greg Steer (cellar) reported on this watch at the Forum about 10 years ago : 31-08-2001. We could trace this time piece to be made from 1979 to 1988. It concerns a limited edition of 250 pieces in 18 kt gold.....

....Extraordinary to this contempory watch is that one has to wind it with a key and to set it with a key, made of 18 kt. gold with Onyx insert. This Varion or "convertable" costed the fortune of 34.200 Deutsch Marks in 1984, an amount of money above the yearly income of a German inhabitant
Only 250 pieces should have been made during a time span of 10 years. We simply do not know whether the complete series has been built, as IWC does not provide sales figures sofar....

.....Intriguing is the "mystery" : how can a Lépine become a Savonette and reverse? The secret is a sturdy golden ring in which the watch is attached at 2 points : at 2 and 7 o'clock, respectively. These attachment points allow to turn the watch around its own axis, an axis of course from 2 to 7 o'clock. In a series of images, we try to show, what happens if the watch is turned around its axis.

In fact the end result is that the front becomes the rear and vice versa...

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.......The funny thing is that this exclusive watch came in a relative small and modest box of which the surface material detoriates after 30 years. So no leather, nor precious wood for this beauty. But recognition here 30 years after its birth......
Kind regards,
H-G Aberle,
Rolf Birkenkämper,
T. Koenig,
Adrian v d Meijden,
(alwaysiwc).

Thanks Gents for another interesting post, which should ensure to prickle the interest of many a new forumer here!

Best regards
Mark

Another special article. Thanks again and again.....

very very intriguing and interesting.

in about three weeks I am hoping to come into possession of my first pocket watch. Not an IWC but a cousin - and if good fortune and lady luck smiles upon me, one day I hope to be worthy of being a IWC PW owner.

thanks very much gentlemen for this post and series.

That is a beautiful and ingenious piece of IWC engineering/manufacture. Thanks guys, for continuing to bring us these informative articles!

This post of 7 years ago, still remains one of my favorite ones!

The watch itself is very well thought out, and I recently had the opportunity
to see and hold on my hands one of these fine pieces in NOS condition - truly
magnificent!

One can say, as far as pocket watches go, it's the best of both worlds !

Thanks Mark for showing this once more after so many years.

Ref. 5410 is one of the many different complicated golden pocket watches made
during the so called revival period of pw's during the 1980ies. It is
virtually unknown to many collectors because they are rare. I am sure that the
limited series of 250 pieces never was completed. IWC thought after the
difficult period of the quartz tsunami, which almost wiped out the Swiss watch
industry, complicated pocket watches would be a niche market. Unfortunately
this assumption was wrong. Watches from the new series were extremely
expensive (20.000 - 70.000 Deutsch Marks) and nearly nobody could or would
spend this amount of money. The watches were typically given to directors and
ceo's of big companies as a jubilee or retirement gift. Then the ended in
safes as the new owners had little interest in them. Now and then they turn up
in NOS condition and many times with an inscription. They harbour the
tradition of IWC being equipped with the best pocket watch movements the
company ever made. It was the result of an evolution which took a century to
make the ultimate reliable movements, improved year after year.

Regards,

Adrian (alwaysiwc)

Thanks Mark for showing this once more after so many years.

Ref. 5410 is one of the many different complicated golden pocket watches made
during the so called revival period of pw's during the 1980ies. It is
virtually unknown to many collectors because they are rare. I am sure that the
limited series of 250 pieces never was completed. IWC thought after the
difficult period of the quartz tsunami, which almost wiped out the Swiss watch
industry, complicated pocket watches would be a niche market. Unfortunately
this assumption was wrong. Watches from the new series were extremely
expensive (20.000 - 70.000 Deutsch Marks) and nearly nobody could or would
spend this amount of money. The watches were typically given to directors and
ceo's of big companies as a jubilee or retirement gift. Then the ended in
safes as the new owners had little interest in them. Now and then they turn up
in NOS condition and many times with an inscription. They harbour the
tradition of IWC being equipped with the best pocket watch movements the
company ever made. It was the result of an evolution which took a century to
make the ultimate reliable movements, improved year after year.

Regards,

Adrian (alwaysiwc)

Congrats for this extraordinary pocket watch...

I am searching since along time one of those an extraordinary pieces.

could never find one....

Kindest regards

Ralph