Peculiar pocket watch dial

Good evening,

If I recall correctly, very few International Watch Co p.w. dials had portraits painted on enamel. I believe Michael posted some picture of such dials few months ago. (man and woman, were they Schaffhausen citizens?)

I just saw this dial, and wondered if the script was legit. What are your thoughts? Did IWC produced many "signed" dials per customer request?

[](s1078.photobucket.com/user/123chrono/media/07329BFE-3695-4C45-84F3-CE02E9178151_zpsoottlztw.jpg.html)

Sorry for poor pic. quality.

[](s1078.photobucket.com/user/123chrono/media/3afc9953-76d4-4507-baca-e74695f7e20f_zpsxtw8spyf.png.html)

[](s1078.photobucket.com/user/123chrono/media/4b8d687c-3568-4953-bcd5-972c7e94da3c_zpshyxz5zai.png.html)

[](s1078.photobucket.com/user/123chrono/media/B1FFB090-AC25-45A4-8F84-D8BA667EE86C_zpsz7uzi1ii.png.html)

The watch is obviously a marriage: someone outside of IWC converted a pocket watch to a wristwatch.

That said, the dial is genuine. Many pocket watches have the dealer's name on the dial. Here, Horowitz was perhaps the major IWC retailer in Egypt in the early 20th century. If I recall, years ago here I posted here an early IWC wristwatch with Horowitz' signature on the dial.

Obviously Michael.
My mistake, I took the script for a private person name, when it was rather a dealer's name. That makes more sense now. Thanks! Will look up your 2 y.o. post.

Hi,
I don't watch to critisize other posts, for me the watch seems quite authenic.

The only thing what makes me a headache is the "Chronomèter" engraving.

I am not the specialist in wrist watch chronometer certificates in the Year 1930. This could have been applied later. As it was quite hard to get a "Chronometer approve" for a pocket watch, I have doubts if it was possible to get it for a tiny wrist watch without special "technical" support.
But as I told here I am not the specialist, may be the requirements where different for wrist watches.
In Switzerland the description "Chronometer" could only be used for officially, in an observatory, tested watches.
But may be, the watch was engraved later, where different restrictions for this "description" were used (or just to upgrade the value in 1930 or much later).

For the "naming" on the dial:
Many watches where sold without any brand name on the dial till approx. 1925/1930 because it was the retailer who wanted to give his name for a good watch.
The name "W. Horowitz Alexandrik" could have been applied by Horowitz himself.

For the "International Watch Co" it is hard to say if it's original or not, I can't see it good enough.

regards

Ralph

I stand corrected, and of course Ralph is correct.

Despite the title of the discussion this is not a "pocket watch dial". As such it is not a marriage. It has a Calibre 64T movement from 1928 and was a wristwatch from its beginning.