I purchased an IWC Cal.88 on ebay a few months ago. There's no photos of the movement provided with the listing. It looks good and runs ok, so I did not have it open to check the movement. Recently, I decided to have it service, upon removing the back, we found this movement to be some what unusal, it had no markings, no serical numbers, and it has an quick stem release that are not found on a common Cal.88. Has anyone come across this before? Is this an original IWC movement? Please help!
Dear Mot
What you got is a "school watch". IWC provided pocket watch and later on wristwatch movements to horological schools, in the mid 1950ies mainly Cal. 67 pocket watches and Cal. 88 and 89 wristwatches.
The apprentices got the movements in pieces without a movement No. and raw, so without gilding or nickel finish. They had to mount the watch and to produce a certain part, e.g. a fine regulation device, a release for the stem, one of the bridges etc.
So keep it. It is one of a kind. I personally own several school pocket watches and a Cal. 89 wristwatch, according to the accompanying papers the master piece of a watchmaker from Southern Germany.
Regards
Th. Koenig
Thanks for the help!
The stem release and color really realy stood out and I couldn't figure out why it is like that or find any info on it. However it does have the Cal 88 marking on it. And YES, it does looks very RAW as you had put it. I have seen private labeled Cal. 88 on a Gubelin... still it would say Swiss Made and with serial number on it. Very interesting... "School Watch"
Sry interesting
Please share a pic of the dial side of the watch.