Hello all,
I got the sapphire glass on my IWC 3072 scratched.
Since sapphire cannot be polished safely, can anyone recommend a source for a replacement?
I've searched the internet for a catalogue entry, but could not find anything for this model from the 80s.
Any help is much appreciated,
Lupino
Hi Lupino,
that will be a more difficult exercise. The IWC Factory surely will be able to replace the sapphire crystal. The will do it together with a full service, which has its price. However, the watch will appear as good as new afterwards.
Are you sure that the scrached glass is made of sapphire? I assume that the glass is flat, which makes it easier to find a replacement.
When replacing a sapphire glas, a spectacle shop has been helpful to me in the past. These shops can grind glass into any shape.
good luck
Cromagnonman
Hi Chromagnon,
Thx for your insight and advice. I am going on the premise that this is sapphire, based on the original IWC catalog entry. I am not the original owner and don’t have the service history, so there is a possibility that it was replaced with different glass prior to me having it. The thing about this watch is that I found it impossible to track down the part number, this could be a standard piece of glass that is available somewhere, but there is little info to go by. Another forum member mentioned 3 years ago that he had his replaced on the same model in gold, but I’m yet to receive a reply from him on how he did it.
I will get in touch with IWC. Hope they can give an estimate without having to send in the watch.
Much appreciated,
Lupino
Hi Lupino,
one more thing to mention, if the glass is round, it is of course much easier to find than a shaped one. I cannot judeg from the picture if your watch has a round crystal. If it is round, a free watchmaker should be able to source it.
br
Cromagnonman
Yes, it’s an “oval”, your advice to consult a spectacle shop is on point.
Thx,
Lupino
Could be a replacement dial lupino ( a sending to schaffhausen could possibly fix two problems)
Thx Catherine,
Not sure I understand your comment about the replacement dial.
Appreciated,
Lupino
I feel almost certain your watch didnt leave the factory with the dial that is now showing...if you send the watch in for a glass you may well be able to flop on an official original.
Thx Catherine, my knowledge of this model is very limited, certainly well below yours. Would you be willing to share what you believe the original dial was on this watch? I’ve compared it to pictures of the same watch available on the net, and see two black dial versions, one with the old abbreviated IWC logo and one with the full name spelled out like mine. I also understand that both black and white date wheels were used on this model with the black dial. But I have never seen another 3072 in the flesh, and online sources are definitely limited.
Much appreciated,
Lupino
Hello Lupino...ive little wish to strip down what makes a redial, i'm afraid. This site and others like it is littered with snoopers on the periphery of the watch industry looking for heads up in how to deceive.
The script signature from this genta-esque era was of a certain delicacy regardless of applied or printed iwc insignia or simply signed by script...your offering doesnt follow this script and is so poor i'd guestimate could'nt possibly be a service replacment.
That said ^ if a redone dial doesnt bother you then fine youve still got the opticians route...if it does bother you then the schaffhausen route becomes an option, they'll no doubt tell you why the dial couldnt possibly be one of theirs.
Be lucky.
You are absolutely right, and once one sees it, it is remarkably obvious. The applied font on my, what is clearly a redial of some sort, is all over the place. I like how you put it, lacks delicacy, because that’s exactly what it is.
This definitely puts me on a route of sending it to IWC for a proper overhaul. Thank you for your insight.
Lupino