Special modern pocket watches calibre 95 and 185

Today I am showing pocket watches of a new kind. The basic caliber is the c.95
which

emerged from calibers 67/68. In the 1980th there was a tendency to produce
flat movements with modern pocket watches:

The first watch I show has the caliber 95 from 1959 and has a diameter of 46
mm. The movement
height
is 32 mm (H3).

The second watch is a savonette and is even lower with a movement height of
1.85 mm. The caliber was designated as caliber 185. These watches were built
in small numbers in 1981/82. I think these movements were bought in and marked
with IWC.

Both watches were called tailcoat watches and have a wonderful and elegant
appearance.

Beautiful watches - so nice to see

Hi Mr Aeberle,

the IWC caliber 185 is derived from the Jaeger Lecoultre Ebauche 838. The
other ultra flat movement Cal. 171 was based on a ebauche form Frederic
Piguet.

A total of 5400 Movements of Cal. 185 where produced in 1971 .1976. It is
20.8mm in dialmter and 1.85 mm in height. Tickng at 18000 Bph (2.5 Hz)

br

Cromagnonman

Thank you for the interesting and useful informations about the rare c.185.
As far as I know IWC started selling the lepines/savonette (Ref. 5604/5605) in
1981, they were in the catalogue from this year. The prices were high. The
watches were further on in the price-lists uintil 1986, perhaps also 1987, I
miss this catalogue, but 1988 this watch was not in. What was the reason to
produce this small calibres?

Perhaps to offer and to sell smaller pocket watches for ladies, we don 't
know?!

I just found the original pictures from the 1981 yearbook and pricelist for
the refs. 1604 and
1605:

l

Although I'd seen it in the catalogs, I'd never seen one "in the steel" so to
speak.

the dual use of old and new logo on the pocket watch (as Schaffhausen did for
a while too, on the wrist watches in the '80's) is intresting too.

We note, (red circle below) that they were sold out!!!

This fact is very
intresting given one would imagine with so many sold, we would see more come
up for sale.

Many thanks for sharing this great information gents.

Hello Acromagnonman

Hello Wolfgang ( I think),

I doubt that 5400 pieces of cal. 185 have been built . These watches are
extremely rare. IWC estimated how many- they thought- could be sold. The
movement numbers were then reserved as consecutive numbers specifically for
the whole series and the following calbre got a 5400+ number. Unfortunately
the estimation might be wrong and much less was produced and sold. Nearly all
pocket watches from the 'revival period' suffered this fate.

Regards,

Adrian,

(alwaysiwc).

Adrian, indeed this would be a very logical explanation.

These pieces are extremely rare.

Hi Adrian,

with a diameter of 9.25 lignes this movement was mainly intended to be used in
ultra flat wristwatches. Even for a wristwatch it is quite small from my
opinion. Good writswatches use movements of 12 lines and more like tha famous
Cal. 89. ;-)

The Cal 185 is used in the ultra flat portofino Ref 2008 and Ref 2010.

The total number of 5400 pcs was surely intendet for "wrist use". That ist is
used in Pocketwatches also was new for me. I am sure that Pocketwatches
sporting calibre 185 are an absolute rare species.

br

Wolfgang

I second Wolfgang, that the Cal. 185 mainly was used in ultra slim elegant
wristwatches, so probably only very few made their way into pocket watch
cases. To add: The 185 was the base calibre for the Ref. 2050 Romana perpetual
calender as well with a calender module added to the 185. The slimmest
perpetual calender ever with a shock protection device. The 2008/2010 and the
2050 from my point of view are the most elegant wristwatches ever built by
IWC.

Regards

Th. Koenig

That's thin ... very plat !

... and very few around.

Very nice. Thanks for sharing. In terms of the ref. 5605 - what many don't
know is that there were actually very few with a completely different dial -
breguet numerals and golden hands. Here's a picture... Best, Stefan