• 15 May 2020, 5:39 p.m.

    As some of you know, I am collecting pocketwatches, IWC only.

    Far from saying that my collection is a museum collection but I am proud to
    have found some nice and rare pieces over time.

    Some of the pocketwatches are common, easy to find on the market, sometimes in
    better condition than mine, but some I have are gems.

    So in these crazy times, as the museum in Schaffhausen is closed, why not open
    one here on the forum.

    As long as the museum is closed, I will post here daily a pocketwatch from my
    collection.

    I hope I don't run out of pieces before the virus is beaten. Fingers crossed
    for all of us.

    I will post them in a random order, with some comments, feel free to join.

    Keep safe all.

    DAY 55, cal 73, the color of gold

    The color of money was a movie mid 1980's with Tom Cruise and Paul Newman.
    There is a watch that Paul Newman owned and wore during filming that became a
    type name for that model. Tom Cruise wearing a Mark XV during the film Vanilla
    Sky has not yet that status that we speak of the Pilot Tom Cruise model.

    All this to come to the tilte of today, the color of gold ; well that was what
    came in my mind looking at the watch, everything on this calibre 73 from 1929
    has the color of gold, The 14K case, the dial , the hands, the numerals, the
    movement ... all the warm color of gold.

    I remember hesitating to buy this watch, I had already 8 cal 73's in my
    collection, do I really need another one ? I believe many collectors come in
    that kind of situation from time to time... But then the Uhrenvirus kicks in
    and you find many reasons why you should buy it, that special caseback, these
    special hands, these very special numerals... And so, here is number 9 .

    look at the special 11

  • Master
    15 May 2020, 5:43 p.m.

    This post dedicated tonight to my friend Derick Burger - simply because it
    carries his initials
    .

    I do so like these so called finger bridge movements, and I have a number of
    pocket watches in my collection fitted with finger bridge movements.

    The Watch

    The watch I choose to share with yourselves today to compliment Tonny's Calibe
    73, is not all golden. It is however, a stunning example of the magnificence
    of the goldsmiths skills aroung 100 years ago - and how they managed to
    produce such works of art.

    In this case in a 14k rose gold (where Tonny's watch is yellow gold) case.
    Having said that, it still carries it's original solid gold bow (which is
    hallmarked just to the left of the crown stem). I particuarly like the oval
    shape of this bow - which tapers at it's trailing edges into the crown stem.

    As can be seen, the watch has blued steel hands against a pure black and white
    enamel dial.

    The Case back is absolutely stunning with a radial sunburst patern and as my
    dedication suggests carries a cartouche for engraving - in this case engraved
    with the letter D B.

    The inner side of that immaculate outside cover, carries the swiss 14K gold
    hallmarks and bears proudly the PROBUS SCAFUSIA emblem.

    The inner dust cover is as is typical for these watches, not of gold - but
    some other metal which is gold plated.
    In credit to IWC they clearly marked this with the words METAL so that any
    eventual buyer, would not be fooled into thinking it is pure gold. Note the
    embossed word METAL underneath the Internationa Watch Co. Schaffhausen
    engraving.

    The watch was found in Vienna, and came in a leather pouch which is not
    original to IWC.

    However, as we see below in the extract from the archives the watch was sold
    some 93 years ago on the 22nd of April 1927 to a wholesaler in Prague.

    (serial numbers edited out to protect the innocent)

    And of course, not to leave out the magnificent Cal. 73 movement which is all
    of 4mm in height.

    So a timepiece not as elaborately decorated as that of Tonny's - but certainly
    very classic in it's case design and with an amazing splash of golden sunrise
    on the case back. One of my favourites.

  • Master
    15 May 2020, 6:32 p.m.

    Two stunningly beautiful watches from Master Collectors

  • Apprentice
    15 May 2020, 6:43 p.m.

    Even I post it in a different thread, I want to show you more photos of this
    beautiful IWC cal 73 pocket watch that I got two weeks
    ago

  • Master
    15 May 2020, 6:53 p.m.

    ADELBARAN, another absolutely stunning timepiece.

    Which has too, a very nice dial layout too.

    Many thanks for sharing this grand chronometer of a pocketwatch with us.

  • Master
    15 May 2020, 8:09 p.m.

    When I saw the
    dial of Mark's cal. 73, thought to have a watch with exactly the same dial and
    hands. I showed it a little while ago as glass ball cal.67 table clock.
    Knowing the eye for details of Mark , I looked once again, to be sure. and it
    is not the same. Find the differences please...

    Adrian,

    (alwaysiwc).

  • Master
    15 May 2020, 8:13 p.m.

    It's close ... but not close enough :-)

  • Apprentice
    15 May 2020, 8:13 p.m.

    Thank you Mark. Unfortunetly, those photos can't describe how beautiful is
    this little pocket watch. I've always wanted to have a finger bridge movement
    from IWC, a cal 65 or the little ones, cal 73 and 74. All those Art Deco
    pocket watches from IWC are stunning works of art.

    Best regards, Cristian

  • 15 May 2020, 8:17 p.m.

    Nice cal 73 Christian, now lloking at your cal 73 with a steel case, I haven't
    seen many of the cal 73's in steel cases. I have some on gold and in silver
    cases, but not in a steel case.

  • Master
    15 May 2020, 8:23 p.m.

    Tonny, do you really need another cal 73?

    Yes....you need one with a steel case!

    Adrian,

    (alwaysiwc)

  • Apprentice
    15 May 2020, 8:26 p.m.

    Thank you Tonny. Adrian, indeed ;)))

  • Apprentice
    15 May 2020, 9:28 p.m.

    This beauty was sold a few months a go on Chrono24. I only got that picture.
    It was a cal 73 in a Art Deco case, The dial is stunning. I want to show you
    that watch because I was (and still I am) in love with it. But the price was
    to high for me at that time. Hope you enjoy it

  • Master
    16 May 2020, 4:40 a.m.

    Some really beautiful watches here and a good opportunity to show off a nice
    cal 73 of my own.

  • Apprentice
    16 May 2020, 5:35 a.m.

    Ben, is not nice, is wonderfull. Thank you for showing us this beautiful
    piece. Regards, Cristian

  • Master
    16 May 2020, 7:53 a.m.

    Magnificent pieces!

    /Anders

  • Master
    16 May 2020, 8:43 a.m.

    Ben, another super example of Probus Scafusia !