Watch identification and help with what to restore or clean

Hi - I came across a watch in my mother's jewelry box last year after she passed away. I finally looked into it a bit yesterday and it appears to be more than I thought it was. From what I have read online it looks like a Ingenieur 666 - 8531 ? Sorry, I do not know all the names and references. I do know the band is a Gay Freres signed band. The watch face is neither black nor white. It is more like a gold kind of colour with a gold coloured rim and numbers. So I would love to know a bit more about the type of model and also what to do next. My husband, an avid watch collector would love to keep it, but I'm pretty sure my sister and I will sell it. So if we take it in to be looked at, how much should we have done with it? Should it be cleaned, polished, etc? Or should it be left completely alone? My husband did gently clean the band as it was absolutely filthy. Should we have it restored to run? Hope this is making sense. I'm not much of a watch person myself. This watch has sat on my desk for a year doing nothing as I just thought it was an old Seiko type watch or something. Also, I would be interested to know what would be the best route to take to sell it. I would prefer to avoid fleabay if possible. If that can't be discussed on this forum, I understand.

Here are some pictures - hope this works.

[](s612.photobucket.com/user/koolforkatz/media/Watches/IMG_0414.jpg.html)

[](s612.photobucket.com/user/koolforkatz/media/Watches/IMG_0410.jpg.html)

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What a find!! The watch certainly does appear to a Reference 666 Ingenieur with Caliber 8531 movement which will date it to 1958-1963. But we will need to see a pic of the inside caseback to confirm.

This watch is valuable but we cannot discuss values or how to sell watches here. I would recommend a new crystal and a COR (Clean Oil Regulate) service by a competent watchmaker or a trip to an IWC Authorised Dealer for an overhaul. I would not clean or restore it by inexperienced workshops though. Most of the charm here is due to its originality. This would be an ideal gift to your husband to remember your mother or other relative that it may have belonged to. If you decide to keep it, it might be worth sending to Schaffhausen for restauration, but this will be very costly. Or you could sell it, that's your choice.

I will say that the watch will remain more valuable in its original, untouched state. Just serviced, with a new crystal.

Wow, thank you! Is there anything in particular that makes it so valuable or is it just the condition of the watch? Also, would you guess the dial, or rather the numbers, rim hands are gold or is it just gold colouring? I only ask because I haven't seen pics of these watches with steel cases and then just a bit of gold on the dial (face ?).

I will get my husband to take pics as mentioned. And I will definitely take the route you suggested and not do much with the watch. Thanks you so much for that.

We will likely just end up selling the watch. The sad thing is I know none of its provenance. It wasn't even my mother's so there is no sentimental value. I believe it belonged to a boyfriend of hers who we unfortunately have lost touch with. I suspect he also passed on in the last couple of years.