What is this?

Hello everyone. I haven,t posted here in a long time, but have been following what's been going on closely.

I was wondering if anybody could tell me a little about this watch...

Many thanks, and kind regards

James

Can you post a photo of the movement and

perhaps inside caseback?

It should be a cal. 852 or 853 automatic....

...It wouldn't be anything unique or distinctive --just a dial variation (assuming the dial is original --I'd need a closer shot to tell). Judging by the crown and strap size, it looks a little on the small size --perhaps 33mm-- which would tend to make it a little older and perhaps, due to its size, slightly less in demand.

You might identify it by looking through vinttage cataloges, especially the 1957 one or the 1963 one, at my pages which are linked below.

Click here for Vintage Catalog Project

short odds on it being a ref .....

....1818, housing a c.854. The execution of the dial would tally with it arriving sometime in the early seventies, though if it arrived a decade 'later' i would not be the least suprised. Nice lot.

I forgot ('what am i like')....

....it's a great size James to avoid smashing into all manner of everyday worldly objects..which is definately not the way forward (unless of course you happen to be over keen on making internet posts about how you smashed a large fat watch into the coffee table).

You're about 80% right....

Your are right --it most likely houses a Calibre 854 and is later.

But it wouldn't be a Ref. 1818, but rather most likely a Ref. 1918. The 1818 had a date and used the Cal. 8541. See, for example, this catalog page:
www.iwcforum.com/Catalogs/1972/0000021.jpg
The 18xx series all were with date, and the corresponding 19xx number were without.

On the other hand, this dial well could be a variation of the 1918, if not a marriage. For example, this dial was also used in another reference from this same 1972 catalog:
www.iwcforum.com/Catalogs/1972/0000032.jpg

Regards,
Michael

Many thanks to all of you.

I'll get looking through the catalogues.

James