What Is Your Best IWC Watch Delivery Story

I have two.
Before the first time I visited Schaffhausen I had ordered a GST perpetual which was to be delivered to the US. Once I had firmed up my travel plans I realized the Seller lived in Switzerland. So I arranged to have the watch delivered to my hotel. Upon arrival early in the morning my hotel room was not yet available but the watch parcel was and so I opened the box in the lobby while I waited for my room.

I also ordered my AT 2000 and delivery to my AD came while I was on a West coast trip. So I changed the delivery address to a hotel in a small town in Oregon. I only had a few days there so the shipping had to be right on time. Then I followed the package tracking. But we had to leave the hotel for some sightseeing. As we walked a few blocks from the hotel I spotted a Fed Ex truck heading the other way. I told my wife I forgot my sunglasses and ran back to get them. Sure enough the watch had just been delivered. I ripped open the box and changed watches and had a glorious day.

Anyone else?

Great stories Alan. Unfortunately I have no great stories to share, although I waited 6 months to finally get delivery of my Pilot's watch St Ex Chrono.

As for the Pisa Perpetual: I had seen it in real life in January 2009 in Schaffhausen, during dinner before we had the presentation of the new watches for 2009 just before SIHH. I immediately knew that this watch was THE WATCH for me. I kept looking for one and passed on one offered on a US forum because it was without box and papers. I regularly checked the second hand market sites and a few well known watch sites but never saw one. Almost a year ago, I saw the watch that I see as it's sibling, the white gold black dialled Zegg & Cerlati PPC for a very good price but it was sold before I could pull the trigger.

Then, just when I bought the 2003 Pilot's watch UTC Spitfire, I got word that the Pisa Perpetual was due to arrive in 2 weeks and it would become available. It came back fresh from the factory after a full service.

I still remember how exited I was and immediately reserved the watch. I went to pick it up with a good friend and I was awe-struck by the beauty of the Pisa PPC. It was obviously in great shape so I closed the deal. The date was a few weeks behind so I ever so gently set the time forward to be in the 'safe zone' and set the date with the quick-set function. It was so smooth! Then I adjusted the time, adjusted the strap length and couldn't stop looking at 'my' Pisa PPC! We had a nice chat with the seller and I was glad that I didn't have to drive home myself as I was too excited.

You all know that I like to post a few pictures of the Pisa PPC every now and then, it's such a magnificent timepiece and as a bonus it's also my most accurate watch.

Kind regards,

Clemens

I bid for a watch on dear old eBay and low and behold I got it then PayPal mucked me about due to my being a near novice on eBay I found I had to drive with the cash up north with a load of road works and speed cameras ready to catch any infringement. The seller turned out to be a forumer of long standing and at one time had a collection and a half. So we had a good chat, or gossip, and then it was the long drive home and more roadworks cameras and a police car right behind me for what seemed an eternity. So an exhausting trip and eventually we arrived home after a long day and concentrated driving avoiding speed cameras, average speed cameras and the boys in blue. And that was the story of buying my 1850 which is the watch in parts below with the gilded C8541b.

Hi Alan,

Great stories! I particularly enjoyed the second, I can completely see myself doing the exact same thing!

Cheers!

Watch delivery anticipation - a test of confounding anxiety, uneasiness, perspiration and nerves for which pre-training of the military variety should be made mandatory before anyone bids, or makes that bank transfer or paypal transaction, LOL !!

no interesting stories from me -- the most interesting I suppose was someone flying to see me to deliver a watch - so that became a mini-gtg, as that person is also an IWC collector.

Got my new divers watch on aruba,
But it wasn't there in time. So the AD flew to banaire and handed over the atch there so I still was able to dive with it.
Because I got it a few days late the AD got me some IWC items for free..
Great watch and great story
Cheers
Bas Dekkers

A watch delivery story in reverse. A couple of years ago a fellow European Forum member asked me to take delivery of a vintage IWC he purchased in the USA and bring it with me to SIHH. I was to wear the watch to Geneva and separately send the original box and papers via post.

I received his wonderful watch as planned, carefully super wrapped the package to send before I departed to Geneva. As I got to the Post Office and was about to irrevocably hand the package off to the post, I had an epiphany that perhaps I had hastily wrapped not only the packaging, but also the uninsured watch. I quickly grabbed the package from the hands of the postal employee and ran out to my car to re-open the package. Sure enough, I had not taken the watch out of its container and I was only seconds away from sending it uninsured to Europe.

Long story short, I went back home, rewrapped only the box and papers and sent them off before heading to the airport the next day to deliver the watch in person to the grateful owner who eagerly awaited it in Geneva. He got to show off his new acquisition to Herr Klaus, who had designed this particular IWC.

Sometimes, it pays to check and recheck your steps. I was able to comfortably go back to my dementia after this possible foul-up.

Cool topic. Not sure if my story rates - but it was more about the entire day, and the watch delivery was the icing. It was almost a typical Authorized Dealer pickup - being an IWC makes it a little more special.

Wednesday, December 19th, 2007. After pre-ordering my Rose Gold IWC DaVinci Perpetual Edition Kurt Klaus sight unseen 8 months previously I got the call the watch had arrived. It was late morning and my AD was conveniently located just a 1000 yards or so from my office. Dropped a conference call and I headed right over.

Back at my office at noon - I was ready to celebrate - asked the gents out for lunch, my treat. We walk into the quaint Italian cafe and wouldn't you know it - the 2007 Stanley Cup Champs, the Anaheim Ducks are there carbo-loading before a practice (having just beat the Sharks or Stars the previous night). My colleagues were in amazement of the athletic talent and celebrity packed into this small place. One of the players was a university classmate of mine - but I did not mention that to my friends - The DaVinci certainly put a spring in my step and before you knew it - I was over at their table chatting it up with Getzlaf, Pronger, Guigere, and Marchant.

My colleagues amazed at the watch - were even in more disbelief as we had lunch with the Stanley Cup champs!!

I remember calling Larry Seiden later that afternoon - my fellow hockey fan from California to tell him what a wonderful day it was...

I took this photo the next morning on the drive to the office - wondering what adventures Thursday would bring.

I was dreaming for my 5001 for months (I can't say years because the first thing I felt huge desire for, when I started with this passion 1 year and a half ago, was those Portugese sirens...).

My wife was pregnant (this was the most important by the way for those who already started to smile ;)). Anyhow, she was near to the delivery day.

The seller of my brand new 5001 was coming from Italy to Nice on Monday.
So we took appointements half way between Nice and Aix-en-Provence (my town), at 2:00PM.

Sunday evening, 23:00. My wife started to feel pain.
We went straight away to the hospital... Ok, we can skip the next 6hours chapters, but at 7:00, Monday morning, I was holding my daughter, in transit between the Moon and Mars... :)

Back from Mars around 10:00 in the morning, sleepless for more than 24 hours, I figured out my 5001 "rendez-vous". Any normal human being would have postponed this... I did not. To much of desire here...

Went home for a 20s shower, back to the car and go-go !
After 1 hour crazy drive, then 30 minutes driving around to find my man, I finally got to touch it (not the man, the watch ! ;) ).
Much-much magic on the same day, isn't it ?

2 hours later. Back to the maternity, almost looking like a living dead man, my wife asks me: "do you have it?". I answer "well, yes, that's ok, in the safe, gimme Julia !"...

The watch staid in the safe for 2 days... then, really awake, I took it out and spend 1 hour to touch it, to look at it, to adopt it... :)

This watch will always have something different comparing to the other ones.
I wish I will transmit it some day to my daughter...

A few months ago a forumer posted some photos of his 544404 Portuguese Regulater and I decided that I could not live without one. Low & behold shortly thereafter one became available on ebay, NOS all tags, box, books, warranty card, never worn and I hit it hard with BUY IT NOW! It"s the Queen of my collection!

Zyxtimer

These are exciting and thrilling! For my part, I need to acquire a few more IWC's so as to acquire some delivery stories! --Greg