IWC (International Watch Company) men's wristwatch. Approximately 1970.
By IWC
Located in bronshoj, DK
IWC (International Watch Company) men's wristwatch.
Category
1970 Iwc
IWC 38mm Unworn NOS Electronic Old Tuning Fork Yellow Gold
By IWC
Located in Mayfair, London, London
A mens yellow gold IWC Electronic Old Tuning Fork wristwatch. Featuring a champagne dial with applied hour markers, a date aperture and a yellow gold bezel. Fitted with a plastic gla...
Category
Vintage 1970s Swiss Wrist Watches
Materials
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
IWC Stainless Steel "Yacht Club" Automatic Date Model in New Condition, ca 1970s
By Piaget
Located in Long Beach, CA
FACTORY / HOUSE: I.W.C. (International Watch Co) STYLE / REFERENCE: Yacht Club / R810 METAL / MATERIAL: Stainless Steel CIRCA / YEAR: 1970's DIMENSIONS / SIZE: Length 43mm x Diamete...
Category
Vintage 1970s Swiss Modern Wrist Watches
Recent Sales
International Watch Company 'IWC' Disco Volante Automatic, circa 1970s
Unavailable
W 1.78 in D 0.44 in L 1.58 in
International Watch Company 'IWC' Disco Volante Automatic, circa 1970s
By IWC
Located in Montclair, NJ
IWC Disco Volante Ovoid Soft Hexagonal Stainless Steel Case, Brushed Bezel, Medium Grey Matte Dial, date window, Galuchat (stingray) strap with matching brushed steel buckle. Possibl...
Category
Vintage 1970s Swiss Modernist Wrist Watches
Materials
Stainless Steel
IWC Lady's White Gold Diamond Lapis Lazuli Dial Bracelet Wristwatch
By IWC
Located in London, GB
IWC 18k white gold and diamond lady's bracelet watch, Ref. 7556. Ultra-thin mechanical movement. Case no. 2018054. In over twenty years we have never seen such a rare and beautif...
Category
Vintage 1970s Swiss Wrist Watches
Materials
Diamond, Lapis Lazuli, 18k Gold, White Gold
1970 IWC Vintage Mens Full Size "Compressor" Square Watch - Stainless Steel
By IWC
Located in Suwanee, GA
IWC built the movement of this very fine wristwatch in 1970 at the same time they were building their famous Ingenieur line.
Category
Vintage 1970s Swiss Wrist Watches
Materials
Stainless Steel
IWC Automatic Date 'Jumbo' Wristwatch. Yellow Gold. Circa 1970.
By IWC
Located in Canterbury, England
Our very rare and attractive IWC automatic date features a ' jumbo ' case of 38mm inc IWC crown, of 18k yellow gold.
Category
Vintage 1970s Wrist Watches
Materials
Yellow Gold
IWC Vintage R2500
By IWC
Located in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire
Ref: COM1283 Manufacturer: IWC Model: Vintage Model Ref: R2500 Age: Gender: Mens Complete With: Box & Guarantee Dial: Champagne Baton Glass: Plexiglass Movement: Mechanical Wind Wat...
Category
Vintage 1970s Wrist Watches
IWC Vintage R4107
By IWC
Located in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire
Ref: COM1281 Manufacturer: IWC Model: Vintage Model Ref: R4107 Age: Gender: Ladies Complete With: Box Only Dial: White Arabic Glass: Plexiglass Movement: Mechanical Wind Water Resis...
Category
Vintage 1970s Wrist Watches
IWC Vintage Stainless Steel Ladies
By IWC
Located in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire
Ref: COM1279 Condition: 8 - Good Condition Age: 1970's Case Size: 24mm Box and Papers: Box Only Movement: Automatic Case: Stainless Steel Dial: Silver Baton Bracelet: Stainless Stee...
Category
Vintage 1970s Unknown Wrist Watches
Materials
Stainless Steel
IWC Tank Watch 18K Yellow Gold
By IWC
Located in New York, NY
Introducing the IWC 1970s Tank Manual Wind Watch, a vintage masterpiece that embodies timeless elegance and sophistication. Encased in a refined 22x30mm 18kt yellow gold rectangle ca...
Category
Vintage 1970s Swiss Retro Wrist Watches
Materials
Yellow Gold
IWC Stainless Steel Yacht Club Automatic Wristwatch
By IWC
Located in Chicago, IL
IWC Stainless Steel Yacht Club Wristwatch, circa 1970s, 43 X 36 mm, automatic movement with date, original silvered dial with raised markers, on the original IWC 3/4-inch stainless...
Category
Vintage 1970s Swiss Wrist Watches
Materials
Stainless Steel
Vintage IWC 18k Gold Diamond & Onyx Cushion Case Automatic Watch 36mm - 3278
By IWC
Located in Orlando, FL
Vintage IWC 18k Yellow Gold Watch with Onyx Inlay & Diamond Bezel – 36mm A striking and uncommon design from International Watch Co. (IWC), this vintage men’s dress watch features a...
Category
Vintage 1970s Swiss Wrist Watches
Materials
Diamond, Onyx, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
IWC Schaffhausen Oman Khanjar Wristwatch. Yellow Gold, Onyx Dial, Year 1972.
By IWC
Located in Canterbury, England
Our vintage and extremely rare IWC Schaffhausen in 18k yellow gold with integrated bracelet features an onyx dial with applied red Oman Khanjar. Likely presented as a gift from Omani...
Category
Vintage 1970s Wrist Watches
1972 IWC Vintage Mens Full Size Retro Watch, Cal. 8541B Pellaton Automatic - SS
By IWC
Located in Suwanee, GA
NAMED ONE OF WATCHPRO MAGAZINE’S “HOT 100” - THE TOP 100 INFLUENCERS OF THE U.S. WATCH INDUSTRY. HOW CAN WE SERVE YOU? We’re new to offering our carefully curated collection on 1stD...
Category
Vintage 1970s Swiss Wrist Watches
Materials
Stainless Steel
International Watch Co. yellow Gold Mesh Band Dress Manual Wind Wristwatch
By IWC
Located in Stamford, CT
Vintage mid 1970’s International Watch Co. solid 18k yellow gold mesh dress watch.
Category
Vintage 1970s Swiss Wrist Watches
Materials
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
IWC Stainless Steel Yacht Club Wristwatch Ref R811AD
By IWC
Located in Miami Beach, FL
International Watch Company, IWC Yacht Club with a blue metallic dial, date aperture, and is on an IWC stainless steel bracelet.
Category
Vintage 1970s Swiss Wrist Watches
Materials
Stainless Steel
IWC Stainless Steel Yacht Club Automatic Wristwatch
By IWC
Located in Miami Beach, FL
Beautiful International Watch Company Yacht Club in stainless steel with an automatic movement.
Category
Vintage 1970s Swiss Wrist Watches
Materials
Stainless Steel
1970's IWC Vintage Stainless Steel Wristwatch
By IWC
Located in Bishops Stortford, Hertfordshire
Vintage * *Complete with: Box Only dated 1970's *Case Size: 24mm *Strap: Stainless Steel *Age: 1970's *Strap length: Adjustable up to 18cm. Please note we can order spare links...
Category
Vintage 1970s Unknown Wrist Watches
Materials
Stainless Steel
IWC SS tonneau shaped 34 x 40mm case circa 1970's
By IWC
Located in West Hollywood, CA
IWC SS tonneau shaped 34 x 40mm case circa 1970's with screw down caseback, automatic movement with date, metallic blue dial with applied silver indexes and matching luminous hands...
Category
Vintage 1970s Swiss Wrist Watches
Materials
Stainless Steel
IWC 1970s Vintage watch ladies
By IWC
Located in Sammu shi, JP
IWC 1970s Vintage watch ladies size : case 20mm arm circumference : 14cm between 17cm movement : Hand-wound This watch from IWC (International Watch Company) was founded in Switze...
Category
Vintage 1970s Swiss Artisan Wrist Watches
Materials
Stainless Steel
IWC Classic 18k Yellow Gold Manual Watch
By IWC
Located in Surfside, FL
Vintage IWC Classic in 18k yellow gold on brown crocodile strap. Manual w/ sweep seconds. 36mm case size. Circa 1970s. Fine Pre-owned IWC Watch. Certified preowned Classic IWC Clas...
Category
Vintage 1970s Wrist Watches
Materials
Yellow Gold
Iwc Classic 18k Yellow Gold Watch Ref. 709A
By IWC
Located in Surfside, FL
Vintage IWC Classic in 18k with stainless steel case back on 18k mesh band. Auto with sweep seconds and date. 34mm case size. Fits 7.5 inches wrist. Ref 709A. Circa 1970s Fine Pre-ow...
Category
Vintage 1970s Wrist Watches
Materials
Yellow Gold
IWC Stainless Steel Aquatimer Diver's Wristwatch with Date
By IWC
Located in Munich, Bavaria
IWC Aquatimer Ref. 816 AD Rare Aquatimer Second generation of the legendary Aquatimer with inner rotating bezel Case stainless steel, screwed back, tounneau Movement cali...
Category
Vintage 1970s Swiss Wrist Watches
Materials
Stainless Steel
IWC Automatic Stainless Steel, circa 1971
By IWC
Located in West Hollywood, CA
Man’s vintage IWC automatic dress model circa 1971. Featuring large 35 x 41mm stainless steel case, with wide sloped bezel, extended straight lugs, acrylic crystal, heavy snap back c...
Category
Vintage 1970s Swiss Modern Wrist Watches
Materials
Stainless Steel
IWC Stainless Steel Shaufhaussen Automatic Wristwatch
By IWC
Located in West Hollywood, CA
IWC Stainless Steel Shaufhaussen Automatic circa 1970s. Featuring a large 36 X 40 cushion shaped case with acrylic crystal, original silver satin dial with applied silver indexes and...
Category
Vintage 1970s Swiss Wrist Watches
Materials
Stainless Steel
IWC Stainless Steel Dress Wristwatch circa 1970s
By IWC
Located in West Hollywood, CA
IWC stainless steel manual-wind dress model wristwatch, circa 1970's.
Category
Vintage 1970s Swiss Wrist Watches
Materials
Stainless Steel
IWC White Gold Da Vinci Cushion Wristwatch
By IWC
Located in Verona, IT
IWC 18k white gold Da Vinci cushion wristwatch, Ref. 2572, circa 1970s. Black dial, white hands and indexes, sapphire crystal. Manual-wind movement. Leather strap with stainless stee...
Category
Vintage 1970s Swiss Wrist Watches
Materials
White Gold
IWC CAL.8541 18 Karat Yellow Gold CAL.8541 Wristwatch
By IWC
Located in Bishops Stortford, Hertfordshire
Reference: COM1967 Manufacturer: IWC Model: Cal.8541 Model Reference: Cal.8541 Age: Circa 1970's Gender: Men's Box and Papers: Box only Dial: Champagne Baton Glass: Plexiglass Moveme...
Category
Vintage 1970s Wrist Watches
Materials
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
IWC Yacht Club Vintage R811 Men's Stainless Steel Watch
By IWC
Located in Bishops Stortford, Hertfordshire
"Xupes Reference: COM002615 Manufacturer: IWC Model: Yacht Club Model Variant: Vintage Model Number: R811 Age: 1970 Gender: Men Complete With: Xupes Presentation Box Dial: Blue Baton...
Category
Vintage 1970s Wrist Watches
Materials
Stainless Steel
IWC Yacht Club 0 1811 Men Stainless Steel 0 Watch
By IWC
Located in Bishops Stortford, Hertfordshire
"Xupes Reference: W008199 Manufacturer: IWC Model: Yacht Club Model Variant: 0 Model Number: 1811 Age: 36mm Gender: Men Complete With: Xupes Presentation Box Dial: Green Baton Glass:...
Category
Vintage 1970s Swiss Wrist Watches
Materials
Steel, Stainless Steel
IWC Shaufhaussen Automatic, circa 1970s with Signed Bracelet
By IWC
Located in West Hollywood, CA
IWC Shaufhaussen automatic circa 1970’s with removable signed heavy mesh bracelet.
Category
Vintage 1970s Swiss Retro Wrist Watches
Materials
Stainless Steel
IWC Stainless Steel Ingenieur Jumbo Wristwatch with Date
By IWC
Located in Munich, Bavaria
IWC Ingenieur Ref. 1832 SL Jumbo Case Stainless steel, screw back, screw-down crown, Antimagnetic case, 39mm Movement Automatic, date Bracelet Stainless steel bracelet...
Category
Vintage 1970s Swiss Wrist Watches
Materials
Stainless Steel
1974 IWC Vintage Yellow Gold R2500 Wristwatch
By IWC
Located in Bishops Stortford, Hertfordshire
Vintage * *Complete with: Box & Guarantee dated 1974 *Case Size: 34mm *Strap: Black Crocodile Leather *Age: 1974 *Strap length: Adjustable up to 20cm. Please note we can order ...
Category
Vintage 1970s Unknown Wrist Watches
Materials
Yellow Gold
1973 IWC Vintage Yellow Gold R4107 Wristwatch
By IWC
Located in Bishops Stortford, Hertfordshire
Vintage * *Complete with: Box Only dated 1973 *Case Size: 26mm *Strap: Black Lizard Leather *Age: 1973 *Strap length: Adjustable up to 18cm. Please note we can order spare link...
Category
Vintage 1970s Unknown Wrist Watches
Materials
Yellow Gold
IWC Stainless Steel Aquatimer Diver's Wristwatch with Date Ref 816 AD
By IWC
Located in Munich, Bavaria
IWC Aquatimer Ref. 816 AD Second generation of the legendary model with inner roating bezel Case stainless steel, screwed back Movement cal. 8541B, automatic, date Brac...
Category
Vintage 1970s Swiss Wrist Watches
Materials
Stainless Steel
1973 IWC Vintage Cal.403 Yellow Gold Wristwatch
By IWC
Located in Bishops Stortford, Hertfordshire
Vintage * *Complete with: Box Only dated 1973 *Case Size: 33.4mm *Strap: Black Leather *Age: 1973 *Strap length: Adjustable up to 18cm. Please note we can order spare links and...
Category
Vintage 1970s Unknown Wrist Watches
Materials
Yellow Gold
IWC Yacht Club C.8541B 5 Adjust Men's Stainless Steel Watch
By IWC
Located in Bishops Stortford, Hertfordshire
Xupes Reference: COM002623 Manufacturer: IWC Model: Yacht Club Model Variant: 0 Model Number: C.8541B 5 Adjust Age: 1970 Gender: Men Complete With: IWC Box Dial: Silver Baton Glass: ...
Category
Vintage 1970s Unknown Wrist Watches
Materials
Stainless Steel
IWC Yacht Club C.8541B 5 Adjust Men's Stainless Steel Watch
By IWC
Located in Bishops Stortford, Hertfordshire
Xupes Reference: COM002623 Manufacturer: IWC Model: Yacht Club Model Variant: 0 Model Number: C.8541B 5 Adjust Age: 1970 Gender: Men Complete With: IWC Box Dial: Silver Baton Glass: ...
Category
Vintage 1970s Unknown Wrist Watches
Materials
Stainless Steel
IWC Yacht Club R811 A, Silver Dial, Certified and Warranty
By IWC
Located in Miami, FL
IWC Yacht Club Reference #: R811 A . Mens Automatic Self Wind Watch Stainless Steel Silver 36 MM. Verified and Certified by WatchFacts. 1 year warranty offered by WatchFacts.
Category
Vintage 1970s Swiss Contemporary Wrist Watches
IWC Vintage Chronometer 5 Adjust Stainless Steel C8541B Wristwatch
By IWC
Located in Bishops Stortford, Hertfordshire
Ref: COM2125 Manufacturer: IWC Model: Vintage Model Ref: C8541B Age: Circa 1970's Gender: Mens Complete With: Original IWC Box Only Dial: Silver Baton Glass: Plexiglass Movement: Aut...
Category
Vintage 1970s Swiss Wrist Watches
Materials
Stainless Steel
1972 IWC Vintage Yellow Gold C.88 Wristwatch
By IWC
Located in Bishops Stortford, Hertfordshire
Vintage * *Complete with: Xupes Presentation Box dated 1972 *Case Size: 34mm *Strap: Brown Leather *Age: 1972 *Strap length: Adjustable up to 20cm. Please note we can order spa...
Category
Vintage 1970s Unknown Wrist Watches
Materials
Yellow Gold
IWC Yellow Gold Stainless Steel Automatic Yacht Club II Bracelet Wristwatch
By IWC
Located in Chicago, IL
IWC, International Watch Company Schaffhausen, 14K yellow gold and steel Yacht Club II bracelet watch, sweep second hand, black dial, date window, with stick markers. 2 year warran...
Category
Vintage 1970s Swiss Contemporary Wrist Watches
Materials
14k Gold, Stainless Steel
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Rolex Steel Oysterdate with Factory Original Dial with Gold Baton Markers 1970's
By Rolex
Located in Long Beach, CA
FACTORY / HOUSE: Rolex Watch Company STYLE / REFERENCE: Oysterdate / Reference 6694 METAL / MATERIAL: Stainless Steel CIRCA / YEAR: 1970's DIMENSIONS / SIZE: Length 41mm X Diameter 3...
Category
Vintage 1970s Swiss Modern Wrist Watches
Materials
Stainless Steel
Cartier Audemars Piguet 1970s Yellow Gold Tank Mechanical mid size Wrist Watch
By Cartier
Located in Chicago, IL
Circa 1970 Cartier classic Tank Wrist Watch, 20 x 20 M.M. 18k Yellow Gold 2 Piece case, Sapphire crown. 20 Jewel, Audemars Piguet Manual wind, Nickle Lever movement. White Enamel Dia...
Category
Vintage 1970s Swiss Wrist Watches
Materials
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Patek Philippe Round Crystal Dial Leather Strap Wristwatch in Yellow Gold
By Patek Philippe
Located in New York, NY
A classic Patek Philippe wristwatch, featuring a round dial covered in crystal with hours and hands represented by yellow gold lines. Case and case back are made of 18K yellow gold. ...
Category
Mid-20th Century Swiss Contemporary Wrist Watches
Materials
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Rolex Datejust 18kt Yellow Gold/Stainless Steel Mens Watch
By Rolex
Located in New York, NY
Mens Rolex- Datejust Date: 1972 36 mm Preowned Reference: 1600 18kt yellow and stainless steel
Category
Vintage 1970s Wrist Watches
Materials
Yellow Gold, Stainless Steel
Tissot PRS 516 Chronograph Steel Black Dial Quartz Mens Watch T100.417.36.051.00
$460Sale Price / item|20% Off
Tissot PRS 516 Chronograph Steel Black Dial Quartz Mens Watch T100.417.36.051.00
By Tissot
Located in New York, NY
New with Defects. Original Box and Papers are Included. This Watch Covered by 1-year Chronostore Warranty. Details: MSRP 695.00 Brand Tissot Type Wristwatch Department Men Model Num...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Swiss Wrist Watches
Omega Stainless Steel Wristwatch, Manual Winding, Cal 30T2
By Omega
Located in Antwerp, BE
Omega Stainless Steel wristwatch, Manual Winding, Diameter 32.5 mm, Reference 2390/5 Functions: Hour, minutes, Subsidiary seconds Movement: Mechanical Manual Winding, Caliber 30 T2...
Category
20th Century Artisan Wrist Watches
Materials
Steel, Stainless Steel
CARTIER Paris 1970 Automatic Large Ceinture Wristwatch In 18 Kt Yellow Gold
$21,500
H 1.18 in W 1.22 in Dm 9 in L 9 in
CARTIER Paris 1970 Automatic Large Ceinture Wristwatch In 18 Kt Yellow Gold
By Cartier
Located in Miami, FL
An automatique Ceinture large wrist-watch designed by Cartier. This is the rare large model of the Ceinture automatique wristwatch, created in Paris France by the jewelry house of C...
Category
Vintage 1970s French Modernist Wrist Watches
Materials
Gold, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold
Vintage Breitling 17 Jewel Rubis Manual 1950s 34mm Watch 633
By Breitling
Located in Port Charlotte, FL
Vintage Band Material: Stainless steel Materials: Gold Power: Mechanical Readout: Analog Breitling Wristwatch. 1950s Vintage men's Stainless steel case. 17 Rubis Jewel Mechanical ...
Category
Vintage 1950s Wrist Watches
Vintage Jaeger-LeCoultre Watch, c.1950s
By Jaeger-LeCoultre
Located in London, GB
This Vintage dress watch comes from the master horologists at Jaeger-LeCoultre, The 14 carat rose gold case is 35mm in diameter and holds a manual winding movement. The patina on the...
Category
Vintage 1950s Unknown Wrist Watches
Omega Stainless Steel Constellation Original Dial Automatic Watch
By Omega
Located in Long Beach, CA
FACTORY / HOUSE: Omega Watch Company STYLE / REFERENCE: Round Constellation Chronometer METAL / MATERIAL: Stainless Steel DIMENSIONS: Length 43mm X Diameter 34mm CIRCA: 1950's MOV...
Category
Vintage 1950s Swiss Art Deco Wrist Watches
Rolex Vintage 28mm 18k Yellow-Rose Gold Diamonds w Oyster Perpetual Band 1970's
$14,981Sale Price|25% Off
H 0.44 in W 1.11 in Dm 1.11 in
Rolex Vintage 28mm 18k Yellow-Rose Gold Diamonds w Oyster Perpetual Band 1970's
By Rolex
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Rolex Vintage 28mm 18k Yellow-Rose Gold and Diamonds on the Numbers with an Oyster Band Creator: Rolex 2416631 , 6627 Design: Oyster Perpetual Case Material: 18kYellow-Rose Gold S...
Category
Vintage 1970s Swiss Contemporary Wrist Watches
Materials
Diamond, 18k Gold, Rose Gold, Yellow Gold
Men's Oris Stainless Steel Swiss Automatic Chronograph Exhibition Wrist Watch
Located in Mount Kisco, NY
Enjoy the impressive chronograph dial of this Men's Oris 690 Stainless Steel Artelier Worldtimer Swiss 38mm Automatic Chronograph Wrist Watch. With exhibition case back, you can vie...
Category
Early 2000s Swiss Wrist Watches
Materials
Stainless Steel, Steel
34mm Stainless Steel Tudor Prince Oysterdate
By Tudor
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Further details on this Tudor Prince Oysterdate – Used (Good) Details Basic Info Brand Tudor Model Prince Oysterdate Movement Quartz Case material Steel Bracelet material Steel Year ...
Category
Vintage 1980s Swiss Contemporary Wrist Watches
Materials
Stainless Steel
Vintage Omega De Ville 1365 Gold Plated Dress Watch
By Omega
Located in Toronto, CA
Brand: Omega Model: De Ville Reference Number: 1365 Features: Gold Plated-Golden Dial Country Of Manufacture: Switzerland Movement: Quartz Case Material: Gold Plated- Stainless...
Category
Vintage 1980s Swiss Wrist Watches
Materials
Gold Plate
Waltham Fontomatic Men's Wrist Watch w Date
By Waltham Watch Company
Located in Mount Kisco, NY
In its period and considered modernist style circa late 1950's, this 33mm vintage Waltham Men's Wrist Watch presents a sleek look with a black face,contrasting gold-toned spear hands...
Category
Vintage 1960s American Wrist Watches
Materials
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Oris Artelier Steel Silver Limited Edition Automatic Mens Watch 690 7690 4081
$2,255Sale Price|20% Off
Oris Artelier Steel Silver Limited Edition Automatic Mens Watch 690 7690 4081
By Oris
Located in New York, NY
This display model Oris Artelier 01 690 7690 4081-07 8 22 77 is a beautiful men's timepiece that is powered by mechanical (automatic) movement which is cased in a stainless steel cas...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Swiss Wrist Watches
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1970 Iwc For Sale on 1stDibs
Find the exact 1970 iwc you’re shopping for in the variety available on 1stDibs. Every item for sale was constructed with extraordinary care, often using Stainless Steel, Gold and Yellow Gold. Finding a 1970 iwc for sale for men should be easy, but there are 7 pieces available to browse for unisex as well as women, too.
How Much is a 1970 Iwc?
Prices for a 1970 iwc can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — at 1stDibs, these accessories begin at $2,116 and can go as high as $7,637, while this accessory, on average, fetches $4,200.
IWC for sale on 1stDibs
One of Switzerland’s major luxury watch companies was started by an American who saw the potential of bringing Switzerland’s superb watchmaking into the modern age through industrialized manufacturing and high-precision interchangeable parts. The New Hampshire–born watchmaker Florentine Ariosto Jones (1841–1916), who founded International Watch Company — known today as simply IWC — in 1868, was interested in “combining all the excellence of the American system of mechanism with the more skillful hand labor of the Swiss.”
Setting up the company with another American watchmaker, Charles Kidder, in Schaffhausen, Switzerland, Jones used hydropower from the River Rhine for his plant’s machinery. Rethinking watch design would lead to one of IWC’s early successes: the Pallweber pocket watch. Based on an 1883 patent by Austrian watchmaker Josef Pallweber, the watch employed numbered disks for jumping hour and minute displays, making it a pioneer in digital timekeeping.
After Johann Rauschenbach-Vogel took over the watch manufacturer in 1880, four generations of his family led IWC into the 20th century. In 1905, Ernst Jakob Homberger and his brother-in-law Carl Jung — the famed Swiss psychiatrist — acquired IWC. Homberger bought out Jung’s holdings in 1929, and in the 1930s, the company introduced pilot watches, which were particularly robust and aimed solely at the civil aviation industry. These durable wristwatches were designed specifically to remain operational during extreme temperature shifts. (As blue watch dials are particularly hot right now, IWC's blue-dial Big Pilot is having a moment.)
The company still operates alongside the river where it was founded, having gained an international reputation over the past 150 years for its elegant designs and expert craftsmanship. Vintage IWC watches are prized by collectors — of whom there are many these days — and while the company continues to guard its attention to detail and quality, it has pushed its classic designs forward with modern innovation intended to stand the test of time.
IWC’s 2013 Ingenieur watch collection, with its precision based on an inventive constant-force mechanism, looked back to a 1955 Ingenieur model that featured a durable soft-iron inner cage as well as a 1976 update by leading Swiss watch designer Gérald Genta that encased its mechanism in a sleek steel case. IWC has also had a recent push toward sustainability, designing watches that are made to last a lifetime and beyond and earning the highest environmental ranking of any Swiss watch company in a 2018 report published by the World Wide Fund for Nature Switzerland (WWF).
Find vintage IWC wristwatches, Art Deco–style pocket watches and more on 1stDibs.
Finding the Right Wrist-watches for You
Antique, vintage and luxury wristwatches have captured the hearts and minds of all manner of watch collectors as well as the watchmakers themselves — it's time you found your own.
Certain vintage watches for men and iconic watch designs for women are sought after not only because of their graceful proportions or innovative materials but also because of the illustrious histories of the houses that created them, histories that they stylishly embody.
Bulgari’s legendary Serpenti watch was on everyone’s list after the collection’s bold bracelet, which technically debuted after the timepiece, graced the wrist of actress Elizabeth Taylor. If anything, elaborately crafted timepieces — the unmistakably boxy silhouette of Cartier Tank watches, the elegant and minimal Calatrava designed by legendary Swiss house Patek Philippe — are even more effective than the shape we associate with traditional wristwatches.
Form watches — the all-encompassing moniker bestowed upon non-round watches — are making headlines and completing contemporary fashionable ensembles the world over. At the same time, both casual fans and careful collectors are drawn to the unbeatable charm of vintage styles, such as the icons designed by Omega that even James Bond can’t resist.
In the early days of watchmaking, watches were fragile enough that they necessitated protection from the elements. Now, wristwatches made of gold and steel can withstand the harshest climates — even 100 meters underwater, in the case of Rolex’s Submariner. Designer Gérald Genta, whose range of clients included Rolex, created for Audemars Piguet the first luxury sports timepiece to be made from stainless steel. First introduced in 1972, the Royal Oak was a perfect choice for blending the form and function that are now synonymous with sports watches.
Are you shopping for a wristwatch? It’s good to keep your needs as well as your specific personal style in mind: A smaller, subtle timepiece is a good fit for small wrists. When will you be wearing your new accessory? There’s a versatile model out there for everyday wear, while a rugged, feature-heavy watch is a safe bet if you’re prone to embarking on all-weather activities in the great outdoors.
Find antique, vintage and luxury wristwatches for sale on 1stDibs.