International Watch Company Gold Keyless Lever Open Face Pocket Watch C1920S
About the Item
- Creator:
- Case Material:
- Case Shape:Round
- Movement:
- Case Dimensions:Diameter: 1.89 in (48 mm)
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1920s
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:London, GB
- Reference Number:
IWC
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.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: London, United Kingdom
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 7 days of delivery.
- Vacheron Constantin Gold Keyless Lever Open Face Pocket Watch C1920sBy Vacheron ConstantinLocated in London, GBVacheron Constantin. A 18ct Yellow Gold Keyless Lever Open face Pocket Watch C1920s Dial: The fully signed Vacheron & Constantin Geneve- Suisse silver satin finished dial with gold Breguet...Category
Vintage 1920s Swiss Pocket Watches
Materials18k Gold, Yellow Gold
- Asprey 18ct Two Gold Art Deco Keyless Lever Open Face Dress Pocket Watch, C1920sBy AspreyLocated in London, GBAsprey. AN 18ct Two Colour Gold Art Deco Keyless Lever Open Face Dress Pocket Watch C1920s Dial: The silver satin finished dial signed Asprey, raised gold Arabic numerals and engine...Category
Vintage 1920s English Art Deco Pocket Watches
Materials18k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
- Antique Rolex Gold Plated Keyless Lever Half Hunter Pocket Watch C1920sBy RolexLocated in London, GBRolex. A Rose Gold Plated Keyless Lever Half Hunter Pocket Watch C1920s. Dial: The excellent white enamel dial with Arabic numerals outer minute track and subsidiary seconds dial at...Category
Vintage 1920s Swiss Pocket Watches
MaterialsGold Plate
- Rare Vacheron Constantin 18ct Gold Keyless Lever Open Face Pocket Watch C 1920sBy Vacheron ConstantinLocated in London, GBVacheron & Constantin. A Rare 18ct Gold Keyless Lever Open Face Pocket Watch C1920s. Dial: The perfect white enamel dial fully signed Vacheron & Constantin Genève with unusual Breguet style numerals and matching Gilt metal Breguet style moon hands. Case: The heavy 18ct yellow gold case with polished case back, hand set at eleven o'clock opening to reveal the inner case back which is engraved Vacheron & Constantin Genève Specially made for a retailer Martin Halbkram in Vienna. The cases are all Swiss hallmarked, numbered and signed. Movement: The keyless lever gilt metal movement fully signed and jewelled with unusual regulation for the slow fast set. compensation balance and Breguet overcoil hairspring. Martin Halbkram was a prominent watchmaker based in Vienna (Wien) who opened an exclusive boutique supplying unusual and rare pocket watches to his clientele. This watch is rare as the design is based on an A.Lange & Sohne pocket watch...Category
Vintage 1920s Swiss Pocket Watches
MaterialsGold, 18k Gold
- Longines Rose Gold Open Face Keyless Lever Gentleman's Dress pocket Watch C1920By LonginesLocated in London, GBLongines 18ct Rose Gold Open Face Keyless Lever Gentleman's Dress Pocket Watch C1920. Dial: The beautiful original silver dial fully signed Longines with rose gold markers, Arabic n...Category
20th Century Swiss Pocket Watches
Materials18k Gold, Rose Gold
- A. Lange & Sohne Glashutte Dresden Keyless Lever Full Hunter Pocket Watch C1920sBy A. Lange & SöhneLocated in London, GBA. Lange & Sohne. A heavy 18ct yellow gold keyless lever, full hunter pocket watch, C1920s. Dial: The excellent white enamel Arabic Dial fully signed A. Lange & Sohne Glashutte with...Category
Early 20th Century German Pocket Watches
Materials18k Gold, Yellow Gold
- I.W.C. International Watch Company Art Deco Open Faced Pocket Watch, circa 1930sBy IWCLocated in Long Beach, CAFACTORY / HOUSE: International Watch Company, Schaffhausen STYLE / REFERENCE: Art Deco / Open Faced Pocket Watch METAL / MATERIAL: 14kt Solid Gold CIRCA / YEAR: 1930's DIMENSIONS / SIZE: Diameter 47mm MOVEMENT / CALIBER: Manual Winding / 17 Jewels DIAL / HANDS: Original Silvered with Kiln Fired Enamel Breguet Numerals / Blued Steel Hands WARRANTY: 18 months on the movement LIFETIME SERVICE COMMITMENT This great looking hand made watch was produced by the legendary house of International Watch Company, based in Schaffhausen Switzerland. The firm is still in business today and makes spectacular watches. This piece, done in the art deco style is in nearly new condition and it comes with a pocket...Category
Vintage 1930s Swiss Art Deco Pocket Watches
- Vacheron Constantin, a Fine and Large Yellow Gold Open Face Keyless Pocket WatchBy Vacheron ConstantinLocated in Firenze, ITSHIPPING POLICY: No additional costs will be added to this order. Shipping costs will be totally covered by the seller (customs duties included). Model: "Chronometre Royal" Movement...Category
Vintage 1910s Swiss Art Nouveau Pocket Watches
Materials18k Gold, Yellow Gold
- Vintage International Watch Company Yellow Gold Pocket WatchBy IWCLocated in Stamford, CTOriginal 1940's IWC open face manual wind solid 14k yellow gold pocket watch Length: 62mm Width: 51.75mm Case thickness: 10.75mm Dial: Gold Inside case: 585 14k IWC 1013226 149 Move...Category
Early 20th Century Pocket Watches
MaterialsGold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
- International Watch Company Gold Hunting Case Pocket WatchBy IWCLocated in Stamford, CTEngraved thin mens 18k yellow gold hunting case IWC pocket watch. 10 jewel quartz IWC movement Length: 42.40mm Width: 42.51mm Case thickness: 8.23mm Crystal: plastic Dial: gold Inside case: IWC 18k...Category
Late 20th Century Pocket Watches
MaterialsYellow Gold, Gold, 18k Gold
- I.W.C International Watch Company Yellow Gold Pocket Watch, 1930sBy IWCLocated in Long Beach, CAFACTORY / HOUSE: I.W.C International Watch Company STYLE / REFERENCE: Pocket Watch / Opened Face METAL / MATERIAL: 14 Kt Yellow Gold DIMENSIONS: Diameter 50mm CIRCA: 1930's MOVEM...Category
Mid-20th Century Swiss Art Deco Pocket Watches
- C.H. Meylan 18K Gold Keyless Lever Minute Repeater Pocket Watch Circa 1890'sBy C.H. MeylanLocated in Laguna Beach, CAC.H. Meylan 18K Gold Keyless Lever Minute Repeater Half Hunter Pocket Watch Circa 1890's Dial: The white enamel dial with Arabic numerals, and minutes in red, the sub dial for the s...Category
Antique 1890s Swiss Post-War Pocket Watches
Materials18k Gold