1960s International Watch Company, Emerald and Diamond Platinum Concealed Watch

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1960s International Watch Company, Emerald and Diamond Platinum Concealed Watch

About the Item

The Present watch is a very rare post world war two Platinum, Emerald and Diamond set concealed bracelet watch by the timepiece firm, IWC. The present watch is signed on the dial and movement & serial numbered on the reverse side of the case, respectively. The bracelet watch is also in complete perfect working condition and has been recently serviced and tested for accuracy by our in-house technicians. There is no damage to the outer case or signs of wear, as well as, sharp signatures throughout which indicate excellent preservation & very little use by its original over the years. Specific Measurements The present watch case measures from top to bottom at 32mm and from left to right 28mm and swings open to reveal a 15mm by 15mm dial and fits approximately 165mm wrist size. The Emerald and Diamond Concealed Gemstone creation is dramatically designed with a cluster cover and set with eleven pear shaped emeralds reaching approximately 6.0 carats in good medium and dark green Emeralds and six marquise cut diamonds, which are approximately .60 carats. The Bracelet is set with 53 marquis cut diamonds reaching approximately 5.50 carats of Diamond and approximately 53 marquis cut Emeralds, weighing approximately 5.0 carats of Emerald and one full cut diamond weighing approximately .6 Specific attention to detail to create this special order timepiece is demonstrated by the firm’s use of platinum which was considered in short supply during this timeframe and only reserved for firms important clients as this design was not mass produced by the firm. The The alternating pattern of diamond emerald along the bracelet is magnificent and completely what one would expect from one of IWC's finest creations. The ladies platinum two row prong set design bracelet with center prong set cluster design on hidden hinge opening required a master level of workmanship to produce as setting large uniquely shaped stones takes a well thought out and delicately designed setting to hold each stone at the desired proportions and depths. Additionally, The present watch uses a known 1940s caliber 431 IWC manual winding 18 jewel movement which can confirm the age of the timepiece. The silvered dial with applied baton indexes is also in original mint condition as it sits concealed in a well preserved platinum square serial numbered case. History of IWC International Watch Co., also known as IWC, is a luxury Swiss watch manufacturer located in Schaffhausen, Switzerland and was founded by American watchmaker Florentine Ariosto Jones in 1868. IWC Schaffhausen is notable for being the only major Swiss watch factory located in Eastern Switzerland, as the majority of the well-known Swiss watch manufacturers are located in western Switzerland, hence their German influence within the brand. On April 1 1944, as a result of an error, Schaffhausen was bombed by the United States Army Air Forces. The watch factory was hit by a bomb which failed to detonate after crashing through the rafters. The flames from incendiaries exploding nearby penetrated the building through the broken windows, but were extinguished by the company's own fire brigade. After World War II, IWC was forced to change its focus. All of Eastern Europe had fallen under the Iron Curtain, and the economy of Germany was in shambles. As a result, old contacts and connections with other countries in Europe and the Americas as well as Australia and the Far East were revived and intensified or established. In the 1940s to 1960s during the Post World War II period, Platinum was becoming an increasingly scarce precious metal and as a result was reserved for only the companies most exquisite timepieces. During this pivotal timeframce, IWC produced some of the most beautiful and sought after private commissions of their era. At this time Cartier and Van Cleef and Arpels and many other jewelry firms began competing for the mainstream attention in the ladies marketplace and attempted to produce the most prominent and unique ladies timepieces as a means to separate their company from one another. Within this context it is believed that IWC was working in collaboration with Tiffany on many of their elite case designs to produce many of their gemstone creations. Because so few were created and records from that period were commonly lost or destroyed, there is a very large demand today for such collectible timepieces of this period. Many experienced collectors are aware of IWC for its famously known production of World War II Men's pilots watches which are highly collectible in today's marketplace and produced in greater numbers than IWC ladies watches from this period . Because IWC traditionally worked with the innovation of men's timepieces it is extremely rare to find many examples of ladies wristwatches such as the present timepiece, since their creation would usually only occur a result of a privately commissioned request by an important clients in this time frame. Creation & Context of this Timepiece Although, we cannot confirm the original owner whom this piece was commissioned for the present IWC has the highest quality emeralds in various cuts such as marquee and has been very carefully matched throughout. The design quality is exceptionally intricate in detail and the setting in which each stone is placed has been carefully thought out to provoke a certain affect as it is worn by its owner. Having a concealed effect, it was not unusual for ladies watches to hide the fact that they were indeed, wearing a watch and not just a gemstone bracelet. The design concept was deployed as a means to preserve the social etiquette being adhered to during this time period so it's wearer could check the time at a party or social event without drawing attention to the fact that they were doing so or in fact even wearing a watch. The present emerald and diamond set IWC timepiece is also the only other example known in the present marketplace from this time period other than an example which sold in Christie's recent Sale. Please find references section below for lot # and catalog detail. Every timepiece is guaranteed authentic and has been cleaned and serviced by our in-house timepiece engineers before being offered here online and comes with a two year warranty from our store. Please feel free to contact us for any additional inquiries or photo requests. Recent Auction Results Christie's - Lesser Example in 18kt White gold, not concealed dial and more modern 1960s version, brought 30,000 USD in 2015

Creator:
International Watch and Co.
Case Material:
Platinum
Stone:
Emerald
Case Dimensions:
Height: 6.7 in (170 mm)Width: 1.11 in (28 mm)Diameter: 1.11 in (28 mm)
Place of Origin:
Switzerland
Period:
1960-1969
Date of Manufacture:
1950-1960s
Condition:
Seller Location:
New york, NY
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU121235174173