IWC Dress Watch, 1935

Dealer description — Analog/Shift

Simple. Refined. Understated. If you’ve got those boxes checked during your search for a dress watch, you’re golden . While the function and use of a stainless steel diver is straightforward, a dress watch should be just as conscious of its role. On the wrist, a dress watch should keep a low profile and subtle enough to accent the wearer and their respective fit. In its purest form, it should be simply constructed, without the noise of a chronograph, bezel or other utility functions. While the International Watch Company is often associated with their lovely Portuguese chronographs, sturdy Aquatimer divers, Big Pilot aviators, or their 70's-inspired Ingenieur SLs, it has also been a longstanding manufacture of some of the most beautiful dress watches. With a minimally designed case and handsome looks, this IWC Schaffhausen is pretty much the perfect dress watch — we might even argue a perfect everyday watch. Housed in a 35mm 14K yellow gold case, this piece features an unsigned, yellow gold crown; a domed acrylic crystal and a solid snap caseback. It sits a shade under 10mm in thickness making it an incredibly easy wearing watch, and features a more subtle, lemony tone that’ll speak to those with reserved tastes. The dial features a rare, rose two-tone configuration with matching Arabic indices applied along a smooth hour track, as well as a matching feuille handset and an oversized constant seconds subsidiary register. Powering this piece is the venerable IWC Calibre 83 manual-winding movement. Produced in 1935 and retired in 1947, this fantastic mechanical movement features an Incabloc anti-shock device, 6 individual bridges, a straight-line escapement, a self-compensating balance spring and a Breguet overcoil. Impressive. In excellent condition, this is a versatile piece that has the range to be worn with a suit, or more casually with jeans and a t-shirt. The only issue with owning this piece is that the other pieces in your collection will be jealous of all the wrist time this vintage IWC will inevitably be getting!