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IWC Novecento Perpetual Calendar Yellow Gold Reference 3545, 1990s — view 1 of 6
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IWC Novecento Perpetual Calendar Yellow Gold Reference 3545, 1990s

DocumentedDocumented from a dealer's listing; attribution and date as stated by the dealer.
Maker / attribution
IWC (maker)
Date
1990s
Country of origin
Switzerland
Object type
Wristwatch
Materials / technique
yellow gold
Dimensions
Case 27 mm
Stock no.
W-1240
Credit line
Dealer listing, Bulang & Sons (W-1240)
Catalogue title (original)
IWC Novecento Perpetual Calendar Yellow Gold Reference 3545 (English)

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Record summary

Catalogued by Bulang & Sons (dealer), Copenhagen (stock number W-1240), this is a wristwatch by IWC, made in Switzerland, dated 1990s. The Atlas places it in the Mechanical Renaissance period (1990 – 2010) of its Wristwatches collection. Materials and techniques recorded by the source: yellow gold. Recorded dimensions: Case 27 mm. The record is illustrated with 6 photographs.

Assembled from the source record's structured fields. Dates and attributions are given as the source states them; where a field is missing the Atlas leaves it blank rather than estimating.

Catalogue description

Dealer description — Bulang & Sons

Square and complicated and works past 2000… The IWC Novecento was developed by IWC in the 1990s and literally translates to ‘twentieth century’. The watch is housed in a 33 x 27mm curved case with step that remains in really outstanding condition. With the overall watch taking its inspiration from 1920s watch design, the dial is bright white and has clearly legible year, month, days (in English), date and moon phase indicator. The dial has no lume and yellow gold centre hands with blued-steel calendar hands. The oversized winding crown is used to wind the movement and adjust all the calendar settings! Interestingly, many of these watches were not equipped to tell the time post-2000due to a production oversight. This one does however, and we are delighted to offer this complicated collectible perpetual calendar. The watch has been fully serviced by our watchmaker and is fitted with a Bulang and Sons leather strap with the original 18kt yellow gold IWC buckle. Specifications: - IWC Novecento Perpetual Calendar - Reference 3545 - Dates to the 1990s - Serial: 2398xxx No: 35x - 33x27mm yellow gold curved and stepped case - White dial with day, date, month, year and moonphase indicators - No lume yellow gold hands and blued steel calendar hands - Oversize winding and setting crown - IWC calibre based on JLC 96061 movement - Bulang and Sons strap with gold IWC buckle - Fully serviced by our watchmaker - Includes a handmade leather watch pouch

Historical context

Mechanical Renaissance (1990 – 2010)

Mechanical watches return as cultural objects; independent watchmaking flourishes.

Mechanical watches returned as cultural and luxury objects. Complications, tourbillons and new materials proliferated; independent watchmakers such as George Daniels, F.P. Journe and Philippe Dufour revived artisanal watchmaking; collecting vintage watches became a major field.

Read the period in the timelineMore wristwatches from this periodEarlier: Quartz Revolution

Atlas type guide

Calendar, moon-phase and perpetual calendar watches

Calendar complications range from a simple date to the perpetual calendar, which automatically allows for months of different lengths and leap years until 2100. Pocket watches with perpetual calendars were made in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries; Patek Philippe made the first perpetual calendar wristwatch in 1925, and series production followed in 1941. The annual calendar (Patek Philippe, 1996) needs correction only once a year.

Moon-phase displays use a disc with two moons and 59 teeth advanced daily, approximating the 29.5-day lunation; more precise trains reduce the error to one day in over a century.

What to look for

  • Apertures or subsidiary dials for day, date, month and leap year.
  • Moon disc under a 'bosom' shaped aperture.
  • Recessed correctors on the case band for setting the calendar.

Dating clues

  • Triple-date wristwatches: popular c. 1940–1955.
  • Perpetual calendar wristwatches: from 1925 (unique) and 1941 (series).

General guidance written by the Atlas editors about this kind of object. It is not a statement about this particular piece; for that, rely on the source record above and on physical examination.

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