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IWC Yacht club II Jumbo Automatic Black dial ref 3212, 1977 — view 1 of 6
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Wristwatches · Wristwatch

IWC Yacht club II Jumbo Automatic Black dial ref 3212, 1977

DocumentedDocumented from a dealer's listing; attribution and date as stated by the dealer.
Maker / attribution
IWC (maker)
Date
1977
Country of origin
Switzerland
Object type
Wristwatch
Dimensions
Case 38 mm
Stock no.
W-3506
Credit line
Dealer listing, Bulang & Sons (W-3506)
Catalogue title (original)
IWC Yacht club II Jumbo Automatic Black dial ref 3212 (English)

View the source record (dealer listing) ↗ (opens another website in a new tab)Suggest a correction

Record summary

Catalogued by Bulang & Sons (dealer), Copenhagen (stock number W-3506), this is a wristwatch by IWC, made in Switzerland, dated 1977. The Atlas places it in the Quartz Revolution period (1969 – 1990) of its Wristwatches collection. Recorded dimensions: Case 38 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

IWC was founded in 1868 by American watchmaker Florentine Ariosto Jones in Schaffhausen, Switzerland, with the goal of combining American mass-production techniques with Swiss craftsmanship to create high-quality pocket watches. The IWC Yacht Club II is a 1970s collection and represents IWC’s response to the quartz crisis—a maritime-themed evolution of the original Yacht Club. With its robust, flat case, integrated bracelet, and octagonal bezel on many models, it perfectly embodies the sporty-elegant spirit of the era. Launched just a year after the Genta-designed Ingenieur SL ref. 1832, the Yacht Club II captured the zeitgeist of Royal Oak- and Nautilus-style watches. This particular example is ref. 3212, featuring a 38 mm octagonal brushed and polished steel case and a matte, grainy black dial. Polished, boat-shaped hour markers are filled with tritium lume, while the black date window complements the dial, and crisp white text adds clarity and contrast. The integrated three-row IWC bracelet fits wrists up to 18.5 cm. Powered by the Jaeger-LeCoultre 900-based automatic caliber 3254, the watch has been fully checked and regulated by our watchmaker and is ready to be worn and enjoyed. For collectors who appreciate Genta-era design and nautical-inspired style, this Yacht Club II is calling—contact us to explore it further. Specifications: IWC Yacht Club 2 ref 3212 38mm steel case , waterproof ”fish “ signed crown Serial 2233xxx dates to 1977/78 Gerald Genta design Steel octagonal bezel Grainy black dial, tritium lume , white printed text Automatic movement cal 3254 Original IWC steel H-link semi-integrated bracelet Fully checked by our watchmaker One-year mechanical warrantee

Historical context

Quartz Revolution (1969 – 1990)

Seiko's Astron begins mass quartz timekeeping; traditional industries contract sharply.

Quartz and digital watches transformed the market after 1969. Swiss employment collapsed, Japanese and Hong Kong production soared, and the Swatch (1983) helped the Swiss industry recover; mechanical watches survived as luxury goods.

Read the period in the timelineMore wristwatches from this periodEarlier: Modern Mechanical Horology

Atlas type guide

Automatic (self-winding) watches

Self-winding watches use the wearer's motion to wind the mainspring. Abraham-Louis Perrelet and Breguet made 'perpétuelle' pocket watches with oscillating weights in the late eighteenth century, but the principle only became practical in the wristwatch. John Harwood patented a bumper automatic in 1923; Rolex's Perpetual rotor (1931) winding in one direction, and later bidirectional rotors (Eterna, Felsa Bidynator), established the modern form. Micro-rotors (Universal Genève, Buren) and peripheral rotors made automatic watches thinner.

What to look for

  • A semicircular rotor turning 360° over the movement, or a 'bumper' weight that rebounds between springs.
  • 'Automatic', 'Perpetual' or 'Self-winding' on the dial.
  • A sealed screw-back case, since automatic watches are wound less often by the crown.

Dating clues

  • Bumper automatics: 1923–c. 1955.
  • Full rotors: from 1931 (Rolex); widespread after c. 1950.
  • Micro-rotors: from 1954–1958.

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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