My New IWC - long thread

[topcat30093]

Well the day that I had been looking forward too had finally arrived - Saturday 28.06.08
And so my wife and I left for the beautiful county of Warwickshire.
First stop Warwick, where we met up Neil - OYSTERMANN and what a great person he is. Thank you Neil for all your support and advice.
Then on to the all important Independent Jewellers called Pragnells which is situated in Stratford-upon-Avon.
This store is absolutely gorgeous and I would recommend it to any true watch enthusiast that appreciates good quality watches.
We were treated as you would expect from an establishment of this calibre.

We spent well over 2 hours with the Watch Manager being shown and discussing some of the many excellent watches that they had in store.
Such as the PPC in R/G and the new Da Vinci Chronograph - it was a lot larger watch then I imagined.
The S/S Kurt Klaus Da Vinci will be arriving, later this year.
a couple of PP's - which included a 10 day reserve Tourbillon (seen through the packaging only)
A Rolex GMT "ICE" (now waiting collection) not my cuppa
A Lange & Sohne Double Split Chronograph - the only one in the country
A JLC dual time
And a diamond studded bezel Breitling.

All during this time, I had on my wrist the watch, that I had travelled nearly 200 miles to see. A S/S 3758 Da Vinci.
At first, I wasn't sure but the more that I looked at it the more that I knew that I would be leaving the store with it on my wrist.
After adjourning to a cafe for a cuppa and time to reflect, we returned to the store, where a deal was struck.
I said goodbye to my Rolex GMT IIc which I had decided to flip and hello to my first IWC.

Three things that I would like to add.
Firstly, What a HUGE and beautiful wooden box that the IWC comes in - I couldn't believe the size of it.

Secondly, and views on this one please.
This is the first type of watch that I have owed, that has a rotor and its taking a bit of getting use to hearing and feeling it move.I take it that this is normal

Thirdly, ANYBODY who is looking at purchasing a top brand watch, will not go wrong by paying a visit to this establishment. The hospitality and knowledge on the products was outstanding.
On completion of the deal we were each offered a glass of champagne.

[Ursa Major]

Tony, that's a beautiful watch. I like all IWCs, but that one's just stunning. Congratulations!

[cully]

Congratulations, Tony
It looks like we both had a weekend to remember you with that stunning IWC, and me with my Daytona.
Fantastic pics, wear it in good health.

Cheers Paul

[DSJ]

Beautiful Moonphase Tony.

I'm not sure what you meant when you said, "This is the first type of watch that I have owed, that has a rotor and its taking a bit of getting use to hearing and feeling it move."

Both your DD and former GMT2C have rotors.

[toph]

Great watch that is a serious piece of equipment!!
Congrats

[Terry Newton]

That is a beautiful watch. What is the movement inside? If it is a Valjoux 7751 the sound is quite normal. That particular movement is written about in the June issue of; "Watchtime". You should do a review of it for us. I would love to see the whole watch photographed. It's truly stunning.

Terry Newton

[vukotab]

Congratulations, that beauty is surely a keeper!
And, as long as I know, it has in-house made movement inside it, I don`t think that it`s Valjoux 7751. Is there anybody who can confirm this?

Well, whatever is inside of this stunner, it`s surely top notch, because this watch is truly masterpiece!
Wear it in a good health!

[MAC4130]

Originally Posted by vukotab

Congratulations, that beauty is surely a keeper!
And, as long as I know, it has in-house made movement inside it, I don`t think that it`s Valjoux 7751. Is there anybody who can confirm this?

Well, whatever is inside of this stunner, it`s surely top notch, because this watch is truly masterpiece!
Wear it in a good health!

As strange as it seems it is a Valjoux 7751 a variation of the mighty workhorse ETA Valjoux 7750 which is so widely used in Chronos these days. It is impresive to see how IWC managed to add a Perpetual Calendar module to this movement, making it probably the most affordable Automatic Perpetual Calendar. And that tremor is the most recognized characteristic when wearing a Valjoux 7750, I own a Tag Carrera Chrono that has the 7750 and it is weird how the watch moves when you move your arm and the rotor keeps moving inside.
This watch is stunning and affordable, for us that can not afford to pay 30 to 50k on a perpetual automatic watch. The design by the way was made by Gerald Genta, who among other watches designed such Icons as the Patek Phillipe Nautilus, Audemars Piguet Royal Oak and the Cartier Pasha.
Enjoy this stunning watch!!!!

[RW16610]

That is one heck of a watch! Just classic and is surely something you will want to hold onto for ever. Great complication and just over all design for an elegant watch. Part of me always liked Haute Horology

[topcat30093]

Originally Posted by DSJ

Beautiful Moonphase Tony.

I'm not sure what you meant when you said, "This is the first type of watch that I have owed, that has a rotor and its taking a bit of getting use to hearing and feeling it move."

Both your DD and former GMT2C have rotors.

DSJ
What I mean, is that all my past automatic watches have been Rolex's.
And with them you cannot feel or hear the rotor moving, except maybe in the Daytona.
And its a weird feeling to start with when you aren't use to it.

Cully I thought the same thing when I read your thread, on your Daytona, except that I didn't have to travel so far.

Thank you to everybody for your very kind comments.
I shall leave it for a while and see if I can get enough journalistic comments to make a review.

[OYSTERMANN]

Excellent thread, Tony and doesn't your IWC look magnificent .

Truly a great day out and thanks for your kind words - it was a pleasure meeting up with you both .

[Terry Newton]

I don't think this is a perpetual calendar. Please let us know.

Terry Newton

[topcat30093]

Originally Posted by Terry Newton

I don't think this is a perpetual calendar. Please let us know.

Terry Newton

Hi Terry in answer to your question.
Yes, it is a perpetual calendar.
Until the year 2,100 when I will have to get the year slide changed over with the one that came with the watch.
That will take it until the year 2,499
But I shan't worry about that just yet.
That was one of the main reasons why I liked it so much.

[Thani]

congrats on a great choice

love that IWC, wear it in good health

[Jedi]

Kurt Klaus designed the IWC DaVinci perpetual calendar and moonphase in a way that it could be operated with just the crown, minus pushers and hidden buttons as most other perpetual calendars are designed.

The movement is based on a Valjoux 7750, but heavily modified with the perpetual calendar and moonphases added on as well as the control mechanism so that it is virtually a proprietary IWC movement.

It's a great find, especially in the round case, which I believe has been discontinued as the DaVinci line now comes in shaped cases.

[topcat30093]

Jedi
You are correct in what you say.
The new shape is tonneau - I think that is the correct spelling?
IWC will start to issue 3,000 Kurt Klaus S/S models this year.
That is also a big watch.

[Jedi]

It's a kind of tonneau, but more stylised and quite complex in terms of assembly and components.

It's a very large watch. I tried on the chronograph earlier this year and was blown away by the finishing and quality of the movement, but it's just too big.

Congratulations again Tony, enjoy the watch, and I look forward to some more photos of it!!

[topcat30093]

Jedi
I agree totally with what you have said.
I too saw the chronograph version and I couldn't believe how big it was, my wife loved it.
I would of been tempted at getting the Kurt Klaus Da Vinci in S/S but at £14,500 its a bit too much,unfortunately.

[Thomas Carey]

Congrats on a great looking watch!

Best Regards,

Thomas Carey

[unclesallie]

wow! beautiful watch, and what a wonderful place to buy....Stratford Upon Avon; has been 24 years since I've been there, still remember the Royal Shakespearian Company production of The Merchant of Venice, and the wonderful Italian restaurant in which I had dinner with my dear(long departed) wife, and was introduced to Pachobel's Canon in D...the young English guys next to us all guessing the name, until one came up with it..and the wonderful banter...ahh, but I ramble! Congratulations! The rotors in Rolexes do whirr and make noise...sleep with yours and in the middle of the night it will keep you awake.
best,
dan