About IWC
An American in Schaffhausen
IWC is an exception among Swiss brands. It was founded in 1868 in Schaffhausen, in the German-speaking north of Switzerland, by the American watchmaker Florentine Ariosto Jones, as the International Watch Company. He wanted to combine Swiss craftsmanship with American production methods and chose Schaffhausen for the water power of the Rhine. The two families that still carry the brand date from the 1930s and 1940s: the Portugieser (1939), a wristwatch with a pocket-watch movement, and the pilot's watches, with the large Fliegeruhr of 1940 and the Mark 11 of 1948. The Ingenieur, with a soft-iron inner case against magnetism, followed in 1955, and the Aquatimer in 1967. IWC has been part of the Richemont group since 2000.
What we check on an IWC
On an IWC we compare the reference number, IW followed by six digits, with the calibre and the version. IWC uses both in-house calibres, such as the 52000 and 69000 families, and refined base movements, and which calibre belongs in a reference is fixed. We assess the dial and hands, the case and the caseback with its engravings, the strap or bracelet with its buckle or folding clasp, and the movement, including start, stop and reset on a chronograph. On a Portugieser with a display back we look at the Pellaton winding system. For older watches IWC can issue an extract from its archives on request. Whatever we find is stated in the description.
Models we offer and look for
Most enquiries concern the Portugieser, as a chronograph and as an automatic with a seven-day power reserve, and the pilot's watches: the Mark series, the Pilot's Watch Chronograph and the Big Pilot. We also look for the Ingenieur, especially the 40 mm version of 2023 that returns to Gérald Genta's design of 1976, and the Portofino as a classic, understated alternative. The Aquatimer also qualifies. An IWC is not always online; if you are looking for a particular reference, you can give us a sourcing request.
Buying, selling and trading in
You buy an IWC from us through a request without obligation. We confirm availability personally; you pay by bank transfer once you agree and receive the watch insured, or collect it by appointment. You can sell outright, on consignment or as a trade-in against another watch. Please state the full reference and which documents you have; on a Portugieser or a pilot's watch on a leather strap, the condition of the original strap and buckle also says something about how the watch was worn. Every request is assessed by hand, and a proposal only follows afterwards. The Aequator Collection is an independent dealer and not an authorised IWC retailer.