|
Home
>
Worthopedia – Price Guide
>
Jewelry >
Exquisite Antique 1919 14 k Gold IWC Pocket Watch
|
Terms and Conditions for using our site |
Exquisite Antique 1919 14 k Gold IWC Pocket Watch
Sold For:
 or Sign In to see what it's worth.
Attention Bidders: This watch is being listed for a second time with a much lower reserve.
Ranked among the most prestigious luxury watches in the world, IWC (International Watch Co.) watches represent the art of Swiss hand crafted precision watch making at its best. American engineer F. A. Jones, formerly of the E. Howard Watch and Clock Company, founded the International Watch Company in Schaffhausen, Switzerland in 1868. Using machinery made in the U.S.A., Jones had decided to found a watch factory in Switzerland so that he could supply the USA with movements. At the time, Switzerland was a low-wage country and had a ready supply of skilled watch making labor mainly carried out by people in their homes. Jones encountered opposition to his plans in French-speaking Switzerland because people feared for their jobs and the work they did at home because Jones wanted to open a factory. In 1850 the town of Schaffhausen was in danger of being left behind in the Industrial Age. At this stage, watch manufacturer and industrialist Johann Heinrich Moser stepped in and did the region a huge service. He built Schaffhausen's first hydroelectric plant and laid the cornerstone for future industrialization. He probably met F.A. Jones in Le Locle and showed great interest in his plans. Together, they laid the foundations for the first and only watch manufacturer in northeastern Switzerland: The International Watch Company in Schaffhausen, which to this day is still producing some of the finest watches in the world. The magnificent open face pocket watch that I have placed up for bid comes with an extract from the IWC ledger. The case is numbered 777238, and is solid 14 k yellow gold. The Cal. 73 movement is marked with serial number 742390, which IWC records show was manufactured in 1919. The size is Swiss movement size 17 lignes, H 4 (38 mm). According to IWC's extract, the watch was first sold in Prague in 1921. The case is in excellent condition and the bow on the top of the stem (w the watch chain would clip on) is tight. The inside of the back of the case bears a number of hallmarks. The top hallmark is the Swiss mark for 14 k .585 gold. Beneath that is another hallmark, "14K 0.585 56". Then comes the IWC hallmark which appears to read "TROBUS IWC SCHAFUSIA" and, finally, the case serial number 777238. The outside of the dust cap reads "International Watch Co. Schaffhausen". The inside of the dust cover is damaskeened and also has the two gold hallmarks. As for the movement, the stem winds and sets very smoothly and the watch starts ticking immediately upon winding. The face has a very slight chip at the 10:00 position that can only be seen when the front of the case is open. T are also two very, very fine hairline cracks that are visible with a jeweler's loupe. The crystal is in perfect condition and has no scratches. I do not know the exact number of jewels in the movement, but I suspect that it has at least 16 jewels and the jewel settings are gold. The watch has obviously been very well cared for throughout its 88 years and needless to say, still keeps extremely good time. This is an excellent timepiece that will deservedly hold a place of honor in any serious watch collector's collection. Please email me if you have any questions. I wish you good luck in your bidding! 
Items in the Worthopedia are obtained exclusively from licensors and partners solely for our members’ research needs.
View Similar ItemsMore Items from eBay
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
Joining is free and gives you access to our Community & Forums.
If you are interested in our pricing data or other paid memberships, try our Full 7-day Free Trial Here.
By creating an account you agree to our Terms & Conditions
