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No. 851 / IWC Automatic - 1964

No. 851 / IWC Automatic - 1964

Regular price $1,600 USD
Regular price $0 USD Sale price $1,600 USD
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Item information ↓

 

IWC
Automatic
Fish Crown / 1964


Intro

This IWC automatic from 1964 features a beautiful sunburst dial bearing the old IWC script logo. It is powered by the Caliber 8541 movement, prized for its reliability and semi-quickset date function.

A beautifully balanced piece, it appeals to watch enthusiasts for both its refined design and its place within IWC long-standing tradition of fine watchmaking.

Story

Housed in a round-shaped stainless steel case, the watch offers a balanced blend of modernist geometry and understated luxury. Yet one of its most intriguing and collectible features lies in a small but significant detail: the original signed fish crown.

The fish symbol engraved on the crown was used by IWC throughout the mid-20th century to indicate that the crown was part of a water-resistant case design. While not a screw-down crown, the fish mark signified that the watch met IWC’s internal standards for water resistance—a meaningful assurance during the 1960s and 1970s, when practicality and durability were gaining importance in luxury watchmaking.

Today, the presence of an original fish crown is highly prized among collectors, as many have been replaced over time with unsigned or generic service crowns. Its survival suggests the watch remains close to its factory-original configuration and reinforces its appeal as a well-preserved, historically correct example of IWC’s craftsmanship.



Detail

MODEL
Automatic

REFERENCE
803A

YEAR
1964

SERIAL
1756966

CASE
34.5mm (excl. crown), Stainless Steel

MOVEMENT
Automatic, Cal.8541 (1750456)

LUG
19mm

INCLUDES
Watch with new faux leather strap


Condition

OVERALL A Rank
CASE Some Scratches ( The top-left and bottom-right lugs are deformed.)
CRYSTAL Some Scratches
DIAL Great Condition
HANDS & INDICES Little Patina
MOVEMENT Great Condition, checked and oiled
ACCURACY Around 2 Sec. / day (12 Hr. Timegrapher Test)

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