Overview
As the demand for military issued pieces waned after World War II, IWC’s watchmakers focused their efforts on simple dress watches that made use of the robust in-house movements they had developed during the mid-20th century. Many of these watches featured white dials, precious metal cases, varied lug designs, and the famous hand-wound caliber 89. Less often seen were steel versions, and even rarer were those powered by the 85X automatic calibers.
The watch here is one of those scarce examples in steel, sporting a cream dial with black Roman Numerals and black painted hands. Notably, the crown is marked by a fish symbol, which IWC began using in the 1950s to indicate a watch was water-resistant. Beating away inside is the caliber 854B with Albert Pellaton’s patented winding system. The same movement would later power Gérald Genta’s Ingenieur SL reference 1832, and was the last of its line before IWC began using modified Jaeger-LeCoultre movements.
Specifications
Brand:
IWC
Model:
N/A
Reference:
1818
Year:
1970s
Case Number:
2115023
Case Material:
Stainless steel
Diameter:
36 mm
Lug Width:
18 mm
Thickness:
10.1 mm
Lug-to-Lug:
41.9 mm
Dial:
Cream
Lume:
None
Crystal:
Acrylic
Movement:
Automatic
Caliber:
IWC 854B
Bracelet/Strap:
B&R Bands tan calfskin strap with tang buckle
Max Wrist Size:
Hand model has a wrist size of 6.2 in
Condition
UNWORN: Case is pristine with no signs of use. Original stickers may still be present. Dial, hands, and lume have no imperfections and may show natural, even aging.
MINT: Case has only a few superficial hairlines. Lugs are thick, full, and sharp with superb finishing. Dial, hands, and lume may have micro imperfections visible only with a loupe.
EXCELLENT: Case has very light scratches or nicks. Lugs are thick, full, and well-defined. Dial and hands may have imperfections visible upon close inspection. Lume is fully intact and may show slight discoloration.
VERY GOOD: Case may have a few moderate scratches or nicks. Lugs are thick and full but may have softened edges. Dial and hands may have light stains or marks. Lume may have cracks or discoloration.
GOOD: Case has many scratches and nicks. Lugs may show signs of moderate polishing with worn edges. Dial and hands may have noticeable stains or marks. Lume may be damaged or show significant discoloration.
Case: The stainless steel case shows moderate wear that's too be expected for a vintage watch of this age. There are hairlines, scratches, and nicks throughout, however the silhouette remains incredibly sharp and strong.The lugs are nice and thick with superb definition at the edges. The lug at 4:30 is angled ever-so-slightly outwards compared to the rest. The caseback condition is consistent with the rest of the watch. There are a couple small but notable scratches near the lip used to pop the caseback off. The backs of the lugs show marks from prior strap removal. The serial number engraving at 6 o'clock is faint but still legible upon close inspection.
Dial, Hands, & Crystal: The creamy eggshell dial is incredibly clean with fully intact printing and only a couple very tiny spots of patina visible upon close inspection. The black painted hands are wonderfully preserved with no notable imperfections. The acrylic crystal is super clean with no major scratches or chipping present.
Bracelet/Strap: The B&R bands tan calfskin strap is in excellent condition with only light signs of use in the form of faint creasing to the leather backing. The unsigned stainless steel shows no notable imperfections.
Movement
Functions: All functions including the crown winding and time setting are working as expected.
Service History: The watch recently underwent a full service by Art of the Watch that was completed on 01/27/2024.
