1950s IWC Automatic Calatrava 'Cal. 852' 18K YG "Neiman Marcus" Co-Branded Dial

Founded more than 150 years ago, the International Watch Company has grown to become one of the most recognizable Swiss watch brands on the planet. And one of the things they're especially famous for is their caliber 85 movement, which is widely regarded as one of the finest watch movements ever made. The cal. 85 was introduced in the 1950s and was the second automatic movement the brand ever made – it was also their first automatic movement with central seconds. That movement went on to birth multiple subsequent versions, including the cal. 852, 853, 854, and finally the 8541B.

IWC’s Caliber 852 originally came into production post-war, in 1952. Featuring the Pellaton winding system, a new and extremely efficient movement system for perpetual automatic wristwatch movements. This innovative movement was patented by IWC in 1950 and we saw the first mass production of these watches in 1952. The Pellaton winding system is still used in IWC watches today and has been improved upon ever since. Surrounding the heartbeat is an absolutely beautiful yellow gold Calatrava-style case and dial. It's as classic—and classy—as they come and would look good on any wrist, in pretty much any setting

While it's no secret many retailers would co-brand their logos on the dials of prestigious watch brands, most commonly seen done by jewelry brands such as Tiffany & Co., Turler, and Gubelin, however, this is much less commonly seen done by department stores. Such as this Neiman Marcus branded IWC. Neiman Marcus was founded in 1907 in Dallas Texas, and remains today as one of the most well-known luxury department stores in the United States.

SPECS

Stock # IWC18KCAL852NM
Brand IWC
Style Automatic Calatrava
Model Cal. 852
Serial 14XXXXX
Size Men's
Material 18K Yellow Gold
Dial Silver Guilloche "Neiman Marcus"
Millimeters 34
Strap 2pc Handmade Leather Strap

CASE & BRACELET

The handsome 18K yellow gold case features unique bombe-style lugs that extend the overall wrist presence and size of the watch along with creating a striking aesthetic overall. The case exhibits evidence of gentle polishing in the past while retaining the attractive angles and dimensions intended by the factory with light signs of use present. The case retains its original IWC fish logo crown. The snap-on case back is in excellent condition. The case does feature a Neiman Marcus inventory number on the back of the bottom left lug. The watch comes supplied on a 2pc handmade leather strap.

DIAL & HANDS

The original two-toned silver dial features a satin finish on the inner and outer portions of the dial with a beautiful guilloche ring that houses the gold hour markers. the dial does exhibit some spots and light markings from age, coinciding with the age of the watch, however, we believe this increases the vintage aesthetic and charm of the watch overall. The solid gold dauphine-style hands display some minor oxidation but remain in excellent overall condition.

ACCESSORIES

None. The watch was recently serviced and is keeping time perfectly, backed by a 1-year warranty of accurate timekeeping.

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