Why We Love It

There's no denying that we are strongly drawn towards rugged, function-first watches around the Analog/Shift offices. 

But the truth of the matter is, we love watches - whether they were intended for submarine warfare, alpine adventuring, or the cocktail hour at the hotel bar, great design is great design. While every member at A/S collects different pieces, every member of our team has at least one proper dress watch in their personal collection.

This piece, a svelte 35mm steel IWC dresser with a crisp black dial and slim profile, checks all the boxes for proper formal wear. Powered by the world-class Calibre .89 manual wind movement, it is not only beautiful but historically significant. Applied indicies and simple, non-luminous pencil hands further demonstrate the understated elegance of the model.

One can easily imagine slipping this on under the cuff of a tuxedo jacket or paired with elegant jewelry and an evening gown. 

The Story

While IWC is known best among watch connoisseurs for its military watches—like the Mark XI—or aviation-inspired chronographs like this one, the manufacture’s abilities are by no means restricted to those areas.

For every sturdy, robust military watch or no-nonsense chronograph, there are scores of elegant dress watches whose simple exteriors belie the intricate workings within.

During World War II, IWC was busy fulfilling military contracts, as one of twelve manufacturers to supply watches to the British troops—the W.W.W. or Watch Wristlet Waterproof, known to watch collectors as the Dirty Dozen. However, once peace settled in, the military contracts dried up. IWC, like many watch manufactures, found itself having to refocus production as civilian tastes shifted away from the spartan military watches that had dominated the war years.

IWC, always known for being on the forefront of technical innovations, had made great strides in developing movements that were resistant to shock and magnetic interference. The best-known among these was the Calibre 89—designed by master calibrist Albert Pellaton—which powered the Mark XI pilot’s watch. Not wanting to eschew the lessons learned during the war, IWC chose to base their triumphant reentry into the civilian market on its proven movement. 

The civilian watches that IWC built around the Calibre 89 were constructed from various materials, from stainless steel to 18k solid gold.