For sale, a groundbreaking IWC Porsche Design compass watch ref. 3510. An absolute feat of design and innovation, this timepiece combines the best of both worlds. The design is the brainchild of Ferdinand “Butzi” Porsche who collaborated with the Schaffhausen manufacture in 1978 to create a plethora of distinctive and useful watches over a period of 20 years.

The first product of this alliance was this revolutionary IWC-Porsche Design compass watch.
The PVD finish was among the first of its time and the choice of aluminum for the case featuring a hidden compass function and an emergency beacon mirror make this watch a head turner and a true piece of watchmaking history.
This eye candy features a clean, bold and contemporary construction, following the German Bauhaus school of thoughts: Form follows function.
In short, this wonderful sports watch with ultra design would propel the company forward during the harsh quartz crisis and is oriented for true connoisseurs!

Please read the condition report carefully and refer to the high resolution pictures to help you assess the overall condition of the watch.

MODEL / REFERENCE: IWC Porsche Design Kompassuhr Ref. 3510.

DIAL+HANDS:  The Original matte black dial is attractive and very well preserved with no visible blemishes or flaws to note.
The printing on the dial is still very sharp and complete, from the white luminous crosshair at the center for enhanced legibility, to the names and logos of both brands, to the minute tacks.
The rectangular hour markers around the white minute imprinted scale have aged beautifully, developing a warm custard patina as the Tritium appears to be intact. 
The white baton hands, and the neon orange center seconds hand are luminous and original. The Tritium has developed a matching warm patina to the hour indexes.
The date window is well positioned at 3 o’clock.

CRYSTAL: The watch has scratch resistant sapphire crystal with an anti-glare treatment.

MOVEMENT:  The self-winding, 21 jewels IWC caliber 375 is making this watch tick. Based on an ETA 2892, with a straight line escapement and a 42 hours power reserve, it’s running strongly and keeping excellent time.
The movement allows a hacking seconds feature for precise time settings.
In addition, all magnetic components were replaced with non-magnetic components such as the rotor bearings to prevent any interference with the accuracy of the compass.

CASE: With 39 mm in diameter and a height of 12mm, the hinged double-decker case is remarkably compact with four body parts, hooded lugs, and a sloped bezel.
This is a special hardened aluminum alloy case with a black PVD coating laying on top.  The case is subsequently ultra light and non magnetic so the compass could work.
The overall condition is decent with no dings or dents. The matte black PVD coating is mostly intact and shows some minimal wear on certain peripheral edges, which is very common with this watch.  Please refer to the photos. 

CASEBACK: The caseback is well preserved overall and its engravings are pristine.
The hinged case allows the top portion to flip open by pressing the buttons on the side of the bottom lugs. Inside, it reveals a compass and an emergency beacon mirror. They’re both in excellent condition and work flawlessly.

CROWN: The original PVD coated crown is in mint condition and correct to the watch despite not being signed.

BRACELET: The watch comes complete with a full linked original aluminum bracelet and its IWC proprietary sliding closure clasp.
The bracelet is in overall fine condition with minimum wear and hairline scratches to the preserved PVD coating. The bracelet is very comfortable to wear and contributes to the feather-light feel of the watch.

 ACCESSORIES: None.

This very model is the testimony of adaptation through harsh times. The power of innovation combined with a bold design helped IWC claim five international patents through the 1970s quartz crisis.
Considered to be unique, The compass watch was both a design triumph and an engineering achievement combining two precision instruments in one wristwatch.
This is a really fantastic watch deserving a world class collector.

The price is 2,350 CHF (Swiss Franc) or best reasonable offer plus shipping at actual cost. Low ball offers will be politely ignored.
Watch and I are in Switzerland.
Feel free to ask questions, I will be glad to answer.

WARRANTY: We guarantee the authenticity of the watch. We also provide a 6 months guarantee for the correct function of this vintage timepiece.  All guarantees are subject to the General Terms and conditions.

Please feel free to ask questions, we will be glad to answer. Virtual or face-to-face viewing is available by appointment.