Up for sale is this rare vintage mid-1960s ref. 666-AD IWC Ingenieur in screwed water resistant stainless steel case. This rugged and elegant antimagnetic watch features a beautiful and uncommon original glossy black dial double-signed with the famed retailer Türler's signature. Featuring gorgeous Dauphine hands, a classic Pellaton-winding auto caliber 8531 with date complication under the hood and its original signed Gay Freres beads-of-rice bracelet, this great IWC is in overall Excellent+ original condition and is absolutely stunning on the wrist.

Not to be confused with the modern reissue, this is the genuine vintage article, one of the Big 3 of antimagnetic "scientist" watches from the toolwatch Golden Age, along with the Rolex Milgauss and Omega Railmaster. If you've ever searched for one of these you know they just don't come around very often, especially not with a black dial double-signed by the famed Zurich jewelry retailer Türler and original bracelet, so this is a great opportunity for the serious collector to own this iconic timepiece from IWC Schaffhausen.

The asking price for this special Türler-signed black dial IWC 666 Ingenieur is $8,250 USD OBRO including fully insured FedEx shipping worldwide. Bank Wire strongly preferred. Other payment options upon application. Payment must be made in US DOLLARS. Watch will ship upon full clearance of the funds, as well as any necessary bank vetting.

CASE & BACK: 36.5mm wide not including crown by 44mm long Stainless Steel 3-piece case with screwed back and pressure fit bezel. The top case and bezel appear essentially unpolished to me. Maybe there’s been a light buff to the polished lug tops and bezel but likely the steel has just softened a bit with age, as the satin finished sides look factory spec to me with undistorted lug holes. Lugs are therefore quite think and there are minimal marks for a watch of its age — easily Excellent+ condition. Big for the standards of the time and certainly by IWC standards back then, the classic recessed-crown 666 also measures a beefy 13mm thick to the top of the crystal due to the safe-like construction to accommodate the Faraday cage. The stamped 1.7 million serial number between the "6" lugs, unique to the Ingenieur line at this period, is also completely present. The case serial and the movement serial date the watch to circa 1963-65. Originally rated for 10 ATM, the water resistant notched caseback does show some polish with a re-brushed satin finish evident to the flat back -- perhaps to remove an engraving? -- and some light marks and scratches present to the mirror-finished part — Excellent polished condition for the back. I believe that until about the late 1960s and the introduction of the Yacht Club the Ingenieur was one of the very few watches that IWC produced with screwed case construction. You can really field the solidity and build quality when you wear this impressive steel 666.

DIAL & HANDS: Gorgeous glossy black soft iron dial with the IWC script signature in white print but the Ingenieur “electric” logo printed in silver. Additionally the retailer Türler has added their name above the center post, also in silvery print, and while it has faded somewhat with the years it is still quite legible, making for an even more special black dial. Classic white gold dagger markers and framed date window with correct black background date wheel finish off the beautiful layout of this all-original dial. Some of the original Tritium lume dots have disintegrated and there are some minor marks to the glossy surface but the dial remains jet black and in Excellent condition. It's an absolute stunner on the wrist. I sourced an NOS Tritium dauphine handset when I acquired the watch, as it came with incorrect hands. These are in Mint condition and will still glow briefly after light exposure. All in all a sunning and rare original black dial Ingenieur put over the top by the uncommon retailer’s signature.

MOVEMENT: In-house Caliber 8531 21-jewel full rotor movement featuring patented Pellaton automatic winding system, date complication, shock protection and inner anti-magnetic dust cover giving the watch an antimagnetic rating of 80,000 A/m (1000 gauss). Along with the case serial the movement serial of 1.70 million dates the watch to the mid-1960s (circa 1963 manufacture but deliverable until around '67). This classic movement, which some consider one of the best mass-produced automatics ever manufactured, was last fully serviced by my watchmaker in 2012 using genuine IWC parts and worn sparingly since. Therefore it is keeping very good time with strong power reserve and clean date changeover (the date function on this caliber is true 24-hour rotation slow-set, though you can set it in either direction if you so choose). This is guaranteed to be the case at the time of shipping.

CROWN: Correct partially recessed water resistant push-in steel "Fish" crown shows only light wear, Near Mint condition. The crown pushes in tightly to the case, winds the movement and pulls out to the non-hack time setting position exactly as it should.

CRYSTAL: Genuine OEM IWC low dome acrylic crystal with date magnifier was also acquired by me and installed at the time of service. It has only acquired some light scratches/scuffs since then and is in Excellent+ condition.

BRACELET: To put the cherry on top of the sundae this great Ingenieur comes on its original signed Gay Freres beads-of-rice bracelet date-coded “4 65” and also with both its correct “IA” end pieces. This hard to find bracelet is quite tight and in Excellent+ condition with a big logo clasp that appears like it may have been re-brushed. At full extension it should fit up to around a 7 1/2” wrist. This IWC has an 18mm lug width.

As a matter of policy I make NO guarantees for the water resistance of this watch in any way, shape or form.

This classic vintage IWC Ingenieur is offered with a 3-day inspection period from the date of receipt and may be returned for a full refund less any shipping costs incurred by the buyer. This refund is unconditional and once I get the watch back in exactly the same condition as it was sent to you, your money will be refunded. Of course, once the 3 days are over the sale will be considered FINAL.

Thanks for looking,
T.
tomvox1@hotmail.com