IWC Automatic 648A

1961 IWC Pellaton Automatic with box and buckle

With the Pellaton designed automatic movement, and rare to find features like box and buckle, this large IWC is bound to appeal. Model reference 648A. HOW DO WE DATE THIS WATCH? From the serial number on the movement we can accurately date this watch to being made in 1961. CONDITION Albert Pellaton was a very significant watch movement designer. He left Vacheron & Constantin in 1944 to be technical director at IWC, where he stayed until he died in 1966. Whilst at IWC he developed the twin pawl automatic winding system, that IWC still use a variation of today. Praised for it’s efficiency, it was continually developed to improve it (and Seiko launched a variation they called Magic Fingers nine years later). In the 21 jewel calibre 853 A fitted to this watch, you also get screws in the balance wheel and micrometer fine adjustment to the timing. This watch has had a dial swap at some point, and the original distorted dial is included. The stainless steel case does have some marks here and there, but it is also larger than average for the time. It would have been deemed waterproof in 1961, as it has the IWC fish on the crown that they use on all their water resistance cases. The buckle is a very rare find, as most of these have been lost over the past six decades. The leather strap is new, and could be swapped for a different colour or material if preferred. The watch is signed on the dial, case, movement, crown, box and buckle. This watch will be supplied with the original presentation box, the damaged original dial and our Certificate of Authenticity. SIZE Width with crown 38.9 mm Width without crown 36.4 mm Between lugs 18 mm Lug to lug length 44.2 mm Case Thickness 10.8mm All sizes are approximate. The watch is photographed on a wrist of 190mm/7.5 inches.