IWC Cal 71 "Fishtail" Deck Watch of the Royal Navy

The Cal.71 was built in 1917 and used by the Admiralty well after the second world war. It was the MoD who ordered that these watches were to be recased, with the movement number repeated on the inside case-back.
The watches very rarely turn up at auction, and I am pleased and relieved that I could get one for my collection, after years of searching.
These are considered the holy grail of deck watches, and are highly collectible (and priced) not only to the IWC collectors!
How many of these Calibers were made also remains a mystery, as it is said 600 were produced in 1917, but the IWC App "Date Your IWC" says 1917 676,301 - 676,600 Lép. c. 71 - 19lig. H 6 ...which would be 300!
How many of these survived till this day...not more then a handfull!

Here for your pleasure the pictures of a movement that should be framed in the Louvre ;-)

http://i896.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps9cfgm8d2.jpg
http://i896.photobucket.com/albums/a...pshgezoab1.jpg
http://i896.photobucket.com/albums/a...psg4fj3fci.jpg
http://i896.photobucket.com/albums/a...psbepjalec.jpg
http://i896.photobucket.com/albums/a...pskxtqixa4.jpg

Jimmy

Wow, something genuinely special.

Congratulations on finding one and thank you for sharing pics of it.

Wow, that is amazing. Well done in adding that to your collection. It is stunning.

Thank you for posting.

That is really rather lovely. Congratulations on your acquisition.

Can I show my ignorance and ask what that is at 11 o'clock on the rim of the case, please?

Beautiful and very well preserved, well done!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by PickleB

That is really rather lovely. Congratulations on your acquisition.

Can I show my ignorance and ask what that is at 11 o'clock on the rim of the case, please?

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That's a watchmaker/casemakers mark, where he will start threading or screwing the movement into the case...

Here another few pictures of the marks on the IWC Cal 52 case:

http://i896.photobucket.com/albums/a...ls004Large.jpg
http://i896.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps82a9e8c0.jpg

Thanks for the reply. I was asking about this:

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1518/...4d9fd909_o.png

...on the outer rim of the case. I think you're referring to marks on the inner face...but I may be wrong about that.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by PickleB

Thanks for the reply. I was asking about this:

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1518/...4d9fd909_o.png

...on the outer rim of the case. I think you're referring to marks on the inner face...but I may be wrong about that.

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Doh...I'm a silly sod!
That is for the fingenail, press in and set the time ... Known as pin set !

Stem-wind, pin-set movements

Much like the lever-set movements, these pocket watches had a small pin or knob next to the watch-stem that had to be depressed before turning the crown to set the time and releasing the pin when the correct time had been set. This style of watch is occasionally referred to as "nail set", as the set button must be pressed using a finger

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pocket_watch

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Geronimo

Doh...I'm a silly sod!
That is for the fingenail, press in and set the time ... Known as pinset !

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Thanks for that...I've learnt something!

Edit: That sent me off to the web where I found: Pocketwatch 101 - How to Set Your Vintage Pocket Watch.

Stunning, you must be overjoyed to have picked this up?
Thanks for sharing

Now that is a piece to covet and I do. I hope 3 Hail Mary's will cover the sin but it will not stop me feeling overly err... "warm" towards it.

Amazing watch. Thanks for sharing. I can see why it is considered the archetypical deck watch.

Myron