THE ESSENTIALS
MAKE: IWC
MODEL: IW3758-11
YEAR: 2004
BOX/PAPERS: YES/YES
CASE DIAMETER: 41.5MM
CASE MATERIAL: 18K YELLOW GOLD
BRACELET MATERIAL: 18 YELLOW GOLD
MOVEMENT: AUTOMATIC
Few complications in horology possess the sheer poetry of a perpetual calendar, and fewer still bear the unmistakable fingerprints of a single visionary. The present example, the IWC IW3758-11, is not only a perpetual calendar chronograph, but the continuation of an idea first set into motion by the great Kurt Klaus. The legendary watchmaker from IWC created an ingenious perpetual calendar system, which does not require the tangle of correctors and independent adjusters (with the help of a cocktail stick, as many perpetual calendar owners would know...) to set; it is mechanically programmed to be controlled entirely via the crown. Astonishingly, the module calculates the lengths of months, leap years, and even century jumps automatically, with no need for manual intervention beyond occasional winding.
The mechanical genius of the watch is matched by its condition here. When the watch originally came to us, it had not been worn for years... as displayed proudly by the date, day, and year on the dial. It took our founder Stefano just over an hour, and at the expense of several strained forearm muscles, to set it to the current date, all with a simple motion of turning the crown. The 41.5mm case is in perfect condition, as is the white hand decorated dial. The watch comes with all of its original boxes, paperwork, and accessories. We also added another custom strap from our friends at The Strap Tailor.
In the world of watch collecting, few can argue that grand complications are near the pinnacle. However, they have also become increasingly less accessible - with models like the Patek 3970 & 5970 (incidentally some of our favourite watches ever) now demanding well over £100,000. It's therefore mind-boggling that some of the Kurt Klaus perpetual calendars can still be had for the price of a sports Rolex. This might not be your daily wearer, but certainly will be one of the special watches amongst any collection.