1059Σ︎
IWC
Ref. 3770
Grande Complication
A rare and impressive limited edition oversized platinum minute repeating perpetual calendar chronograph wristwatch with moon phases, 4-digit year indication, numbered 26 of a limited edition of 50 pieces
Estimate
HK$400,000–800,000
€45,200–90,500
$51,300–103,000
Manufacturer
IWC
Year
Circa 1990s
Movement No
2’435’006
Reference No
3770
Case No
2’451’026, 26/50
Model Name
Grande Complication
Material
Platinum
Calibre
Automatic, cal. 79091, 65 jewels
Bracelet/Strap
Crocodile
Clasp/Buckle
Platinum IWC pin buckle
Dimensions
42.5mm diameter
Signed
Case, dial, movement and buckle signed
Full-Cataloguing
Good to know:
- Limited edition of 50 pieces, numbered 26
- IWC’s first Grande Complication wristwatch
- Minute repeater and chronograph module developed by Renaud et Papi built upon Kurt Klaus’ perpetual calendar
In 1985, amidst the Quartz Crisis, IWC decided to create what would be its first grande complication wristwatch, and one of the world’s most complicated timepieces at that time, featuring a perpetual calendar, chronograph and minute repeater. Günter Blümlein appointed a team of watchmakers and engineers, along with two young marvelous wunderkinds of complicated horology, Dominique Renaud and Giulio Papi, were commission to work on a minute repeater module with a chronograph, based on another legendary watchmaker Kurt Klaus’ perpetual calendar.
Günter Blümlein’s vision and the partners’ enthusiasm made the project feasible; and after five years of painstaking development work and 12 patents, the Grande Complication ref. 3770 was officially presented at the Basel fair in 1990. The journey and birth of this grande complication timepiece was well-documented in the book “The Grande Complication from IWC” by Manfred Fritz published in 1991. It was such an influential timepiece that it gave confidence to complicated watchmaking in the aftermath of the Quartz Crisis.
The 42.5 mm case of the present lot houses an automatic calibre with no less than 568 components, bringing to life 18 functions: hour, minute, and seconds displays; moon phase; month, day, and date displays; perpetual calendar; indication of year, decade, century, and millennium; chronograph seconds, minutes, and hours counters; and minute, quarter, and hour repeaters.
Offered in excellent condition, the IWC Grande Complication proudly stood against the tide of quartz watches that were flooding the market and is a timepiece that certainly helped bring back interest in fine, mechanical complicated movements. It set the benchmark for the multi-complicated watch trend that was to follow into the new millennium, and the present lot in platinum, numbered 26 of a limited edition of 50 piece, is one of the finest examples of this emblematic watch to appear on the market.
- Limited edition of 50 pieces, numbered 26
- IWC’s first Grande Complication wristwatch
- Minute repeater and chronograph module developed by Renaud et Papi built upon Kurt Klaus’ perpetual calendar
In 1985, amidst the Quartz Crisis, IWC decided to create what would be its first grande complication wristwatch, and one of the world’s most complicated timepieces at that time, featuring a perpetual calendar, chronograph and minute repeater. Günter Blümlein appointed a team of watchmakers and engineers, along with two young marvelous wunderkinds of complicated horology, Dominique Renaud and Giulio Papi, were commission to work on a minute repeater module with a chronograph, based on another legendary watchmaker Kurt Klaus’ perpetual calendar.
Günter Blümlein’s vision and the partners’ enthusiasm made the project feasible; and after five years of painstaking development work and 12 patents, the Grande Complication ref. 3770 was officially presented at the Basel fair in 1990. The journey and birth of this grande complication timepiece was well-documented in the book “The Grande Complication from IWC” by Manfred Fritz published in 1991. It was such an influential timepiece that it gave confidence to complicated watchmaking in the aftermath of the Quartz Crisis.
The 42.5 mm case of the present lot houses an automatic calibre with no less than 568 components, bringing to life 18 functions: hour, minute, and seconds displays; moon phase; month, day, and date displays; perpetual calendar; indication of year, decade, century, and millennium; chronograph seconds, minutes, and hours counters; and minute, quarter, and hour repeaters.
Offered in excellent condition, the IWC Grande Complication proudly stood against the tide of quartz watches that were flooding the market and is a timepiece that certainly helped bring back interest in fine, mechanical complicated movements. It set the benchmark for the multi-complicated watch trend that was to follow into the new millennium, and the present lot in platinum, numbered 26 of a limited edition of 50 piece, is one of the finest examples of this emblematic watch to appear on the market.
IWC
Swiss | 1868With a clear focus on technology and development, the Swiss watch manufacturer IWC Schaffhausen has been producing timepieces of lasting value since 1868. The company has gained an international reputation based on a passion for innovative solutions and technical ingenuity. One of the world's leading brands in the luxury watch segment, IWC crafts masterpieces of haute horlogerie at their finest, combining high precision with masculine design. Vintage wristwatches such as the oversized Portugieser, Aquatimer, Ingenieur and the B-UHR pilots watch are especially desirable for collectors.