IWC Schaffhausen Age determination by movement number
Determining the age of an IWC watch (International Watch Company, Schaffhausen) is quite feasible – IWC has maintained precise serial number and movement number lists since the 19th century.
Here you can find out how to determine the production year and, if applicable, the movement of your watch .
Serial number vs. Works number
| Expression | Meaning | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Movement Number | Unique movement number – determines the production batch | Engraved on the movement bridge or circuit board (visible only when the case is open) |
| Case number | Watch case number – may differ slightly from the year of manufacture. | Usually engraved on the inside or outside of the base. |
Production years by serial number (guide values)
Here is a simplified overview of IWC movement numbers by year.
( Valid for calibers from approximately 1890 to the present day; Source: Collector's register and factory archive ):
| Serial number range | approximately year | remark |
|---|---|---|
| 1,000 – 9,999 | 1880–1890 | Early phase Jones & Probus Scafusia |
| 10,000 – 49,999 | 1890–1905 | Pocket watches |
| 50,000 – 99,999 | 1905–1915 | Early wristwatches, caliber 64 etc. |
| 100,000 – 199,999 | 1915–1925 | Military & Pocket Calibers |
| 200,000 – 399,999 | 1925–1935 | Caliber 83, Marine watches |
| 400,000 – 699,999 | 1935–1945 | Portugieser & pilot's watches ("B-Uhr") |
| 700,000 – 999,999 | 1945–1950 | Post-war production |
| 1,000,000 – 1,199,999 | 1950–1955 | Engineer, Aquatimer early models |
| 1,200,000 – 1,399,999 | 1955–1960 | Automatic caliber 85x |
| 1,400,000 – 1,699,999 | 1960–1965 | Caliber 853, 854, 89 |
| 1,700,000 – 1,999,999 | 1965–1975 | Da Vinci Yacht Club |
| 2,000,000 – 2,499,999 | 1975–1985 | Caliber 8541, 375, quartz models |
| 2,500,000 – 2,999,999 | 1985–1995 | Pilot Fliegerchronograph 3706, Porsche Design |
| 3,000,000 – 3,499,999 | 1995–2005 | Portuguese automatic & chrono |
| 3,500,000 – 4,000,000+ | 2005–present | Modern ETA-based or in-house movements (5000 series etc.) |
Combination with caliber information
If you know your IWC caliber, you can narrow down the time period even more precisely:
| caliber | Production period | remark |
|---|---|---|
| Cal. 83, 88, 89 | 1935–1960 | Hand-wound, precise classic movements |
| Cal. 85x / 852 / 853 / 854 | 1952–1970 | Automatic movement with Pellaton winding mechanism |
| Cal. 8541B / 375 | 1960–1980 | Later engineer/aquatimer |
| Cal. 1850 / 79230 etc. | 1980–1995 | Valjoux-based chronographs |
| Cal. 5000 / 52010 / 69355 | from 2000 | Modern manufactured works |
| Cal. 89xxx / 82xxx / 69xxx | from 2010 | Portuguese & Pilot's Watch Series |
|
1885 |
1337 - 5701 |
1920 |
742301 - 765100 |
1953 |
1291601-1316800 |
||
|
1886 |
19001 - 27950 |
1921 |
765101 - 780100 |
1954 |
1316801-1335400 |
||
|
1887 |
27951 - 29450 |
1922 |
780101 - 783700 |
1955 |
1335401-1361200 |
||
|
1888 |
29451 - 37700 |
1923 |
783701 - 793600 |
1956 |
1361201-1399600 |
||
|
1889 |
37701 - 49300 |
1924 |
793601 - 807400 |
1957 |
1399601-1436800 |
||
|
1890 |
49301 - 62900 |
1925 |
807401 - 827800 |
1958 |
1436801-1480000 |
||
|
1891 |
62901 - 75800 |
1926 |
827801 - 845200 |
1959 |
1480001-1513000 |
||
|
1892 |
75801 - 87500 |
1927 |
845201 - 866200 |
1960 |
1513001-1553800 |
||
|
1893 |
87501 - 100500 |
1928 |
866201 - 890800 |
1961 |
1553801-1612000 |
||
|
1894 |
100501 - |
1929 |
890801 - 919600 |
1962 |
1612001-1666000 |
||
|
1897 |
170700 |
1930 |
919601 - 929200 |
1963 |
1666001-1733200 |
||
|
1898 |
170701 - 193800 |
1931 |
929201 - 937600 |
1964 |
1733201-1778800 |
||
|
1899 |
193801 - 211800 |
1932 |
937601 - 938200 |
1965 |
1778801-1796800 |
||
|
1900 |
211801 - 231000 |
1933 |
938201 - 939400 |
1966 |
1796801-1820800 |
||
|
1901 |
231001 - 253500 |
1934 |
939401 - 940000 |
1967 |
1820801-1889200 |
||
|
1902 |
253501 - 276600 |
1935 |
940001 - 940600 |
1968 |
1889201-1905400 |
||
|
1903 |
276601 - 298800 |
1936 |
940601 - 955600 |
1969 |
1905401-1952800 |
||
|
1904 |
298801 - 321300 |
1937 |
955601 - 979000 |
1969 |
1952801-1958800 |
||
|
1905 |
321301 - 349600 |
1938 |
979001 -1000600 |
1970 |
1958801-1970200 |
||
|
1906 |
349601 - 377500 |
1939 |
1000601 -1013200 |
1970 |
1970201-2022400 |
||
|
1907 |
377501 - 406000 |
1940 |
1013201 -1019200 |
1970 |
2022401-2025400 |
||
|
1908 |
406001 - 435400 |
1941 |
1019201 -1039000 |
1970 |
2025401-2026600 |
||
|
1909 |
435401 - 463600 |
1942 |
1039001 -1062400 |
1971 |
2026601-2027200 |
||
|
1910 |
463601 - 491800 |
1943 |
1062401 -1078000 |
1971 |
2027211-2029000 |
||
|
1911 |
491801 - 521200 |
1944 |
1078001 -1092400 |
1971 |
2029001-2076400 |
||
|
1912 |
521201 - 557200 |
1945 |
1092401 -1106200 |
1972 |
2076401-2112400 |
||
|
1913 |
557201 - 594400 |
1946 |
1106201-1131400 |
1972 |
2112401-2113000 |
||
|
1914 |
594401 - 620800 |
1947 |
1131401-1153600 |
1973 |
2114201-2179000 |
||
|
1915 |
620801 - 635200 |
1948 |
1153601-1177600 |
1973 |
2179001-2194600 |
||
|
1916 |
635201 - 657400 |
1949 |
1177601-1205200 |
1974 |
2194601-2265400 |
||
|
1917 |
657401 - 684100 |
1950 |
1205201-1222000 |
1975 | 2265401 -2275000 | ||
|
1918 |
684101 - 714100 |
1951 |
1222001-1253200 |
||||
|
1919 |
714101 - 742300 |
1952 |
1253201-1291600 |
Konrad Knirim supplements this list with source information from the IWC website, 1999:
0 - 10,000 1868 - 1883
10,000 to 20,000 1883 - 1884
2,100,000 1974 - 1978
2,200,000 1978 - 1982
2,300,000 1982 - 1988
Source: Miguel Watches / Vintage Watches Book Hofrichter / Uhrboerse.com / Konrad Knirim Military Timepieces
Other listings of IWC production years starting slightly earlier, from 1875 onwards.
| Date | Serial # |
|
1875 |
7,000 |
|
1877 |
25,000 |
|
1879 |
50,000 |
|
1881 |
80,000 |
|
1883 |
100,000 |
| * NEW | |
| Date | Serial # |
| 1884 |
6,501 |
| 1885 |
15,500 |
| 1886 |
23,500 |
| 1887 |
29,500 |
| 1888 |
37,500 |
| 1889 |
49,000 |
| 1890 |
63,000 |
| 1891 |
75,500 |
| 1892 |
87,500 |
| 1893 |
103,000 |
| 1894 |
117,000 |
| 1895 |
133,000 |
| 1896 |
151,500 |
| 1897 |
170,500 |
| 1898 |
194,000 |
| 1899 |
212,000 |
| 1900 |
231,000 |
| 1901 |
253,500 |
| 1902 |
276,500 |
| 1903 |
298,500 |
| 1904 |
321,000 |
| 1905 |
349,500 |
| 1906 |
377,500 |
| 1907 |
406,000 |
| 1908 |
435,000 |
| 1909 |
463,500 |
| 1910 | 492,000 |
| 1911 | 521,000 |
| 1912 | 557,000 |
| 1913 | 594,000 |
| 1914 | 620,500 |
| 1915 | 635,000 |
| 1916 | 657,000 |
| 1917 | 684,000 |
| 1918 | 714,000 |
| 1919 | 742,000 |
| 1920 | 765,000 |
| 1921 | 780,000 |
| 1922 | 783,500 |
| 1923 | 793,500 |
| 1924 | 807,000 |
| 1925 | 827,500 |
| 1926 | 845,000 |
| 1927 | 866,000 |
| 1928 | 890,500 |
| 1929 | 919,500 |
| 1930 | 929,000 |
| 1931 | 937,500 |
| 1932 | 938,000 |
| 1933 | 939,000 |
| 1934 | 940,000 |
| 1935 | 945,000 |
| 1936 | 955,500 |
| 1937 | 979,000 |
| 1938 | 1,000,000 |
| 1939 | 1,013,000 |
| 1940 | 1,019,000 |
| 1941 | 1,039,000 |
| 1942 | 1,062,000 |
| 1943 | 1,078,000 |
| 1944 | 1,092,000 |
| 1945 | 1,106,000 |
| 1946 | 1,131,000 |
| 1947 | 1,153,000 |
| 1948 | 1,177,000 |
| 1949 | 1,205,000 |
| 1950 | 1,222,000 |
| 1951 | 1,253,000 |
| 1952 | 1,291,000 |
| 1953 | 1,316,000 |
| 1954 | 1,335,000 |
| 1955 | 1,361,000 |
| 1956 | 1,399,000 |
| 1957 | 1,436,000 |
| 1958 | 1,460,000 |
| 1959 | 1,513,000 |
| 1960 | 1,553,000 |
| 1961 | 1,612,000 |
| 1962 | 1,666,000 |
| 1963 | 1,733,000 |
| 1964 | 1,778,000 |
| 1965 | 1,796,000 |
| 1966 | 1,820,000 |
| 1967 | 1,889,000 |
| 1968 | 1,905,000 |
| 1969 | 1,970,000 |
| 1970 | 2,026,000 |
| 1971 | 2,113,000 |
| 1972 | 2,218,000 |
| 1973 | 2,230,000 |
| 1974 | 2,265,000 |
| 1975 | 2,275,000 |
:
