KM IWC "M 7231" signed luminous numeral B-Uhr deck watch 2nd class Kriegsmarine

IWC International Watch Schaffhausen "KM" signed observation watch / deck watch 2nd class "M 7231" of the Kriegsmarine with super rare luminous dial from the 2nd World War.

Exactly 1,000 IWC observation watches with luminous dials were manufactured for the German Navy's submarine service (there were indeed nearly 1,000 submarines, or at least that many were planned for by the time of the "final victory"). According to the IWC Museum, these were delivered to the German Navy by the Gerl & Schipper company in Cologne between September 7 and November 8, 1944.

Considering that 67.5% of all German U-boats – and thus their “IWC luminous dial” examples – were sunk and destroyed, only 325 examples could have survived World War II.

After some loss due to inheritance, disposal due to lack of knowledge, etc., over the last 80 years, it can be assumed that a maximum of 250 of these museum-quality artifacts of military watch history still exist worldwide today.

The museum-quality artifact being offered is therefore the rarest military watch not only from IWC, but of the German Navy in World War II.

This is a rare, authentically signed museum artifact (see photos).

The provenance and military use by the German Navy (Kriegsmarine) during World War II are documented by the Kriegsmarine signature "M 7231" on the back of the case, as well as the inscription "II. Kl." (Second Class). Only the German Navy classified and marked pocket watches and deck watches according to quality in different classes during World War II.

Furthermore, the oversized indirect second hand indicates that it is an observation clock.

There were clear regulations specifying how many deck clocks of which classes had to be on board at all times.