2,081 Discussions and CommentsMember since Jan. 7, 2005
clepsydra Wrote:Athos, Porthos and Aramis. Dumas would have been proud. I must add D'Artagnan one of these days. Which vintage IWC qualifies for that honor.
Antonio, do yuo really need an answer?
Should I say something with a cal 52T SC inside? :D
2,081 Discussions and CommentsMember since Jan. 7, 2005
clepsydra Wrote in reply to:
flyrobyfly36 Wrote:Should I say something with a cal 52T SC inside? :D Ref 431 beacons!
I was hoping for a more affordable D'Artagnan. For a Ref 431, a Ref 325 would have to go. Not an easy decision.
Dear Antonio,
being (just) the tought to sell ref. 325 unbearable to my poor mind, I come with some other alternatives.
I should say "we", since I asked Cristina to come to my aid.
So, the options are:
Mine: ref 3705, almost a contemporary but rare and then, it's almost an icon. Mine 2: Mark XII - Gadebush, 1 out of 50, rare and white dial (*)
Cristina: Mark XVI Spitfire, I told her we are vintage guys bu she says it would look nice on your wrist and, more than this, since it would impersonate the role of D'Artagnan, it should be different to the others so a white dial turns out to be perfect!
Last option, if you decide to buy ref. 431 and sell ref. 325, apprise me please, I'll go applying for a loan! :D
(*) I stole the idea of the white dial to Cristina.
1,910 Discussions and CommentsMember since Aug. 4, 2001
Carissimi Cristina and Roberto, Thanks for the thoughtful suggestions. As you have noted "The Three Musketeers" are all tools once used to get important jobs done. The WWW ensured that all soldiers in the Army were in sync, the BOAC Mark 11 ensured the crews knew their position in long-haul flights at night over large bodies of water or uncharted land, and the RAF Mark 11 ensured the bomber crews found their targets with pint point accuracy. A candidate for D'Artagnan would have to fall into the same category. The Ref 431 would be the obvious first choice, but it is out of range. Another candidate is the RAF 10AF/807, but although it did a heck of a job under extreme circumstances, it is not a wrist watch. There is another one that could fit - the special watch for pilots, but the current prices are also prohibitive. The SWP may not qualify, though. From what I was able to understand, the SWP was made for the amateur pilot market. I have read uncorroborated claims that some pilots in the early Luftwaffe used the SWP in flight, but I take these claims with healthy skepticism. So, unless there is a cheap Ref 431 out there in mint condition and in the original box, The Three Musketeers will keep waiting (mixing Dumas with Beckett) for Godot. The search continues.
1,910 Discussions and CommentsMember since Aug. 4, 2001
iwcforme Wrote:I put this little group together some years back the Mark 1X would be my recommendation for your next addition Regards Ivan iwcforme
Well done. Congratulations. I'll think about your suggestion, but the B-Uhr is still my first and second options, just because it was used professionally. The Special Watch for Pilots is, without any doubt a very important watch for IWC and Aviation but, since I can't have both, I have to opt.
1,888 Discussions and CommentsMember since June 13, 2001Mansfield,Notts,
United Kingdom
You must remember that the B-Uhr was not in the strictest sense a Pilot watch ( or watch for pilots). It was designed as an aid to navigation, hense its size and easy readability and classed as an "observer's" or navigator's watch. But no doubt some pilots would have worn it again for its size and ease of reading. would be a great addition to your collection
1,910 Discussions and CommentsMember since Aug. 4, 2001
iwcforme Wrote:You must remember that the B-Uhr was not in the strictest sense a Pilot watch ( or watch for pilots). It was designed as an aid to navigation, hense its size and easy readability and classed as an "observer's" or navigator's watch. But no doubt some pilots would have worn it again for its size and ease of reading. would be a great addition to your collection
Regards Ivan iwcforme
That is correct. Piloting the Luftwaffe bombers/night-fighters of WWII, Heinkel 111 or Junker 88, in combat missions was a full time job requiring the pilot's full attention. It was the task of the Observer/Navigator to navigate the airplane to the target and back. The B-Uhr was issued to the Observer/Navigator prior to the mission, properly set, and returned after the mission, assuming they returned. The losses were incredibly high. The RAF issued the Mark 11s primarily to Navigators, and then to aircraft Captains and First-pilots. The BOAC issued the Mark 11 to the the crew member qualified in celestial navigation, along with all the navigation charts for the route to be flown, prior to the flight and the watch was returned to the Navigation department when the flight was concluded.
I must add D'Artagnan one of these days. Which vintage IWC qualifies for that honor.
clepsydra
ad fontes...
Last edited: 30 October, 2011 - 22:05
Antonio, do yuo really need an answer?
Should I say something with a cal 52T SC inside? :D
Ref 431 beacons!
Ciao
roberto
Regards,
Roberto
Last edited: 11 January, 2013 - 11:07
I was hoping for a more affordable D'Artagnan. For a Ref 431, a Ref 325 would have to go. Not an easy decision.
clepsydra
ad fontes...
Last edited: 30 October, 2011 - 22:05
Dear Antonio,
being (just) the tought to sell ref. 325 unbearable to my poor mind, I come with some other alternatives.
I should say "we", since I asked Cristina to come to my aid.
So, the options are:
Mine: ref 3705, almost a contemporary but rare and then, it's almost an icon.
Mine 2: Mark XII - Gadebush, 1 out of 50, rare and white dial (*)
Cristina: Mark XVI Spitfire, I told her we are vintage guys bu she says it would look nice on your wrist and, more than this, since it would impersonate the role of D'Artagnan, it should be different to the others so a white dial turns out to be perfect!
Last option, if you decide to buy ref. 431 and sell ref. 325, apprise me please, I'll go applying for a loan! :D
(*) I stole the idea of the white dial to Cristina.
Regards,
Roberto
Last edited: 11 January, 2013 - 11:07
Thanks for the thoughtful suggestions.
As you have noted "The Three Musketeers" are all tools once used to get important jobs done. The WWW ensured that all soldiers in the Army were in sync, the BOAC Mark 11 ensured the crews knew their position in long-haul flights at night over large bodies of water or uncharted land, and the RAF Mark 11 ensured the bomber crews found their targets with pint point accuracy.
A candidate for D'Artagnan would have to fall into the same category. The Ref 431 would be the obvious first choice, but it is out of range.
Another candidate is the RAF 10AF/807, but although it did a heck of a job under extreme circumstances, it is not a wrist watch.
There is another one that could fit - the special watch for pilots, but the current prices are also prohibitive. The SWP may not qualify, though. From what I was able to understand, the SWP was made for the amateur pilot market. I have read uncorroborated claims that some pilots in the early Luftwaffe used the SWP in flight, but I take these claims with healthy skepticism.
So, unless there is a cheap Ref 431 out there in mint condition and in the original box,
The search continues.
clepsydra
ad fontes...
Last edited: 30 October, 2011 - 22:05
the Mark 1X would be my recommendation for your next addition
Regards
Ivan
iwcforme
Ivan
iwcforme
iwcforme@aol.com
Last edited: 11 December, 2012 - 13:27
Well done. Congratulations.
I'll think about your suggestion, but the B-Uhr is still my first and second options, just because it was used professionally.
The Special Watch for Pilots is, without any doubt a very important watch for IWC and Aviation but, since I can't have both, I have to opt.
clepsydra
ad fontes...
Last edited: 30 October, 2011 - 22:05
It was designed as an aid to navigation, hense its size and easy readability and classed as an "observer's" or navigator's watch. But no doubt some pilots would have worn it again for its size and ease of reading.
would be a great addition to your collection
Regards
Ivan
iwcforme
Ivan
iwcforme
iwcforme@aol.com
Last edited: 11 December, 2012 - 13:27
That is correct. Piloting the Luftwaffe bombers/night-fighters of WWII, Heinkel 111 or Junker 88, in combat missions was a full time job requiring the pilot's full attention. It was the task of the Observer/Navigator to navigate the airplane to the target and back. The B-Uhr was issued to the Observer/Navigator prior to the mission, properly set, and returned after the mission, assuming they returned. The losses were incredibly high.
The RAF issued the Mark 11s primarily to Navigators, and then to aircraft Captains and First-pilots.
The BOAC issued the Mark 11 to the the crew member qualified in celestial navigation, along with all the navigation charts for the route to be flown, prior to the flight and the watch was returned to the Navigation department when the flight was concluded.
clepsydra
ad fontes...
Last edited: 30 October, 2011 - 22:05