34 Discussions and CommentsMember since Feb. 1, 2011
Well for my first post here I thought I would show my luckiest Ebay find to date, a 1886 IWC Pallweber Digital! I've always loved mechanical digitals and jump hour watches and have always wanted to own a digital pocket watch but never thought I'd find a Pallweber for such a low price(not to be coy but lets just say well under $500!). Clearly the seller didn't know what they had. In the listing I noticed in a pic of the movement, peaking from under the sellers thumb, what looked like an upside down IWC mark! Here it is right side up. Now, in all fairness to the seller, the watch was sold in "non working"condition. The crystal is missing, there is a nasty ding in the heavily cracked no-name english dial, and the hour wheel was so dirty the seller couldn't see a number on it and thought that it was missing!! In the next pic I've changed the time but in the second pic I've set it to the time to what it was in the auction. I gently cleaned off a bit of the grime with a q-tip so it is a bit easier to see now but when I got the watch it was nearly unintelligible. A bit further around the dials the numbers are pretty nice! The case is in not bad shape for it's age even though there is no crystal in it. There are no monograms or engravings. It does say warrenteed inside, so it is a plated case, but I only found a really small spot of brassing on the stem tube which is barely noticeable. There was a dent in the case back but someone along the way has pushed it almost perfectly out. I get the feeling that the watch was played with by a child at one point in it's life. The notch where you open the dust cover has been scratched badly from someone prying it open with something sharp. Someone who clearly didn't know what they were doing! And the crest on the back of the case, where a monogram would go, looks like someone made a couple light scratches as though they were trying to initial the watch. They should carefully buff out okay.
The decoration on the case is very nice and still rather crisp!
Now to the works!
The watch is clearly very dirty inside. There is oily grunge on the jewels and if you look closely there, small shards of glass!! Or maybe quartz sand...would that make it the worlds first quartz digital?! LOL My hope is that is the reason the watch is not running(a bit of grit stuck in a gear). It was wound tight when I got it, and clearly the hairspring has seen the wrath and curiosity of a prying child. I'd say the hairspring is buggered but the balance still swings freely. I just hope it's not broken or bent. I also suspect that the regulator wasn't adjusted by a watchmaker, rather by the same prying child. And if you look closely, under all those beautiful grungy gears, stamped in the core of the movement is "Patented Pallweber". So now I just need to get it into the hands of IWC's restoration staff. I saw an amazing post a while back where the poster had toured IWC's parts archive. The pics of some of the drawers that contained parts were amazing. In the one pic was a drawer full of parts for the Pallweber movements! I'm just hoping they will be able to bring life back to this great watch(and hopefully an nice new porcelain dial!!). I am doublely blessed in that I work in the airline industry, so I hope to take the watch in person to Schaffhausen and drop it off at there service drop at the Museum. It's a good excuse to fly to Zurich and see Switzerland! Twice, because I'd rather pick the watch back up, seeing as it has no shock protection. I've seen how courier companies handle fragile packages and it doesn't leave me feeling too secure! So, not bad for a first post eh? (yes I'm Canadian, lol) I hope I can have more like this!
I of course love, just love Pallwebers. But yours is not 1866 -1886 seems more likely (IWC started in 1868, and its first production was actually a few years later). Yours needs work, as you know, and Schaffhausen is the best. But I'm not sure what they can do with the dial, given the cracks --still, it's worth a try.
34 Discussions and CommentsMember since Feb. 1, 2011
Thanks for the luck! No your right, it is a 1886 not 66. Searching the serial number in the moeb applet says it is a 1886 Elgin II 19 Lin. Pallweber. I'm not sure if it is 11 or 15 jewels. It could be either and it is hard to tell because it is so dirty.
Has anyone here been to the Museum and talked with the service people there? Just curious with other peoples experiences.
Michael Friedberg Wrote:I of course love, just love Pallwebers. But yours is not 1866 -1886 seems more likely (IWC started in 1868, and its first production was actually a few years later). Yours needs work, as you know, and Schaffhausen is the best. But I'm not sure what they can do with the dial, given the cracks --still, it's worth a try.
While I've been to the Museum there's no service people there. Even if the curator's around, he's neither a watchmaker nor engaged in customer service. There's only a few watchmakers who work on really old watches at IWC, and they really don't interact with the public. I think you'll enjoy your visit but be disappointed if you expect much of an interactive service experience.
2,247 Discussions and CommentsMember since Aug. 2, 2001
That's quite a project you've taken on. I truly hope that IWC can restore the watch to working condition along with a reasonable step towards its original appearance as well. I'll sure look forward to hearing what happens, and to more of your excellent photos.
5,023 Discussions and CommentsMember since May 29, 2003Sarasota, FL,
United States
A great first post. Very interested to see what IWC can do with this beauty. If that dial can be made to look new I will be very surprised, but happily so.
1,910 Discussions and CommentsMember since Aug. 4, 2001
An amazing watch the Pallweber. Congratulations. You have a very interesting project in your hands. Please show us the end result. Here is mine. It was not as cheap as yours but still a bargain. And it was working, although not keeping good time.
2,633 Discussions and CommentsMember since Sept. 20, 2007
This watch must be saved!fortunately your post ( a great first post, supported by excellent photos) indicates that you will undertake the job, and have Schaffhausen refurbish it.
Whilst, that certainly will take many months and bring with it a high price ticket - the results will be above expectations and this jewel of yours will be ready to tell the time, for the next 200 years!
Of course, the dial is a question and one would need to see what IWC's master watchmakers decide, to replace it or have it re-enameled. Either way, a costly exercise - but, having myself just having had Schaffhausen do a full dial refurbishment on one of my watches there for refurbishment I can tell you that they will do a good job!
Please be sure to take lots of photos - so we can see before and after views.
I've been in touch here with David Seyffer, the Museum curator and friend of collectors especially including this forum.
David says that there is a service watchmaker around during opening hours in the museum for specific watchmaking questions. If IWC learns when you will come to Schaffhausen they would be honored to show you personally the museum. The also would try to arrange an appointment with Jürg Rüeger, the museum’ watch doctor. (http://www.iwc.com/experiences/watchman/)
My suggestion is that you should let me know your plans via e-mail, and I'll pass them to David who then can contact you. I'm sure you'd enjoy the experience.
2,633 Discussions and CommentsMember since Sept. 20, 2007
Michael, this is the difference! This is what makes IWC different from all others, and I am sure that WAINAIR,will find that he and his watch get the highest level of service and attention, when visiting Schaffhausen.
There is no denying, the fact that the IWC team are true friends of the Forum members, and your continued facilitating of this type of intervention and communications is well received by all of us.
WAINAIR - please be sure to take your camera along too:~)
Now, in all fairness to the seller, the watch was sold in "non working"condition. The crystal is missing, there is a nasty ding in the heavily cracked no-name english dial, and the hour wheel was so dirty the seller couldn't see a number on it and thought that it was missing!! In the next pic I've changed the time but in the second pic I've set it to the time to what it was in the auction. I gently cleaned off a bit of the grime with a q-tip so it is a bit easier to see now but when I got the watch it was nearly unintelligible.
A bit further around the dials the numbers are pretty nice!
The case is in not bad shape for it's age even though there is no crystal in it. There are no monograms or engravings. It does say warrenteed inside, so it is a plated case, but I only found a really small spot of brassing on the stem tube which is barely noticeable. There was a dent in the case back but someone along the way has pushed it almost perfectly out. I get the feeling that the watch was played with by a child at one point in it's life. The notch where you open the dust cover has been scratched badly from someone prying it open with something sharp. Someone who clearly didn't know what they were doing! And the crest on the back of the case, where a monogram would go, looks like someone made a couple light scratches as though they were trying to initial the watch. They should carefully buff out okay.
The decoration on the case is very nice and still rather crisp!
Now to the works!
The watch is clearly very dirty inside. There is oily grunge on the jewels and if you look closely there, small shards of glass!! Or maybe quartz sand...would that make it the worlds first quartz digital?! LOL
My hope is that is the reason the watch is not running(a bit of grit stuck in a gear). It was wound tight when I got it, and clearly the hairspring has seen the wrath and curiosity of a prying child. I'd say the hairspring is buggered but the balance still swings freely. I just hope it's not broken or bent. I also suspect that the regulator wasn't adjusted by a watchmaker, rather by the same prying child.
And if you look closely, under all those beautiful grungy gears, stamped in the core of the movement is "Patented Pallweber".
So now I just need to get it into the hands of IWC's restoration staff. I saw an amazing post a while back where the poster had toured IWC's parts archive. The pics of some of the drawers that contained parts were amazing. In the one pic was a drawer full of parts for the Pallweber movements! I'm just hoping they will be able to bring life back to this great watch(and hopefully an nice new porcelain dial!!). I am doublely blessed in that I work in the airline industry, so I hope to take the watch in person to Schaffhausen and drop it off at there service drop at the Museum. It's a good excuse to fly to Zurich and see Switzerland! Twice, because I'd rather pick the watch back up, seeing as it has no shock protection. I've seen how courier companies handle fragile packages and it doesn't leave me feeling too secure!
So, not bad for a first post eh? (yes I'm Canadian, lol) I hope I can have more like this!
Last edited: 9 February, 2011 - 13:24
Good luck --and please keep us informed!
Regards, Michael
mfriedberg@iwcforum.com
Last edited: 5 April, 2012 - 19:53
Has anyone here been to the Museum and talked with the service people there? Just curious with other peoples experiences.
Last edited: 9 February, 2011 - 13:24
Regards, Michael
mfriedberg@iwcforum.com
Last edited: 5 April, 2012 - 19:53
Good luck!
Dick L.
whichwatch at roadrunner dot com
Last edited: 8 November, 2012 - 12:49
Here is mine. It was not as cheap as yours but still a bargain. And it was working, although not keeping good time.
clepsydra
ad fontes...
Last edited: 30 October, 2011 - 22:05
Whilst, that certainly will take many months and bring with it a high price ticket - the results will be above expectations and this jewel of yours will be ready to tell the time, for the next 200 years!
Of course, the dial is a question and one would need to see what IWC's master watchmakers decide, to replace it or have it re-enameled. Either way, a costly exercise - but, having myself just having had Schaffhausen do a full dial refurbishment on one of my watches there for refurbishment I can tell you that they will do a good job!
Please be sure to take lots of photos - so we can see before and after views.
Congrats on a great find!
Best regards
Mark
Best regards
Mark
Last edited: 16 April, 2013 - 00:36
David says that there is a service watchmaker around during opening hours in the museum for specific watchmaking questions. If IWC learns when you will come to Schaffhausen they would be honored to show you personally the museum. The also would try to arrange an appointment with Jürg Rüeger, the museum’ watch doctor. (http://www.iwc.com/experiences/watchman/)
My suggestion is that you should let me know your plans via e-mail, and I'll pass them to David who then can contact you. I'm sure you'd enjoy the experience.
Regards, Michael
mfriedberg@iwcforum.com
Last edited: 5 April, 2012 - 19:53
There is no denying, the fact that the IWC team are true friends of the Forum members, and your continued facilitating of this type of intervention and communications is well received by all of us.
WAINAIR - please be sure to take your camera along too:~)
Best regards
Mark
Best regards
Mark
Last edited: 16 April, 2013 - 00:36