manual header.skiplinktext header.skiplinkmenu

Contact IWC

Do you have a question about a product, your order or our service? Contact us via phone or email, or through our Whatsapp service.

Change location
Denmark, DKK
Select Language:
  • EN
Selected Country
Results
All locations
  • Andorra, EUR
  • Angola, KZ
  • Armenia, EUR
  • Australia, AUD
  • Austria, EUR
  • Azerbaijan, EUR
  • Bahrain, BHD
  • Belarus, BR
  • Belgium, EUR
  • Brazil, BRL
  • Bulgaria, EUR
  • Cambodia, SGD
  • Canada, CAD
  • China, CNY
  • Croatia, EUR
  • Cyprus, EUR
  • Czech Republic, CZK
  • Denmark, DKK
  • Estonia, EUR
  • Finland, EUR
  • France, EUR
  • Georgia, EUR
  • Germany, EUR
  • Gibraltar, EUR
  • Greece, EUR
  • Hong Kong SAR, China, HKD
  • Hungary, EUR
  • Iceland, EUR
  • India, INR
  • Indonesia, IDR
  • Ireland, EUR
  • Israel, EUR
  • Italy, EUR
  • Japan, JPY
  • Jordan, JOD
  • Kazakhstan, EUR
  • Korea, KRW
  • Kuwait, KWD
  • Latvia, EUR
  • Lithuania, EUR
  • Luxembourg, EUR
  • Macau SAR, China, MOP
  • Malaysia, MYR
  • Mexico, MEX
  • Netherlands, EUR
  • New Zealand, NZD
  • Nigeria, EUR
  • Norway, NOK
  • Oman, OMR
  • Philippines, PHP
  • Poland, PLN
  • Portugal, EUR
  • Qatar, QAR
  • Romania, EUR
  • Russia, RUB
  • Saudi Arabia, SAR
  • Serbia, EUR
  • Singapore, SGD
  • Slovakia, EUR
  • Slovenia, EUR
  • South Africa, ZAR
  • Spain, EUR
  • Sri Lanka, LKR
  • Sweden, SEK
  • Switzerland, CHF
  • Taiwan, China, TWD
  • Thailand, THB
  • Tunisia, EUR
  • Turkey, TRY
  • USA - United States, USD
  • Ukraine, UAH
  • United Arab Emirates, AED
  • United Kingdom, GBP
  • Vietnam, VND
English

Unfortunately there is no matching location. Please double check your spelling or visit our international site below

Shopping Bag
CLOSE
CLOSE

IWC Schaffhausen

IWC

IWC SCHAFFHAUSEN

Instruction manual for reference: 3888

A. Hour hand B. Minute hand C. Chronograph seconds hand D. Date display E. Month display F. Small seconds hand G. Leap year display H. Minute counter J. Hour counter K. Start/stop button L. Reset/flyback push-button M. Tachymeter scale Screw-in crown X. Normal position (screwed in) 0. Winding position 1. Setting the calendar 2. Time setting

How to correctly wind your automatic watch

Functions of the crown

NORMAL POSITION

When wearing the watch, the screw-in crown should be in position X. This prevents water from seeping into the case and protects the crown system from damage. To release the crown, unscrew it by turning it in an anticlockwise direction, where, thanks to the tension in the spring, it automatically assumes position 0, the winding position. By depressing the crown in position X and turning it in a clockwise direction at the same time, it is screwed down firmly again and secured.

WINDING POSITION

With the crown in the winding position (position 0), you can wind the movement by hand. Around 10 to 20 revolutions of the crown in the winding direction are enough to start the movement. Once fully wound, the watch’s maximum running time will be available, ensuring the precision and maintaining the movement’s rate even after taking off the watch and up to a few hours before the power reserve is depleted.

DATE AND DAY SETTING

Pull the crown out to position 1. In this position, you can use the direct-advance function to move the calendar forwards one step at a time by turning the crown slowly to the right. The calendar must not be adjusted between 9 p.m. and 3 a.m. This would result in damage to a component in the calendar mechanism which would require repair by a watchmaker. The same applies to turning the crown too rapidly when setting the calendar.

You must not move the calendar beyond the correct date. The complicated movement is mechanically programmed and cannot be moved back in time without making a professional adjustment to the movement. However, if you do move the date forwards beyond the correct date, you have two options: you can either pull out the crown to position 2 to stop the movement until the calendar setting matches the correct date once again – this makes sense if the date has been set only a few days ahead – or, you take your watch to your watchmaker, who will be able to adjust the movement to reset the calendar. This is recommended in the event of larger maladjustments.

The leap year display has four positions: “1”, “2”, “3” and “L”. “L” stands for “Leap Year”. “1” corresponds to the first year after a leap year, “2” to the second and “3” to the third. Once set correctly, the perpetual calendar will automatically show the correct date at all times. You do not need to do anything until 1 March 2100 when you must manually move the calendar forwards by 1 day. Although 2100 is divisible by four, it is not a leap year according to the Gregorian calendar. Or, you can slowly advance the calendar by 4 years until you reach the correct date. Alternatively, you can entrust this operation to your watchmaker.

How to set the date on your watch


TIME SETTING

For watches with a date display, there is a middle position for the crown. By pulling the crown out to its limit, position 1, used for setting the date, will be skipped and the crown will be in position 2.

If the crown is completely pulled out, the movement will be automatically stopped and the time can be set by turning the crown.

You can set the time by turning the crown and positioning the minute hand exactly above the minute stroke. When doing this, move the minute hand a few minute strokes beyond the time to be set. The minute hand can be positioned exactly above the correct minute stroke by moving it backwards gently. This ensures that the minute hand begins to move immediately when you restart the movement.

Moving the hands forwards past midnight causes the calendar to switch to the following day. When advancing the calendar, you can follow and observe the automatic switching sequence.

To start the seconds hand, push in the crown to position 0.

By depressing the crown in position X and turning it to the right at the same time, it is screwed down firmly again and secured.


READING THE TIME IN THE DARK

All luminescent elements on hands, dial and external rotating bezel are made from non-ionizing materials.

Both the dial and the hour and minute hands of your watch have luminescent elements that allow you to read the time effortlessly even in total darkness.


READING THE CHRONOGRAPH

Chronograph seconds hand: The scale for the central chronograph seconds hand runs around the edge of the dial.

Minute and hour counters: The subdial at 12 o’clock has two hands, which run continuously and show the elapsed time on a 12-hour and a 60-minute scale. The hour and minute counters can be read like a standard analogue time display. In other words, 1 revolution of the minute counter is equal to 60 minutes, and 1 revolution of the hour counter is equal to 12 hours.


USING THE CHRONOGRAPH

Start: To start the chronograph, press the start/stop push-button.

Flyback: You can start recording a new time immediately, even when the chronograph is running. Simply press the reset/flyback push-button fully, as far as it will go. All three chronograph hands are reset to zero, and a new measurement is started as soon as the push-button is released.

Stop: To stop the running chronograph, press the start/stop push-button. Both seconds hands stop simultaneously.

Reset: Press the reset/flyback push-button fully, as far as it will go. This will reset all the chronograph hands to zero. The separately stopped split-seconds hand is not automatically reset, but must be reset by pressing the split-seconds-hand button again.

Aggregate timing: You can add the recorded times together by pressing the start/stop push-button again after the first measurement instead of the reset push-button.

A tachymeter is a function on the bezel of the Performance Chronograph line that allows the user to measure the average speed based on the fully elapsed time over a specific distance (e.g. 1 kilometer or 1 mile).

1) Start the chronograph on your watch when an event begins, e.g. when a vehicle starts to move. 2) Stop the chronograph on your watch when you have covered the predefined distance (e.g. 1 kilometer or 1 mile).

The number on the tachymeter scale, which is visible on the bezel and matches the chronograph’s second hand, shows you the average speed of the event in units per hour.

You can set the units any way you like: for example, if you have set the distance to 1 kilometer, the speed is displayed in kilometers per hour.


CROSSING THE INTERNATIONAL DATE LINE

Setting when crossing the International Date Line: When crossing the International Date Line in a westerly direction (you enter the next day, regardless of the time of day), simply turn the time forwards to the new local time, and the date change will take place automatically. When crossing the International Date Line in an easterly direction (you enter the previous day, regardless of the time of day), you must likewise set your watch forwards to the new local time. However, your watch will now indicate the wrong date (1 day too many). This incorrect date indication can be corrected by resetting the hands twice, by 12 hours on each occasion: Setting the watch back by 12 hours during the afternoon between 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. will prevent the calendar from advancing at midnight. Setting the watch back another 12 hours the following morning between 2 a.m. and 11 a.m. will synchronize the date display with the local date.

Setting when crossing time zones: When crossing time zones in an easterly direction, you should simply set the time forwards to the new local time. When crossing time zones in a westerly direction, you can set the hands of your watch back to the actual time of day. When doing this, however, you must not move back into the calendar’s automatic switching phase, i.e. beyond 2 a.m. If this situation occurs when you are travelling west, you should set the local time of your destination before 8 p.m. You must not turn the hands back between 8 p.m. and 2 a.m. This is because the calendar does not move backwards by 1 day when the hands are turned back beyond midnight, but remains on the same day. If you go past the end of the calendar’s switching phase (i.e. beyond 2 a.m.) when turning the hands back, you run the risk of the calendar advancing by 1 day for a second time and thus indicating 1 day too many.


INFORMATION ABOUT MAGNETIC FIELDS

Extremely strong permanent magnets are increasingly found in everyday objects and are an integral part of items such as fasteners on handbags, jewellery cases and cupboards, headphones and magnetic toys. The magnetic fields produced by such permanent magnets can negatively influence the precision of mechanical watches. Mechanical watches should be kept away from such magnetic fields.

However, should there be a sudden change in the precision of your timepiece despite your having taken precautions, please contact an authorized IWC Official Agent or an IWC service centre so that your watch can be demagnetized and restored by a specialist.


WATER-RESISTANCE

The water-resistance of IWC watches is stated in bar and not in metres. Metres, which are often used elsewhere in the watch industry to indicate water-resistance, cannot be equated with the dive depth because of the test procedures that are frequently used. The following are some examples for explanation: an IWC watch with an indicated water-resistance of 1 bar is protected against splashing water. With water-resistance of 3 to 5 bar, the watch can be worn when swimming or skiing, and at 6 to 12 bar it will have no problem with water sports or snorkeling. Diver’s watches with an indicated water-resistance as of 12 bar are professional measuring instruments designed for scuba-diving. Special diver’s watches resistant to 100 bar or 200 bar are suitable even for deep-sea diving. The recommended uses for IWC watches, depending on the degree of water-resistance, are established on this basis and on the basis of empirical data, and are indicated in the inserted table here.

Remember that temperature fluctuations and external influences – due to solvents, cosmetics or dust, or caused by shocks, impacts or sudden movements – can fundamentally affect the watch’s water-resistance. Therefore, before engaging in activities that could be potentially damaging to your watch (team sports, high diving, etc.), you are advised to put it in a safe place. Please also bear in mind that not every strap or bracelet is suitable for use in or under water because of the materials used in its construction. Furthermore, with the exception of diver’s watches, the moving parts of the watch (crown, buttons, etc.) should not be operated under water. Before wearing the watch in or under water, you should also ensure that all moving parts are in the “off” position.

It should also be noted that the water-resistance of a watch is not a permanent characteristic. Seals and sealing systems in particular are subject to wear and tear and natural ageing. To care for your IWC watch, please read the operating instructions carefully. After use in or under water, your watch should be rinsed with clear, fresh and lukewarm water and then cleaned and dried. The watch’s water-resistance should be tested regularly, and at least annually, by an authorized IWC Official Agent. Further instructions for care can be found in the corresponding operating instructions.

All the Aquatimer models feature an external/internal rotating bezel that is used to set dive times. The IWC SafeDive® system ensures that the internal rotating bezel can only be adjusted when the external bezel is rotated in an anticlockwise direction. As a result, even if the external bezel is accidentally moved, zero hour – the time at which the diver can return to the surface without the need for decompression stops – cannot be exceeded. Further instructions can be found in the corresponding operating instructions.

IWC SafeDive® is a trademark of IWC Schaffhausen registered in many jurisdictions worldwide.


SERVICING YOUR WATCH

The optimal service cycle for your IWC timepiece is exclusive to your watch and unique lifestyle. The necessary interval between services will be determined by your individual wearing habits – such as the frequency of wear, the environment(s) you live in and the intensity of physical activity you engage in. Your watch is a finely tuned mechanical instrument. The more carefully you handle your watch, the longer it will continue to function flawlessly. We simply recommend that you continue wearing your watch for as long as you please and to only entrust it for a service if you notice a deviation from the regular performance, function or timekeeping. In this case, we will be happy to return your watch to its original performance level as part of servicing.


manual header.skiplinktext header.skiplinkmenu

No result found

 

For manuals from past collections, please contact our concierge who can provide you with the appropriate documents.

Send us a message through our online form.