IWC Yacht Club

nkhandekar
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Neeb Neeb
Hello all. The Yacht Club is often compared to the Rolex Datejust of the same era (1600, 1601, 1603). The dimensions appear to be nearly identical and the proportions are very similar.
I don't have a photo, but the comparisons are often made. What I can say is that I hankered after a Rolex 1600 (smooth bezel) for many years, but since I bought an IWC 811 (7 years ago now) the gnawing is gone and I rarely look up datejusts, even for fun.
 
nkhandekar
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I was under the impression that these were stone dials, is this not the case?
The finish on the date wheel seems to be the same as the dial. It seems to me that it would be very difficult to make a date wheel out of malachite or lapis/azurite
 
Neeb
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nkhandekar nkhandekar
The finish on the date wheel seems to be the same as the dial. It seems to me that it would be very difficult to make a date wheel out of malachite or lapis/azurite
Good point. It does seem a bit cheap & nasty though, given that real stone dials were a thing in similar watches from other brands at the time!
 
Neeb
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osterman osterman
I have noticed that selling prices for 811 (I mean actual sales, not requests) have recently gone down.
Is it just my impression or is it a trend? Also, is it the same for other comparable watches?
What are your thoughts?
That's my impression too. I also have the impression that prices for vintage watches in general have become even more polarised by brand image - while one or two fashionably collectable brands have maintained their value (Rolex etc), others (IWC, Longines, even Omega to some extent) have lost a little value. That's a good thing in a way, as it means that really high quality, iconic vintage is a little more affordable. And surely the genuine value of these things will be appreciated at some point in the future?
 
nkhandekar
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Neeb Neeb
Good point. It does seem a bit cheap & nasty though, given that real stone dials were a thing in similar watches from other brands at the time!
Have you every visited Brighton Pavilion? All the "woodgrain" and "stone" surfaces are painted and suitable for the Prince Regent. It is magnificent. I would like to think that IWC is doing something similar here!

Omega also does a version with aventurine dials, the particles of mineral are like large pigment particles, so its a combination of stone and paint.
 
Neeb
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nkhandekar nkhandekar
Have you every visited Brighton Pavilion? All the "woodgrain" and "stone" surfaces are painted and suitable for the Prince Regent. It is magnificent. I would like to think that IWC is doing something similar here!

Omega also does a version with aventurine dials, the particles of mineral are like large pigment particles, so its a combination of stone and paint.
That's a very interesting way of looking at it, and of course you are right. I'm also now thinking of all of those Baroque period interiors with their painted imitation marble and contrived perspective.
 
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