Swiss watch manufacturer IWC Schaffhausen has officially moved into the pre-owned market with a new initiative for serious collectors and vintage enthusiasts. The program, called IWC.Curated, includes a highly curated selection of restored historical timepieces, and comes with a certification when sold through select boutiques worldwide.
Restoring Historical Icons to Life
The watch selections are made by the museum in Schaffhausen, and they celebrate important milestones in the brand’s over 150-year history. Each piece is carefully restored by IWC’s in-house team of vintage watchmakers, which includes fully disassembling the case and movement, polishing used components, ultrasonic cleaning, and replacing damaged components with original pieces from IWC’s archival collection. Once restored, they are sold with a two-year international warranty that is extendable to eight years upon registration with IWC.
More than just pre-owned
A distinction that separates IWC.Curated. from the typical certified pre-owned programs offered by IWC’s competitors, like Rolex, is that IWC.Curated. is dedicated to vintage heritage pieces and not just lightly-used current models. In line with Zenith’s ICONS collection and the Vacheron Constantin’s Les Collectionneurs program, IWC’s pre-owned effort is focused on provenance and historical value not resale turnover.
The launch catalog includes rare significant pieces such as a 1970s Ingenieur (Ref 1832) from designer Gérald Genta, an example of a Da Vinci Perpetual Calendar Chronograph from 1985, and an early 1950s Mark 11 watch issued by the British Royal Air Force. These watches represent more than collectible items; they are mechanical milestones that have been given a second life with the added value of certified provenance and restoration by the manufacturer. Collectors seeking specific references can also inquire with IWC to assist in locating and sourcing through the program.
Museum curator David Seyffer framed the effort as a connection of the past to the future, stating in the press release that the watches “are ready for a new chapter.” The program will launch at select boutiques in Switzerland, the UK, Dubai, and Japan, with future hopes of a greater global reach.
