IWC

Da Vinci Watches

IWC Da Vinci Perpetual Calendar

Being a significant part of IWC’s history, the IWC Da Vinci Perpetual Calendar is one of the favourites of watch enthusiasts. Its distinguished feature should be its calendar mechanism which was designed by the legendary IWC horologist Kurt Klaus. It was the first IWC chronograph that featured a perpetual calendar along with a four-digit year display function. This distinctive calendar can smartly recognize the differing length in months and leap years so that it does not need any other adjustment prior to the year 2100. This feature has amazed the collectors especially when such a complicated system can be adjusted by a single crown.

IWC Da Vinci Automatic Moonphase 36

The IWC Da Vinci Moonphase watch is another notable IWC dress watch that you should not miss for your collection. This watch features a 36 mm stainless steel case while providing various choices like plain version, diamonds, and red gold versions. 

The basic stainless steel version of this model is regarded as one of the most classic watches that suits any occasions. It features a silver-plated burst dial along with the contrasting navy blue Arabic numerals. This IWC Da Vinci automatic watch features its moon phase indicator of at 12 o'clock position. This watch is powered by the IWC automatic calibre 35800 movements, which provide a power reserve of 42-hours. The solid case back of the watch was engraved with the Flower of Life pattern, which was renowned as the pattern drawn and studied by Leonardo Da Vinci. 

As one of the mainstay IWC collections, a handful of updated IWC Da Vinci models have been released in recent years. One of the popular newer additions to IWC Da Vinci is the IWC Da Vinci Automatic Edition 150 Years released in 2018 at SIHH. As suggested in the name, it was amongst those released for the brand’s 150th celebration. This special edition was the first IWC watch to feature the new IWC in-house manufactured 82200 calibre. The movement is an automatic movement featuring Pellaton winding and small hacking seconds. The IWC watch was available as a limited edition with only 500 pieces each in three different variations. One of them is a 18 karat gold version paved with a dazzling white dial. The two other variations are in stainless steel – while one features a blue dial and the other one is equipped with a white one.

The IWC Da Vinci watches are not only available as watches for men but there are many amazing watches for women as well. As a pillar of the brand, the Da Vinci watch collection demonstrated the supreme quality and beauty of IWC mechanical watches. If you are looking for a dress watch with elegance, it is ideal for your watch collection.

The International Watch Company (IWC) is the top manufacturer of luxury Swiss watches. IWC was founded in Schaffhausen, Switzerland in 1868 by an American watchmaker Florentine Ariosto Jones. IWC watches are notable for their high quality timepieces, especially the IWC titanium watches. Compared to other popular collections, although IWC Da Vinci is less mentioned, it achieved multiple significant innovations for the brand.

The IWC Da Vinci watch line was introduced in 1969. IWC Da Vinci is known as the very first Swiss watch equipped with the innovative Beta 21 quartz movement. This is a pioneering achievement as a milestone for the watchmaking journey of the brand. With the technical refinement and exquisite stylish look, IWC Da Vinci watch has stood to represent the legacy of IWC’s engineering.  

IWC Da Vinci is one of the most admired mainstay collections of the brand. For over 50 years, this IWC watch family line has been evolving drastically and has offered wide variations of styles. 

Introduced in 1969, this IWC watch collection instantly obtained massive popularity as the very first Swiss quartz watch. It was equipped with the innovative Beta 21 movement. The “21” in the name is the number of brands and manufacturers that participated in its development, including IWC. The IWC Da Vinci watch was encased by a striking hexagonal case featuring long indices and plain hour-and-minute hands. This model was manufactured for a short period of time and it was re-edited in 2008. 

1985: Revolution of IWC Da Vinci

In 1985, the IWC Da Vinci Perpetual Calendar Chronograph was released. It was said to be the first large evolution of the Da Vinci collection as a milestone for the brand. The remarkable perpetual calendar mechanism was created under the design of the legendary watchmaker Kurt Klaus. It was a new calendar module that only comprised 81 individual parts and performed high precision. 

The model reference 3750 was one of its most popular versions. Its movement was combined with one of the most esteemed automatic movements in history, the Valjoux 7750 movement. The case of the watch also featured a new and novel hinged strap attachment that allowed the watch to sit flush to the wrist. This design also became the inspiration for its later versions like IW392101 and IW392103. 

The launch of this IWC Da Vinci watch in that era was significant. Under the influence of the quartz crisis, the interest towards mechanical watches had cooled down in the market at the time. The market was overwhelmed by the cheap and practical quartz watches. People who wore mechanical watches were described as outdated. 

Fortunately, the launch of this IWC chronograph revealed the beauty of mechanics to the public. Showing up as a hope of mechanical movement, the IWC Da Vinci Chronograph Perpetual Calendar is considered one of the most important watches in the history of horology.

The revival of The First IWC Da Vinci

In 2008, there was a revival for the first IWC Da Vinci watch. To celebrate IWC 140th anniversary, the re-edition of the vintage Da Vinci watch was released. The IWC Da Vinci Automatic Vintage 1969 was referenced IW546101. It was powered by an advanced IWC movement 80111 Calibre while resembling the vintage style.

The regular hexagonal shape of the IWC IW546101 watch was stretched and refined. The case also featured a sapphire crystal back that allowed the viewers to appreciate its magnificent movements.