IWC Schaffhausen

Please go to an IWC Boutique or an authorized IWC retailer of your choice.

All IWC Boutiques and authorized IWC retailers can be found on our Retailers Page:
http://www.iwc.com/en-us/retail/

As soon as the watchmaker has thoroughly examined your watch, you will receive a quotation and the anticipated return date. Please note that the work may require some time.

In everyday use, a wristwatch is subjected to many different strains and stresses, such as vibrations, impacts, dust, water, UV radiation, perspiration or fluctuations in temperature. We should not omit to mention the mechanical strain placed on a movement designed to keep the time with absolute precision for 24 hours every single day, and for periods of many years. In order to combat the wear-and-tear on certain moving parts as well as the natural ageing of oils and lubricants, we recommend owners to have an interim service carried out approximately every two years and a full service approximately every five.

The only way to establish a watch’s authenticity is to have it examined thoroughly by one of our watchmakers in Schaffhausen.

An extract from the records includes a short description of the model, the date of sale and the name of the first owner. An extract can only be issued for watches more than five years old that were not produced before 1885. However, in the case of certain models such as the Special Watch for Pilots, the W. W. W. Watches Wrist Waterproof or the Pilot’s Watch Mark 11, the early Ingenieur models, the very first Portuguese watches and all IWC watches produced for military purposes, the watch must be sent to Schaffhausen.

The order can be sent by email to customerservice@iwc.com. For an extract from the records, we require the case number together with the movement number (engraved on the movement itself). An extract from the records is not a certificate of authenticity; it merely confirms that the case and movement numbers are correct.

It is certainly possible to identify fakes by comparing data, but even if they do tally, it is still no guarantee that the watch is genuine.

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. Water-resistance shown in metres provides no indication as to actual use of the watch in the presence of moisture and wetness, and in or under water.

Water-resistant watches are usually tested for water-resistance on the basis of international standard ISO 2281, and diver’s watches (watches that are water-resistant at least 10 bar) on the basis of international standard ISO 6425. In order to do justice to the high quality expectations of IWC watch products, IWC uses some test methods that exceed the standard test applications. The recommended uses for IWC watches, depending on the degree of water-resistance, are established on the basis of this and the other empirical data indicated in the corresponding graphic.
Remember that temperature fluctuations and external influences, for example solvents, cosmetics and dust, or shocks, impacts and sudden movements, can fundamentally affect the water-resistance. Consequently, 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 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 water and then cleaned and dried. The water-resistance should be tested regularly, and at least once a year, by an IWC authorised retailer.

Further instructions for care can be found in the watch’s operating instructions.

As a matter of principle, avoid exposing your wristwatch to magnetic fields for any length of time. All mechanical movements contain parts that can be magnetised, depending on the strength of the field. The German industrial standard DIN 8309 states that a mechanical watch is antimagnetic if it can be exposed to a magnetic field of strength 4800 A/m (the equivalent of 6 Militesla (mT)) and subsequently shows no major signs of impaired functionality. Certain models from IWC, such as the Ingenieur and the Pilot’s Watches, feature additional protection from magnetic fields in the form of a soft-iron inner case. This provides them with considerably more effective shielding against magnetic fields.
However, if your IWC watch should ever become magnetised and as a result inaccurate, IWC authorised retailers are able to demagnetise the watch quickly and simply.

Leather is a natural, porous material. You should therefore avoid allowing a top-quality leather strap to come into contact with water, oils, solvents and cleaning products or cosmetics. By doing so, you can prevent discolorations or premature ageing of the material.

For allergy sufferers, we recommend titanium watches with titanium bracelets. On request, we can supply leather straps with antiallergenic linings.

For aesthetic reasons and to make them more comfortable in wear, IWC supplies its wristbands in two types (with a pin buckle or folding clasp) and three lengths.

The leather straps used by IWC Schaffhausen are made exclusively from calfskin, buffalo or alligator leather. Within living memory, IWC Schaffhausen has always refrained from using leather taken from threatened or protected species. IWC Schaffhausen sources its alligator leather exclusively from licensed farms in the USA. In order to ensure that the leather comes from unquestionable sources and is of continuously high quality, the choice of the supplier is crucial. Generally speaking, every supplier of raw materials used by IWC Schaffhausen is subject to regular and thorough controls.

Chronometers are watches whose accuracy has been confirmed by a COSC (Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres) testing centre. IWC adjusts its watches using its own in-house criteria. IWC, for example, does not tolerate a watch running slow, which is permissible in a chronometer test. Apart from this, the owner’s habits and lifestyle play a not unimportant role for a watch’s accuracy. Automatic movements behave differently with wearers who are physically very active than with people who lead quieter lives. Any divergence from the tolerances mentioned is not so much a question of function but is primarily one of adjustment and wearing habits.

As a matter of principle, you should avoid strong vibrations and impacts (e.g. when playing golf or tennis, mountain biking etc.). A mechanical wristwatch is a precision instrument whose manufacture involves working to tolerances of hundredths or even thousandths of a millimetre. Repeated sharp impacts can have a negative influence on the movement’s accuracy or even cause damage.

The “jewels” used in wristwatches are not genuine precious stones. Designed to reduce friction as well as mechanical wear and tear, they are made from industrial standard rubies and are used mainly for bearings, levers and detents as well as for the pallet stones of the escapement. Although natural rubies were used in the past, synthetic rubies with practically identical properties and higher homogeneity are used today.