THE ESSENTIALS
MAKE: IWC
MODEL: IW371338
YEAR: 2005
BOX/PAPERS: YES/YES
CASE DIAMETER: 42MM
CASE MATERIAL: STAINLESS STEEL
BRACELET MATERIAL: STAINLESS STEEL
MOVEMENT: AUTOMATIC
It is no secret that we love IWCs here at Falco. While modern IWCs have taken an intriguing direction with their (mostly) oversized designs and luxury positioning, one doesn’t need to look too far back in the catalogue to find real gems that combine simplicity, robustness, quality, and class.
Among our favourites are the pilot’s watches from the 1990s to early 2000s, such as the IW3706 Fliegerchronograph (which we love to bits). At first glance, the watch presented here looks just like a 3706 — a simple black dial with printed numerals, day and date windows at 3 o’clock, and a straightforward case with a predominantly brushed satin finish and thin polished bevels.
However, a closer look at the slightly larger case and the additional pusher at 10 o’clock quickly reveals the difference — this is in fact IWC’s take on a split-seconds chronograph (Rattrapante). Originally launched as the ref. IW3711 in 1992, the “Doppelchronograph” uses a Valjoux 7750-based movement modified by the famed Richard Habring. The 2 o’clock pusher activates the two overlapping chronograph seconds hands; pressing the 10 o’clock pusher then stops one hand to record an intermediate time while the other continues running.
Produced from 1996 for roughly a decade, the IW3713 became a favourite among enthusiasts. Beautiful yet unpretentious, it represented exactly what many IWC buyers were looking for at the time — something distinct from the mainstream luxury Swiss offerings. The watch was offered in several metals and dial variations over the years. The present example is one of the final 3713s produced by IWC and features the rare “Spitfire” dial. It remains in fantastic condition, showing only faint surface marks to the case and a flawless dial. The original IWC bracelet fits up to a 19.5 cm wrist.
The watch comes as a complete set, with all boxes, documents, and the original guarantee. The movement arrived in perfect health and is running at +3 s/day, with an amplitude of 292° and a beat error of 0.1 ms.
In our opinion, this is one of the last great watches from IWC’s golden era.