IWC

I posted the same one here:  www.watchprosite.com

Best, Emmanuel

On November 24th last year, moderator Quattro posted great photos of a platinum Novecento PC, and I introduced my yellow gold version in the comments.  Overall, comments from the WPS community were very positive; I encourage you to view the entire thread to see how it was regarded.

For everyone's convenience, I include below the photo and some text describing the differences between the 3545 and 3546 versions that appeared in the comments to the post.  While I am admittedly very biased in favor of the watch, I recommend it without hesitation.  So far, IWC has done a great job of refurbishing and servicing the watch, and I expect (hope!) they will maintain the ability to service this model.

I would be happy to try to answer any specific questions you have, just let me know.

Best regards,

Mike

Here is mine! This one is a model 3545, which was the first of 2 versions (the one in quattro _spirit's photos is a 3546). Other than some different dial color options that changed with time on market, they only differ by movement; the 3545 has a circular F. Piget movement whereas the 3546 has a circular JLC movement, and they share a rectangular perpetual calendar module famously invented by Kurt Klaus.  Below the main photo are a couple of small photos of the movement (sorry they are fuzzy - not my pics). And somewhere, I have diagrams of the PC module; if anyone is interested I'll dig them up.

And I couldn't stop here without a tale from the acquisition.  I began seriously coveting the Novecento PC in the 1990s, well before I could afford a new one.  I happened to be in Marburg, Germany in 2000 for a scientific conference and first saw a brand new one in a jeweler's window. I probably drove the jeweler crazy by going to see it everyday, but that moved the watch to very nearly the top of the list and I went home to save up.  When I got close to the price put aside, I started seeking a new one only to find that IWC had discontinued them and no new ones were around ($%&##@). So after a while, I ventured out on the second hand market and found one for about 1/4 of the original list price, but it definitely was not a safe queen.  However, I must complement the spa at IWC Shaffhausen because they returned it in pristine condition.

So now she is mine and will remain in the collection until the end of time (well for me anyway).

Both models of the IWC Novecento PC have screwed down crowns that set to one of three positions once unscrewed: first position for winding the mainspring; second position for advancing the calendar, with one anti-clockwise revolution yielding a one-day advance of the calendar; and the third position for setting the hour and minute hands. One can use position 3 and turn the hour and minute hands through 2 sequential 12-hr cycles to advance the time and calendar models through a day, but it takes much more effort and time than using position 2 and advancing the calendar module one day at a time.

Because the calendar and moon phase are programmed into the internal mechanism in the calendar module until leap day in the year 2100, there is no need for individual pushers to adjust the day, date, month, and moon phase, nor for making potentially confusing sequences of adjustments that must be followed to get all of the wheels aligned such that each one drives the correct next one which is based on how the module or movement was designed.  I have 3 other watches, from 3 different major Swiss brands, with pusher-set calendars, and all differ significantly in which display component must be set in what order to successfully set the calendar and have it advance with the time module.  Some even warn quite severely that the movement/module could be damaged if the instructions are not followed explicitly.  The major caution with the IWC module is not to advance it beyond the current date and time because it cannot be set backwards; should one get ahead of the actual date/time while setting it, it is simply a matter of setting the watch aside for a period until actual time passes that which the watch has stopped at and then setting it again (more carefully!!).  And yes, I have done that!!

I hope this response addresses your question adequately.  Best, Mike

Best wishes

Jon