Lot 159

International Watch Co.

An aviator's large navigation watch of the German Luftwaffe, with indirect centre seconds and hack feature

Sold

"The big aviators watch of IWC produced for the German Airforce"
In 1940, 1200 pilot watches with calibre 52 "T-19", H 6 S.C. were produced under the serial numbers 1013801-1015000. 1000 of these pilot watches with case numbers 1033201-1034200 were delivered to Siegfried Heindorf in Berlin.
As in maritime navigation, aviation required the most precise watches and clocks possible in oder to determine geographical longitude. Precise, robust and easlily read watches were ordered for air travel to determine aircraft location and flight duration.
Pilots needed wristwatches that could be accurately and instantly read when both hands were being used to pilot the aircraft. Their navigation watch had to be worn on the arm over their flight outfit. Luftwaffe High Command gave exact instructions regarding operating precision and the degree of movement completion required. Before being delivered, every single watch had to be tested and given operating certification by the German Naval Observatory or some other official test institute. The fine adjustment of every watch had to be conducted in six positions and at three varying temperatures.
The B-wristwatches by IWC, Lange & Soehne, Wempe, Walter Storz, and Lacher & Co. were regulated as navigation watches; each one of them had been tested for its chronometer quality by the naval observatory in Gesundbrunnen (near Glashuette). The watches had specially made leather wristbands so that the pilots could wear them over their jackets.