IWC Ultra Slim Dress Watch

DESCRIPTION & SIGNIFICANCE
Here is an exceptional and highly sought-after vintage IWC Schaffhausen Reference 1210 dating to approximately 1965. This specific example stands out as one of the most elegant mid-century minimalist designs IWC ever produced, featuring an ultra-slim 18K yellow gold case architecture with integrated, tucked lugs. Powered by the legendary manual-wind IWC Caliber 401 movement, this piece offers a phenomenal blend of clean Swiss geometry, a pristine unrestored dial, and an incredible, documented piece of corporate history. The case back features a beautifully executed, official presentation engraving from the Board of Directors of The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co. (A&P) to executive Harold J. Crary, honoring his 40-year milestone.

What Makes This a Ultimate Collector's Set:

• Sub-500 Estimated Production: While IWC production numbers are proprietary, tracking of mid-1960s gold case commissions and Caliber 401 allocations indicates that fewer than 300 to 500 units were ever made in solid 18K gold. The vast majority of Ref. 1210s were cased in steel or gold plating.

• The "Honest" Factory Dial: The silver/cream dial is completely untouched and unrestored with razor-sharp vintage cursive text. Finding a mid-century dress watch that hasn't been poorly redialed or ruined by moisture is incredibly difficult.

• Ironclad "Time Capsule" Completeness: This is an absolute survivor set. It includes its original 1960s IWC velvet presentation box stamped with the gold-leaf Schaffhausen crest, and crucially, its original matching paper factory hangtag.

• Flawless Mechanical Health: The watch runs like a top, registering a perfect 0 seconds per day on the timegrapher with a strong 250° amplitude.

The hand-inked dealer tag flawlessly links the reference number (1210), the movement serial, and the case serial directly to the 1967 presentation engraving. Finding this level of untouched originality, peak mechanical health, and matching paperwork is virtually unheard of on the open market.

CONDITION & COMPONENTS

• Overall Grade: Excellent / Unrestored (Dial) | Very Good / Sharp Geometry (Case & Bezel)

• Originality: 100% original factory parts matching period-correct specifications. Hands, dial, case, crown, and rare accessories are fully verified for this mid-1960s production batch. (after market strap)

• Key Wear Notes: Honest micro-scratches from careful, historic wear are present. The exterior caseback shows normal, light wear from decades of wrist friction, leaving the custom A&P engraving and essential hallmarks perfectly clear, which is completely expected and authentic for a true unpolished example.
  

MOVEMENT & PERFORMANCE

• Caliber Engine: Hand-wound ultra-thin IWC Caliber 401 engine (17 Jewels).

• Service History: Fully Serviced

• Metrics: Keeping flawless time at 0 s/d, 250° Amplitude, 1.5ms Beat Error, beating at a factory-correct 19,800 vph.

• Functionality: Movement is visually pristine and highly clean, showing no signs of corrosion or oxidation. The gear train transmits power perfectly in straight parallel lines. Bridge layouts and engraving architecture match perfect factory specifications, featuring Swiss movement serial number 1735203 (dating movement production to late 1964).

DIAL & HANDS

• Variant & Condition: Correct original silver/cream dial featuring applied gold baton hour markers, simple stick hands, and delicate applied minute dots along the outer rim.

• Lume & Aging: Beautifully clean, non-luminous dress dial displaying an honest, uniform warmth and a gorgeous golden patina. Fully correct vintage "International Watch Co. Schaffhausen" cursive signature centered below the 12 o'clock marker.

• UV Reaction: Non-luminous dial; no reaction under UV light.

• Hand Set: All hands are fully original and period-correct. The hour, minute, and central sweeping seconds hands are the elegant, polished gold stick variants correct for this reference.
  

CASE, BEZEL & CRYSTAL

• Dimensions: 34mm Diameter (excluding crown) | Approx. 9mm Thickness (including crystal)

• Case & Lugs: Solid 18K Yellow Gold "Disco Volante" architecture featuring extremely short, tucked lugs that virtually disappear under the bezel perimeter when worn. The interior caseback is fully stamped with the vintage round IWC logo, "International Watch Co. Swiss", reference "1210", and case serial number 1778193 (dating case production to 1965).

• Components: The interior caseback bears the correct stamped "18K / 0.750" purity marks, the Swiss Helvetia head profile hallmark, and the Key punch-mark. The winding crown sits beautifully integrated into a factory recessed cutout on the mid-case profile.

• Bezel & Crystal: Pristine, wide gold fixed bezel. High-domed acrylic crystal providing necessary clearance for the hand stack while keeping a remarkably slim profile on the wrist.

• Case Back: The exterior snap-on back is structurally pristine, lacking deep tool gouges or heavy scuffs, and features the crisp, historic A&P 40-year career engraving.
  

STRAP & ACCESSORIES

• Fit & Wear: Paired with a premium, vintage-style Hadley-Roma genuine alligator leather strap that perfectly accentuates the rich tone of the 18K yellow gold case. (Buckle not 18k gold)

• Box & Papers:

  Includes its original 1960s IWC velvet clamshell luxury presentation box featuring the coat of arms for the City and Canton of Schaffhausen on the lid. Crucially, it includes its original geometric teal factory paper hangtag, hand-inked with the matching case serial (1778193), reference (1210), and movement number (1735233)—forming an incredibly rare "Time Capsule" full set.
  

COLLECTOR NOTES

• Vintage Disclaimer: This is a vintage, pre-owned timepiece with decades of history. It is an honest, used object and is not cosmetically perfect. It displays character marks, micro-scratches, and component aging consistent with its era. Please perform due diligence by carefully examining all high-resolution photographs and macro images provided to ensure this piece fully meets your personal condition standards before making a purchase.

• A Note on Our Photography

  To provide the most transparent representation possible, our watches are photographed using high-resolution macro photography.

  We intentionally photograph our watches this way so you can evaluate each piece in greater detail than you typically could in person. Please keep in mind that macro images can make minor signs of wear appear significantly more prominent than they are at normal viewing distance.

  • Please perform due diligence by carefully examining all high-resolution photographs and macro images provided to ensure this piece fully meets your personal condition standards before making a purchase.

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Timegrapher reading (view)

• Rate: 0 sec/day
• Amplitude: 250°
• Beat error: 1.5ms

Measured October 13, 2026, Dial up, fully wound..

Vintage movements typically run 200 to 280° amplitude; the rate matters most for daily wear. A reading is a snapshot on the date shown.