IWC Ref.817A Vintage 18ct Gold Men's Watch

A beautiful example of an 18 karat gold IWC 817A from 1977.

With its 37mm 18 carat gold case, silver dial and black inlaid hands this IWC is the perfect dress watch – guaranteed to impress at any event.

The watch features the 8541B automatic calibre – possibly one of the finest automatic movements ever built. The watch is triple signed (on the dial, case and movement). It also comes with a personalized inscription on the case back for 25 year’s loyal service to an employee of Marks and Spencer. For me this adds another interesting element to the watch but could be removed through polishing by the new owner if so wished. 

A timeless gold dress watch that will turn heads at any event.  

Background:

Understated and classy, the 817A is a classic dress watch from the 1970's.

More importantly, it's powered by one of the best automatic movements ever built – the IWC Calibre 8541B.

Widely regarded as one of the best automatic movements ever created, the 8541B can trace its routes back to the famous calibre 85. The original cal. 85 was once called "one of the best automatic movements ever built in Switzerland.” The original cal. 85 went on to evolve into subsequent versions, each improving on the last, from the cal. 85 to the 852, 853, 854 and finally the 8541B.

With its durable, accurate, and historically important movement combined with its understated elegance, the IWC Automatic 817A is an ideal introduction into the world of vintage watches. In fact, this very watch was my first vintage watch purchase and one I’ll be sad to see go!

Condition Report:

Like all our watches this has been professionally serviced and regulated by our watch maker as well as authenticated by a independent third party.   

• Dial: Original dial in excellent condition;  
• Hands: In excellent condition; 
• Glass: Excellent condition with only minor scratches when viewed under a 4x loupe;
• Case: In excellent condition with minor scratches and dints commensurate with general wear. Original crown. Case back has a personal inscription for 25 years service;
• Movement: Original, fully serviced & regulated. Movement shows minor marks and tarnishing commensurate with general wear visible when viewed under a 4x loupe;
• Strap: New replacement leather strap in excellent condition.

Shipping:

For orders placed before 2pm orders will be shipped the same day.

Your watch will be carefully packaged and shipped fully insured with leading global courier companies.

Delivery Prices:

Delivery within the UK is Free. Delivery within Europe is £30. Delivery for the Rest of the World is £50.

Returns:

Don't like it or change your mind? Return it for a full refund with our 14 day, no hassle returns on all sales. See the full conditions here.

The Watches

Are all watches authenticated?

All our watches pass through a double authentication process to insure their authenticity. We also provide detailed photos of the watch from all angles to allow you to undertake your own anlysis. Finally as with everything, if you have any questions please do not hesitate to reach out to our friendly team

What if something goes wrong with the watch

Whilst all our watches are fully serviced before sale, if something does go wrong, we'll repair it for free as part of our 1 year warranty

Do watches come with original box and papers?

It depends on the individual watch. You can see details under "The Basics" heading on this page. For the majority of vintage watches their original box and papers have been lost to time. Whilst they are nice to have, it’s important to note that “box and papers” DO NOT authenticate a watch despite what many in our trade say. It’s also important to realise alot of sellers (including some of the most well known in the UK) put together full sets of box, papers, hang tags etc by buying blank paperwork and boxes in the secondary market. This is a very regrettable, but unfortunately common occurrence in the trade but something we will never do!

How do I know it will fit?

For metal bracelets we provide the size it will currently fit in the description section of this page. If this measurement is too large or too small we are able to assist in either adding or removing links. We also offer this service, post service on a at-cost basis (i.e. we don't add a margin).

Can you change the strap?

Absolutely! If you don't like the current strap, let us know and we'll change it for free! We maintain a broad selection of styles and can also source straps to your specification free of charge.

Can you source something similar?

Absolutely! If its not quite what you’re looking for just get in touch and we can source one with our Free, No Obligation sourcing service. You can contact us on phone, live chat or simply submit the details of what you’re looking for on our “Find a Watch” page.

Payment

What payment options do you offer?

We accept payment by all leading credit and debit cards, ApplePay as well as bank transfer.

Do you offer financing?

Currently we don't offer financing but it’s something we're exploring.

Shipping & Returns

Can you ship an order to arrive on a certain day?

We can certainly try! We can request with our shipment partners for delivery on a certain day but ultimately the exact delivery date is subject to a number of factors outside our control.

How do I return a watch?

Simply let us know you want to send the watch back within the 14 return period and return it to us via Royal Mail Special Delivery. We’ll process your refund the same day we receive the watch back.

Terms & Conditions

Terms & Conditions

You can find our full terms and conditions here.