REVISITING THE IWC YACHT CLUB’S HISTORY

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IWC’s Yacht Club Series Has Been Influenced by Watch Legends Such as Albert Pellaton and Gerald Genta

1970s IWC Schaffhausen Yacht Club ref. 811

In 1967, IWC released its first dive watch, the Aquatimer, and another model to accompany it, the Yacht Club, our subject for today. Released right before the Quartz Crisis in the early 1970s, the IWC Yacht Club is one of the last representations of the ‘Golden Age’ of mechanical watchmaking that came before the mechanical watch sector suffered after quartz came around. 

IWC was already popular for their military timepieces, such as their pilot or navigator models, and had just released the IWC Aquatimer. The Yacht Club intended to combine the two, and hence move towards a new, more casual target market, like beach goers or boaters.

The initial release was the ref. 811AD, and after its success, an entire line of ‘Club’ watches was released in the mid-1970s, including the Polo Club and the Golf Club. The early IWC Yacht Club timepieces were equipped with the caliber 8541, an evolution of the 85x caliber. IWC spent 15 years developing the 85 family of movements, which included the ‘Pellaton’ winding system. This Pellaton system provided higher shock resistance and durability, and was designed by IWC’s Albert Pellaton. IWC, with their 85x automatic calibers, competed with Rolex’s full rotor winding movements. The Cal. 8541B was among the best automatic movements of the day, and IWC boasted some of the most reliable and accurate watches on the market during that period.

Also in the 1970s, Gerald Genta designed his own iteration of the IWC Yacht Club, along with the infamous SL series for IWC. The IWC Ingeniuer SL was the most famous of the SL series, as it was part of the famous ‘Jumbo’ wristwatches of the day, alongside the Patek Philippe Nautilus and Audemars Piguet Royal Oak that Gerald Genta designed. You can see that Genta used a variety of basic forms in these designs:octagonal for the Royal Oak, square for the Nautilus, and round for the Ingenieur (and Yacht Club).

Gerald Genta designed Yacht Club II, circa 1970s / Credit: Christie’s

Alongside the Yacht Club, the Polo Club, and the Golf Club were also released as part of IWC’s ‘Club Series’ in the late 1970s. While the early Yacht Clubs were powered by IWC automatic movements, they were soon replaced by quartz calibres in their defense against the Quartz Crisis. Nowadays, you can look back at these quartz Clubs and see that they offer a more accessible way to own some Gerald Genta designs, and are similar in aesthetic to the Audemars Piguet A-Series Royal Oak.

In modern times, the Yacht Club line of chronographs was introduced into the Portugieser family in 2010. This included a flyback chronograph movement developed entirely by IWC in Schaffhausen. The Yacht Club line was introduced to the Portugieser family to be the sportiest models in it, while still capturing the nautical spirit of the 1939 Portugieser.

Although the other ‘Clubs’ are no longer part of the IWC lineup, the Yacht Club series is still being developed. As far as luxury sports watches go, the fact that this line has features designed by watch legends such as Albert Pellaton and Gerald Genta make it that much more noteworthy. Vintage or modern, the Yacht Club is a great addition to any collection.

By: Eric Mulder

Read more:

  • “Dive watches.” IWC, https://www.iwc.com/en/specials/dive-watches.html.

  • Hast, Justin. “The IWC Yacht Club: Most Underappreciated Modern Steel Sports Watch.”
    Xupes, January 18th, 2021, https://www.xupes.com/magazine/article/2021/01/18/the-iwc-yacht-club-most-underappreciated-modern-steel-sports-watch.

  • “The Calibre 8541 watches from IWC.” Gregsteer, https://www.gregsteer.net/IWC/Cal_85/IWC8541.html.

  • Weppelink, Jorg. “Dear IWC, Bring Back The Gérald Genta-Designed Ingenieur SL “Jumbo” Ref. 1832.” Fratello Watches, January 9th, 2022, https://www.fratellowatches.com/into-the-archives-iwc-ingenieur-sl-jumbo-1832/.

  • Doulton, Rebecca. “Introducing IWC Portugieser Yacht Club Chronograph Edition “Orlebar Brown” (Live Pics & Price).” Monochrome Watches, July 15th, 2020, https://monochrome-watches.com/iwc-portugieser-yacht-club-chronograph-edition-orlebar-brown-iw390704-review-price/.

A vintage Seiko Grand Twin Quartz 9943-8030 with its original bracelet , for sale on Toronto Vintage Watches.