European auction house Dorotheum will be offering an IWC “Il Destriero Scafusia” at its next sale on 1st December.
In 1993, for the company’s 125th anniversary, IWC presented the “Il Destriero Scafusia” as the most complicated mechanical wristwatch in the world.
The so-called “Schaffhausener Schlachtross” combines 22 highly complex functions: hour, minute, small second, perpetual calendar, chronograph with split-seconds, hour, quarter-hour and minute repeater. The flying minute tourbillon is made by hand. The watch is equipped with 76 jewels and has a 44 hour power reserve.
Case: gold 750, number 2537009, screwed and glazed caseback, pushers for Chronograph function, pusher crown, slide for striking mechanism, diameter approx. 44 mm.
Movement: hand-wound, decorated and gold-plated anchor movement, number 2500015, caliber 1868, minute tourbillon, 76 jewels.
Dial: silver-coloured, Roman numerals, 4 sub-dials for 30-minute and 12-hour counters, day, date, month and small second, window for moon phase and year display.
Accessories: gold 750 pin buckle, operating instructions, guarantee booklet, flat case, and wooden box.
The “Il Destriero Scafusia” was created on the occasion of IWC’s 125th anniversary in a limited edition of 125 pieces. The present piece is numbered 16.
Estimated value: EUR 60,000 – 90,000.
The IWC seems a relatively cheap watch when compared to, for instance, a Patek of equal complications, the same base metals, equivalent handiwork and similar rarity.