2008 IWC Spittfire Doppelchronograph Rattrapante IW371343
Ref: IW371343

Specification

Points of Mention

This watch is sold with an original IWC box & IWC paperwork, as photographed. The watch comes paired with its original stainless steel IWC bracelet with all links included. The watch is from August 2008 and is in worn condition, however, a refinish to make look as close as new can be offered at an original cost if requested. The watch comes with our 12-Months NON-Waterproof Warranty.

The Watch

Florentine Aristo Jones founded IWC in 1868. In 1867 he applied for a European passport with the ambition to create watches using the American system of Watchmaking. This system was derived from the Federal Armories at Springfield and Harpers Ferry. Where high precision interchangeable parts were needed for armaments. This was perfect to use in watchmaking and Florentine was a pioneer in introducing it to the Swiss. In 1868 Florentine and Charles Kidder ended up in  Schaffhausen Switzerland. Originally called the company  F.A Jones & Co which was later changed to IWC International Watch Company. Florentine returned to the USA in 1876 where he retired and sadly passed away in 1916. His spirit carries on today in the modern IWC watches.

We have here an IWC Spitfire Doppelchronograph Rattrapante IW371343. Its 42mm stainless steel round case has polished and brushed surfaces that transition perfectly ending with tapering lugs. At 52mm lug to lug length, the watch has a great wrist presence. On the left side at 10 o’clock we have a split-seconds pusher, more on this later. On the right side, the chronograph pushers and a screw-down signed crown. The polished bezel holds a flat sapphire crystal. The sunburst silver dial has an outer minute track with applied Arabic numeral indexes marking the hours within a cream textured ring. At 3 o’clock a day/date window. At 12 o’clock a 30-minute register, 6 o’clock a 12-hour register, and finally at 9 o’clock a continuous 60-second register. Its sword hands are lume filled with an orange chronograph seconds hand and a split-seconds hand underneath. On the reverse a screw-down case back. Inside an automatic IWC Cal. 79230, 29 Jewels, 21,600 beats per hour. The Doppelchronograph (Double Chronograph) was first introduced in 1831 by Joseph-Thaddeus Winnerl, who went on to develop a split-seconds mechanism heart cam in 1838. In 1923 Patek Philippe made one to fit inside a wristwatch. Today they still make the smallest Rattrapante chronograph in the world in the Ref: 5959. To activate the split seconds you push the pusher at 10 o’clock this stops the lower hand, while the top chronograph continues on, when released the lower hand catches up with the top hand and when you reset you reset both hands at the same time. This mechanism consisting of a heart cam and roller acts as a memory for the split-seconds wheel which allows it to instantly catch up to the top chronograph hand. Fitted on its original IWC 21mm stainless steel bracelet with a signed folding clasp.