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Lot Essay
Consigned by a private collector and fresh to the market the present Royal Air Force Mark XI is distinguished by its excellent overall condition.
Manufacture of the Mark XI, one of the most legendary navigator's watches, was launched in 1948, year of production of the present watch. The iconic model was always fitted with IWC's famous hand-wound calibre 89, with or without the hacking feature, and cased in stainless steel, some early versions in chrome-plated brass. The Mark XI is renowned for its timekeeping accuracy, a fundamental specification required by the British Armed Forces. As a result, the watches were regulated in five positions and tested in temperatures ranging from -5 degrees to 46 degrees over a 44 day testing period.
The Mark XI was issued to the B.O.A.C. (British Overseas Airline Company), the Royal Air Force and Commonwealth forces, including South Africa, New Zealand and Australia. The engraved numbers on the back differ depending on service. Dials and military markings also vary but those for military use show a broad arrow, some also the Ministry of Defence specification for Tritium, the encircled T.
The original dial of the Mark XI models featured radium and were replaced in the 1960s by IWC with the less radioactive and consequently safer Tritium version.
The present watch is engraved with Mark XI reference number 6B/346, the "6B" signifying "Flying", the combination of "6B/346" was the watch specification. Number 1538 is the serial number and 48 the year of production.
This model is illustrated in Ore d'Oro 2, by Jader Barracca, Giampiero Negretti, Franco Nencini, p. 207
Manufacture of the Mark XI, one of the most legendary navigator's watches, was launched in 1948, year of production of the present watch. The iconic model was always fitted with IWC's famous hand-wound calibre 89, with or without the hacking feature, and cased in stainless steel, some early versions in chrome-plated brass. The Mark XI is renowned for its timekeeping accuracy, a fundamental specification required by the British Armed Forces. As a result, the watches were regulated in five positions and tested in temperatures ranging from -5 degrees to 46 degrees over a 44 day testing period.
The Mark XI was issued to the B.O.A.C. (British Overseas Airline Company), the Royal Air Force and Commonwealth forces, including South Africa, New Zealand and Australia. The engraved numbers on the back differ depending on service. Dials and military markings also vary but those for military use show a broad arrow, some also the Ministry of Defence specification for Tritium, the encircled T.
The original dial of the Mark XI models featured radium and were replaced in the 1960s by IWC with the less radioactive and consequently safer Tritium version.
The present watch is engraved with Mark XI reference number 6B/346, the "6B" signifying "Flying", the combination of "6B/346" was the watch specification. Number 1538 is the serial number and 48 the year of production.
This model is illustrated in Ore d'Oro 2, by Jader Barracca, Giampiero Negretti, Franco Nencini, p. 207