1960s IWC Automatic (Ref. 817A) Cal. 854

Founded more than 150 years ago, the International Watch Company has grown to become one of the most recognizable Swiss watch brands on the planet. And one of the things they're especially famous for is their caliber 85 movement, which is widely regarded as one of the finest watch movements ever made. The cal. 85 was introduced in the 1950s and was the second automatic movement the brand ever made – it was also their first automatic movement with central seconds. That movement went on to birth multiple subsequent versions, including the cal. 852, 853, 854 and finally the 8541B.

The cal. 854 (or 8541) in-house movement found in this ref. 817A were initially introduced in 1964, and received widespread recognition when IWC utilized them in their premier Ingenieur line of watches. But the movement was also used in a wide variety of different offerings from the IWC brand, thanks to its robust design and reliability.

This particular IWC in stainless steel is simply stunning with a no-nonsense design. The dressy Calatrava case and dial design pairs excellently with the utilitarian stainless steel material. This watch makes for a highly reliable daily wearer, that is designed to last.

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