Collector's Reference
IWC Schaffhausen has produced precision instruments since 1868. Their sequential serial system allows any Portugieser, Pilot's Watch, Portofino, Aquatimer, or Ingenieur to be precisely dated from its serial number.
Enter your IWC serial number — found engraved or stamped on the caseback. On vintage pocket watches, the serial appears on the movement itself.
Approximate Production Year
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Results are approximate. IWC production records are not publicly disclosed. Serial ranges are compiled from horological archives and auction records.
IWC has used a sequential numeric serial system since their founding in 1868. The table below maps approximate production years to serial number ranges, compiled from auction records, horological archives, and service documents.
Founding Era (1868–1960)
Modern Era (1965–present)
IWC uses an "IW" prefix followed by 6 digits for modern references — for example, IW500401 is the Portugieser Chronograph. The reference number is engraved on the caseback alongside the serial number.
Locating the serial on an IWC varies slightly by era and model family.
Modern Wristwatches
The serial number is engraved or stamped on the caseback. The "IW" reference number appears on the caseback alongside the serial, making both easy to read simultaneously.
Vintage Pocket Watches
On vintage IWC pocket watches, the serial number appears on the movement plate. The caseback must be opened by a watchmaker to access it without damaging the case.
Note: Never attempt to force open a sealed caseback. If the serial is not visible externally, consult a professional watchmaker or IWC authorized service center.
IWC stands for International Watch Company. Founded by American engineer Florentine Ariosto Jones in Schaffhausen, Switzerland in 1868, IWC was established to combine American production methods with Swiss craftsmanship. The Rhine River provided the water power for the manufacture's early machinery — an unusual choice for a landlocked Swiss town.
Vintage IWC references — especially early Portugieser models, the Mark XI Pilot's Watch, and the Ingenieur SL — have appreciated strongly. The brand's limited vintage production makes early serial-range pieces particularly collectible. The Mark XI, originally produced for the British Royal Air Force, routinely sells for multiples of its original issue price at major auction houses.
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