IWC Schaffhausen
IWC Cal. 89 “Shark Fin”
A circa-1956 37 mm IWC with the celebrated manual-wind Cal. 89 and distinctive sculpted “Shark Fin” lugs.
- Movement
- IWC Cal. 89, manual wind, 17 jewels
- Current Market Value
- $1,850
- Year
- c. 1956
- Case
- Stainless steel
- Size
- 37 mm
- Condition
- Excellent
- Gender
- Men / Unisex
- Acquired
- 2026
Condition
Excellent condition, described as mint. Silver dial with applied gold-tone Arabic numerals and markers, central seconds and period International Watch Co. Schaffhausen signature. The sculpted case and distinctive pointed “Shark Fin” lugs remain well defined. The movement is confirmed as IWC Cal. 89, serial no. 1,371,969, dating it approximately to the mid-1950s.
This IWC combines one of the company’s best-known vintage movements with an unusually distinctive case.
Inside is the manual-wind IWC Caliber 89, a 17-jewel movement introduced during the 1940s and produced for several decades. It became known for its straightforward and robust construction and was used in both military and civilian IWC watches.
The movement in this watch carries serial number 1,371,969, placing it approximately in the mid-1950s, around 1956.
The case is particularly interesting. At 37 mm it was relatively large for its period, and the long sculpted lugs give the watch a distinctive profile. Collectors commonly refer to this style as “Shark Fin” because of the shape of those lugs.
The silver dial is exceptionally clean, with applied gold-tone Arabic numerals at the even hours, triangular markers between them, gold-tone hands, central seconds and the period “International Watch Co. Schaffhausen” signature.
The exact case reference has not yet been confirmed because the inside caseback has not been photographed. Until that information becomes available, identifying it by its confirmed Cal. 89 movement and distinctive Shark Fin case is preferable to assigning an unverified reference.