IWC Automatic 18K Yellow Gold Cal. 852 Circa 1952

Introduced in 1952, IWC’s caliber 852 was part of the early development of the brand’s famous 85x family of automatic movements. Designed under technical director Albert Pellaton, the 21-jewel caliber uses his distinctive pawl-winding automatic system and operates at 19,800 vibrations per hour. The architecture would later evolve into movements such as the caliber 8521 used in the earliest IWC Ingenieur.

This circa-1952 example is housed in a solid 18k yellow gold case and features a silver horizontally brushed dial with applied gold-tone baton markers, lumed dauphine hands, center seconds and “AUTOMATIC” text above six o’clock. The watch retains an IWC fish-signed crown and is fitted with an acrylic crystal and aftermarket brown suede strap.

Brand: IWC

Model: Automatic

Material: 18k Yellow Hold

Bracelet: Aftermarket strap

Size: 34mm

Dial: Silver

Year: ~1952

Paperwork: No

Box: No

Movement: 852

Crystal: Acrylic

Condition: Good overall condition. The watch appears to have been lightly polished in the past, but the case remains full, with the hallmark on the upper-left lug still clearly visible. Scratches and small dents are present throughout. The silver dial is in great condition and shows minimal signs of wear. The hands, likely original, show some oxidation. The lume has aged to a nice cream color and still glows under UV light. Service history is unknown, but the watch runs and keeps time within expectations for a vintage piece. The rotor efficiency is low, so regular manual winding is recommended.