IWC Aquatimer R812 AD / 1812 – Black and White – 1976

The IWC Aquatimer 1812 / 812 AD holds a special place in IWC’s history as the brand’s first proper dive watch, introduced in the late 1960s during the era of early professional dive instruments.

It features the classic super-compressor case with dual crowns and an internal rotating bezel, a design chosen for reliability and safety under pressure.

Powered by the in-house calibre 8541 with the Pellaton winding system, it reflects IWC’s technical approach to tool-watch engineering of the time.

This example combines a beautiful black dial with the rare white inner rotating bezel and hour index tritium that has aged into a warm vanilla-sand tone.

At 37 mm, it represents the proportions of the original Aquatimer concept.

Authenticated by the IWC Museum in Schaffhausen in 2024 and first sold on March 4th, 1976, it remains one of the most historically significant IWC’s from this era — and for me, it doesn’t get any better when it comes to the IWC Aquatimer.

The case remains sharp and appears unpolished, showing only normal signs of use and wear.

Note:

The watch has been recently authenticated by the IWC Museum in Schaffhausen, and under UV light, there is no clear indication of any recent work, but it’s possible the hour and minute hands were re-lumed at some point in the past — The color matches perfectly with the tritium patina of the hour markers, and this is something I actually see as a benefit, as it preserves the vintage character while avoiding the stark contrast of a new bright-white service hand set.