There are watches described as “NOS condition” – no problem about that, we do it as well on watches that appear almost unworn. This though, doesn’t actually mean they are real “new” old stock.
So what is real NOS?

We consider real NOS to be a watch that has still all undamaged stickers, the original tags, no trace of wear on bracelet, clasp or case, the original and unworn leather strap and all papers, cases, boxes and booklets. These accessoires should be in very good, almost new condition as well.

Finding this kind of a “full set” is utterly difficult. Why? Because the chances are low that someone bought a watch 40 or 50 years ago and did’t even wear it a single time.

What do we have to offer here?

It’s a world’s first, a world record, a rare piece, a collector’s watch and could be ready to be shown at IWC’s own museum.

• A world’s first:

The legendary BETA21 movement:
The first Prototype of an analog Quartz watch was developed in a 1962 founded joint development lab, the Centre Electronique Horloger (CEH ) in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, under the name of Beta21 (it had 21 participating swiss companies).

At the International Chronometric Competition, held the same year in the Neuchâtel Observatory, CEH’s Prototypes were granted a new precision world record, a deviation of some tenth of a second per day.
CEH developed and produced the Integrated Circuits. Ebauches S.A. manufactured the mechanical parts and the quartz crystal resonator. Omega produced the micromotor.

The watches were asembled in three separate workshops. They produced the final products to the specifications of the Swiss Watch Manufacturers, who placed their orders.

Sixteen Swiss watch manufacturers (incl. IWC, Rolex, Patek Philippe, Omega…) started the sale of these BETA21 quartz watches under their own labels (starting 1970).

IWC only ordered 800 of the BETA21 movements and these were in various models including the famous Da Vinci in solid gold.

• Rarity:

There are just a very few BETA21 IWC watches available in total and even less of the reference 3070.
We are not sure if there is even another existing “real NOS full set” of the 3070 with steel bracelet and original leather strap. So it can easily be an one-off occasion.

• A collector’s watch:

The watch was bought by its first and only owner directly at IWC’s headquartes in Switzerland, not at a dealer! Stamped and sold by IWC AG Schaffhausen on March 23rd, 1982.

• Conclusion:

This rare example ticks all boxes for a great vintage full set IWC.

All accessoires and papers are in almost perfect condition.