An unusual gold IWC arrives at our workshop for appraisal, and at first glance, its value seems to stem mainly from its weight of approximately 130 grams and the fact that it is crafted from 18K gold. But when the watch is opened, a hidden engraving changes everything. A 1961 IWC Caliber 8531, the name P. Bruhin – Schwyz, and a dedication marking the completion of an apprenticeship lead us to a Swiss family of watchmakers with a history dating back to 1848 — and ultimately to the 92-year-old man to whom the watch belonged and from whom it had been stolen decades earlier. A true story that proves that some watches don’t just measure time. They carry it with them.

Discover the little-known history of Sicura, the Swiss company that found itself at the center of the Quartz Crisis and was linked to Breitling’s rescue. A journey through vintage Sicura watches from the 1960s and 1970s, as seen through the eyes of a watchmaker.