Beyer-Signed 3212 IWC Yacht Club II Jumbo Automatic

This is not a dream, what you see is accurate. Somehow, a collector has decided to let go of a Yacht Club II Jumbo in steel, with the full integrated bracelet, and Beyer-signed no less. The confluence of perfection here is on display only for those who appreciate just how unlikely a watch this is. Thoughtful but few we are, those who appreciate this Yacht Club II’s discretion, nuance, design, and history. This super-flat Royal Oak and Nautilus competitor may be largely forgotten to the evolution of time for the casual watch person, but that’s no bad thing for those who are deep enough in horology to call it a sickness.

The Yacht Club II is almost always found with a quartz calibre. This rare specimen was released alongside Genta’s work for the Ingenieur line, and intended to be a part of a future ‘Club series’, marketed toward hobbyist activities. There were to be Golf ‘Club’, Polo ‘Club’, and I’ve even heard talk of a Motor ‘Club’ which was never borne. These club watches would stand alongside Ingenieur, Aquatimer, and Portuguese professional pieces as sort of weekender alternatives. Complex brand strategy? Somewhat. And that’s before mentioning that these came in two metals (plus two-tone), two dials, two sizes, and two calibres each with its own reference. Unlike the Ingenieur, the Yacht Club II was designed to be worn on rubber with its integrated bracelet as an option. IWC had accidentally done an Aquanaut a good few decades early. Yet, my does it ever wear metal well.

This ref 3212 marks a jumbo 38mm case in steel with the fully integrated bracelet. This Jumbo variant utilized a base JLC 889. That is a top of the market ultra-thin, shock absorbing, ball-bearing rotor automatic. Unlike much of 70s IWC, scholarship on these pieces is quite scarce. Very small production numbers and period disinterest have only recently been under our lens of study. For what it’s worth, few watches are as interesting, shrouded in mystery, and understudied in my opinion. And this one even comes from Beyer, the watch collector’s signature if ever there were one.

This example has a sharp case with brushing and polishing visible clearly in al the right areas. The dial is clear of significant degradation and all signatures, including the all-important retailer and auto, are totally un-degraded. The bracelet appears lightly worn but no major dents visible. It comes with a fresh service, from a well-regarded German retailer.

Find this Yacht Club II here from Rarebirds listed as POA.