Help to identify IWC wrist watch case manufacturer

[LordotU]

Help to identify IWC wrist watch case manufacturer

Hello dear community,

I have an IWC wristwatch from probably 30th, but can't identify the case manufacturer.

You can see all the marks: hallmark - wolf's head turned to the left with the number 4 next to it, maker's mark - capital letters GY.



It's very similar to the Hungarians one, but gold test kit identifies the material as 18K gold.



About maker's GY I have found nothing.

Thanks in advance!

[oel]

Hi, welcome to the forum. ​


I believe ​the mark is indeed used in Hungary for​ small domestic gold items, in the time period 1937-1966.​ ​ I agree, the mark does look different from the pictures in the books. The reason could be that in the period 1937-1966​, in connection with the 2nd World War and unrest times, the Hungarian uprising in 1956, a different ​looking mark was temporarily used.Or a different mark was used for watch cases?
Wolf​head looking ​to the left in a hexagonal frame with number 4 to indicate gold fineness 585/1000 or 14K. Could it be that your gold test is unreliable, are you sure it is not 14k but 18k gold? Did the Hungarian assayer make a mistake?

Peter.

Source; World Hallmarks Volume I Europe Hallmark Research Institute 2nd edition, Hungary page 129

[LordotU]

Hello Peter and thanks for welcoming,

Yeah, it's 99% Hungarian. There is also a similar case here https://watchspace.co.uk/2015/03/04/int ... -detective

Reagarding the probe I was wrong a bit: it's something in between 14K and 18K, but not pure 18K. So, 14K mark is correct here.

But what I really want to know it's a name of marker's Artel.

Regards,
Oleg

[LordotU]

I think also, it might be GX instead of GY.

[huszas76]

Hello!
Cannot see the photos so can't identify your makers mark.
Best regards!
Krisztián