IWC or JLC

[Ck8]

Hello,

I have not posted for sometime.
I have a question which I need your input.

I have the IWC Portuguese Auto Chrono and I might trade it in or buy the JLC Reverso 3858520.

Which brand or watch would you choose and why?

Thank you.

[Francist]

JLC > IWC.
I'm assuming u're a watch collector.
IWC has recently sourced cheap ETA movements for their lineups such as Davinci & Ingenieur. This is terrible for a watch brand which prides itself in making inhouse movements & complications. Their focus is now on marketing (Lewis Hamilton ftw) & making their AD experience enjoyable. But in terms of the watch itself, some are meh, some are good (only portugese & portofino).

JLC has remained to its roots, just making good watches. But they don't have enough marketing & hence less popular than IWC. I would say their quality is still above IWC.

I've been scouting these 2 for quite a while since i want a gold dress watch. They're about the same value in the after market (50% of msrp).

I had a JLC master control SS but it was busted after 5years, repair bill estimate was over $2k and so i just sold the watch as it was for $3.5k (50% of what i paid for)

[Easy E]

Originally Posted by Francist

JLC > IWC.
I'm assuming u're a watch collector.
IWC has recently sourced cheap ETA movements for their lineups such as Davinci & Ingenieur. This is terrible for a watch brand which prides itself in making inhouse movements & complications. Their focus is now on marketing (Lewis Hamilton ftw) & making their AD experience enjoyable. But in terms of the watch itself, some are meh, some are good (only portugese & portofino).

JLC has remained to its roots, just making good watches. But they don't have enough marketing & hence less popular than IWC. I would say their quality is still above IWC.

I've been scouting these 2 for quite a while since i want a gold dress watch. They're about the same value in the after market (50% of msrp).

I had a JLC master control SS but it was busted after 5years, repair bill estimate was over $2k and so i just sold the watch as it was for $3.5k (50% of what i paid for)

So you say JLC>IWC, then give an example of a JLC experience that went septic, mmkay.

[Easy E]

I have two IWCs that have been great thus far. I’m not advocating one brand over the other, I think both have their merits. Just saying, I like my IWCs. As a side, I have called IWC concierge several times now for clasps, straps, registration issues, and have been very pleased with their service.

[ts3]

Originally Posted by Francist

JLC > IWC.
I'm assuming u're a watch collector.
IWC has recently sourced cheap ETA movements for their lineups such as Davinci & Ingenieur. This is terrible for a watch brand which prides itself in making inhouse movements & complications. Their focus is now on marketing (Lewis Hamilton ftw) & making their AD experience enjoyable. But in terms of the watch itself, some are meh, some are good (only portugese & portofino).

JLC has remained to its roots, just making good watches. But they don't have enough marketing & hence less popular than IWC. I would say their quality is still above IWC.

I've been scouting these 2 for quite a while since i want a gold dress watch. They're about the same value in the after market (50% of msrp).

I had a JLC master control SS but it was busted after 5years, repair bill estimate was over $2k and so i just sold the watch as it was for $3.5k (50% of what i paid for)

IWC has been using ETA movements since I can remember, certainly since the 1980s. I have owned a Mark XV with an ETA based movement for 20 years no problem. One service, that's it. IWC also has a history of producing innovative modular complications, Habring rattrapante, Klaus PC, and minute repeaters. That said, I lost interest in IWC in the mid 2000s as their marketing got just too much and I have found a lot of their more recent watches less attractive than their 1990s models, thinking pilot watches, divers, and even the Portugiesers (compared to 5441, 3531, and 5240).

JLC are considered the watch makers' watch maker as they supplied movements to many other brands including Patek, AP, and Vacheron in the past. Agree that JLC stayed a little closer to its roots but from what I heard the reliability has suffered compared to the days of old. The Reversos keep getting lots of love but the look is not for me. Have never been excited enough to pull the trigger on a JLC and have gone off in a different direction.

[ChetBaker]

Always JLC over IWC. If you made the best diver of the past decade (deep sea chrono) you always win.

[alllexandru]

JLC over IWC for me.
Reverso is one of the models I would like to own some time down the road.
You can’t go wrong wearing a Reverso

[GoingPlaces]

JLC is heralded as the "watchmaker's watch". Always in-house and I believe quite a history. IMO next level over IWC.

[BendyBee]

Have had a few IWCs and still have a JLC. I'd say JLC edges over IWC mainly due to their movements manufacturing pedigree.

[robinmgb]

Originally Posted by goingplaces

jlc is heralded as the "watchmaker's watch". Always in-house and i believe quite a history. Imo next level over iwc.

👍

[MTBer]

I’ve had the 3858520 for a couple years now. Big fan of the Art Deco design, the history behind the Reverso, and the heritage of JLC in general.

It’s also a great entry point into a brand that makes some amazingly complex watches that rival anything the ‘big three’ are doing. IWC is nice, but doesn’t really compete on this front.

[1William]

I think it is model specific. I could do either or depending.

[collarcity]

Technically speaking, JLC is a better watch and the brand has more cachet. I mainly wear sports watches and JLC's offerings don't excite me at all.

I recently purchased my first IWC (also first flieger) and am REALLY enjoying it. Yes it has a Sellita SW300 movement. I don't like it any less for it.

[MTBer]

Originally Posted by collarcity

Technically speaking, JLC is a better watch and the brand has more cachet. I mainly wear sports watches and JLC's offerings don't excite me at all.

I recently purchased my first IWC (also first flieger) and am REALLY enjoying it. Yes it has a Sellita SW300 movement. I don't like it any less for it.

Looks great! If IWC offered the Mark XVIII Heritage on a titanium bracelet it would be my next watch.

[Mick8moses]

JLC Reverso is a classic. I will pick one up one day. Easy choice


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[RoscoPico]

what others have said, and that being said, i do like both brands.
probably wouldn't own anything else from them but the hometime and portuguese i have now though

[denmanproject]

I much prefer IWC styling over JLC, but as a watchmaker I would give JLC the edge considering their incredible movement catalogue

My current IWC Top Gun ceramic, I love this watch

[polaris72]

IWC is about the watch case and marketing and they are good at it. JLC is about movements. I have both, but JLC is better by a mile.

[asiparks]

Depends on the model- I prefer the look of more IWCs-
As regards movements- yes they've used Selitta and heavily rebuilt ETAs, but they manufacture Haute horologle ones- minute repeaters and tourbillions at one end, affordable perpetual calendars at the other. They've also cleverly engineered split second and split minute modules onto 7750's.

[Mondo Shizmo]

I like both brands but I think JLC is a tad better, I feel like IWC’s watches look very similar to each other and I’m also not a fan of long lug to lugs and that seems to be the norm with IWC.

[Mifune]

Jeager-LeCoultre... was this a trick question or something?

[jenniferjanef]

For myself, IWC died after they revamped and introduced their current ingenieur line.

I own 3227 and 3228. Love them despite I don’t wear them anymore.

[asiparks]

Originally Posted by jenniferjanef

For myself, IWC died after they revamped and introduced their current ingenieur line.

I own 3227 and 3228. Love them despite I don’t wear them anymore.

And their recent Aquatimers are not massively attractive either.

Still, the Pilot line has some gems.

[henrylee]

Jlc 100%

[PBJ1925]

JLC for me for the Reverso. With that said, I may holistically prefer the styling of IWC.

[eonflux]

Love JLC movements, but they don’t make any watches I want to wear

[dannyp]

Originally Posted by jenniferjanef

For myself, IWC died after they revamped and introduced their current ingenieur line.

I own 3227 and 3228. Love them despite I don’t wear them anymore.

Yea, I did had a true "WTF?!" moment when those came out. Why, oh why, could the previous generation 40mm have been fitted with the in-house movement used in the new 39mm Pilot Spitfire? Would have been near perfect.

Originally Posted by eonflux

Love JLC movements, but they don’t make any watches I want to wear

JLC is without a doubt the better watch. However I'd probably be more likely to wear an IWC as a daily watch for one reason: screw-locked crowns. JLC doesn't seem to use them and I like having that protection.

I will say, the new MK XVII Spitfire (first "standard" pilot watch with new in-house movement) was intriguing. Like its history, too, as the successor to the RAF-issued WWII watches.

The new Big Pilot 43 is beautiful, too. At least it was, until I realized that the entire BP line is a tribute to a different WWII watch... sold exclusively to the Luftwaffe.

[alika]

Whichever you like better..

[Justindo]

I have both watches, although I have the medium sized version of the Reverso, and they're very different. I think the JLC is a higher quality piece.

[Cryptochonos1]

IWC in particular the spitfire or Portugueser