IWC Portugieser Haute Horlogerie Complications
The IWC Portugieser Haute Horlogerie Complications include the Portugieser Tourbillon Rétrograde Chronograph (Ref. 3940) and the Portugieser Perpetual Calendar Tourbillon (Ref. 5045). They deliver something new while respecting the legacy of the inaugural Portuguese wristwatch commissioned in the 1930s.
Unlike most watch brands located in the French-speaking area of Switzerland, IWC Schaffhausen is different. The luxury watch firm is based in the German-speaking region of the country, albeit the dialect is very strong, specific to the area and often unintelligible to German citizens. The culture of this region heavily influences the watches made by the brand which are characterised by notably legible dials, near-clinical aesthetics and much technical virtue. Some watch brands have one product which stands out, however, I would suggest IWC has two, the Big Pilot and the Portugieser.
In the 1930s, two Portuguese businessmen ordered wristwatches from the Schaffhausen-based firm. The men specified the watches should deliver comparable precision to a marine chronometer. At the time, this degree of precision was the preserve of large pocket watches. In order to fulfil the men’s demands, IWC had to miniaturise a pocket watch movement. IWC produced a highly precise wristwatch, fulfilling the men’s request. In 1993, IWC launched a new collection of watches inspired by the wristwatch requested by the two Portuguese gentlemen and assigned it with the most appropriate name at the time, the Portuguese. The name of the watch collection received a minor tweak a few years ago and is now referred to as the Portugieser.
Many horophiles will associate the Portugieser name with the wonderfully elegant, timeless Portugieser Chronograph, however, the Swiss marque also offers a broad array of alternative models.
This year, IWC has indulged aficionados with two new watches, the Portugieser Tourbillon Rétrograde Chronograph (Ref. 3940) and the Portugieser Perpetual Calendar Tourbillon (Ref. 5045). Although very technical, both these watches impart information in a simple to interpret form.
The brand’s press release (April 2020)
The tourbillon is one of watchmaking’s most fascinating achievements. Effectively, it involves the balance rotating around its axis in a cage. This not only provides a visual spectacle on the dial: the constant rotation also reduces the influence of gravity on the oscillating system and increases the watch’s accuracy.
The Portugieser Tourbillon Rétrograde Chronograph (Ref. 3940) combines a flying minute tourbillon at 6 o’clock with a retrograde date display at 9 o’clock and a flyback chronograph. The model is available in two versions, both limited to 50 watches. One is housed in an 18-carat Armor Gold® case with a blue dial featuring the maritime-inspired design cues of the Boutique Editions. Thanks to its improved microstructure, this innovative new material has considerably higher hardness values than traditional 5N gold alloys. A second version is available in platinum.
The IWC-manufactured 89900 calibre is self-winding and builds up a power reserve of 68 hours. The chronograph displays stopped hours and minutes in a single totaliser at 12 o’clock. Thanks to its hacking tourbillon, the watch can be stopped completely, allowing the time to be set with down-to-the-second accuracy. The pallet lever and escape wheel are treated with Diamond Shell® technology, giving it an extremely hard surface that reduces friction and improves the flow of energy in the movement.
The Portugieser Perpetual Calendar Tourbillon (Ref. 5045) brings together the two complications that give the watch its name. Two References are available, both limited to 50 each. One will be available as a Boutique Edition with an 18-carat Armor Gold® case, while the second will be available in platinum.
Ref. IW504504 Boutique Edition:
18-carat Armor Gold® case, blue dial, gold-plated hands, 18-carat gold appliques, blue alligator leather strap by Santoni.
Ref. IW504505:
Platinum case, silver-plated dial, rhodium-plated hands and appliques, blue alligator leather strap by Santoni.
The IWC-manufactured 51950 calibre combines a perpetual calendar with a tourbillon that has 82 individual parts and weighs only 0.635 grams. To make it visible at 12 o’clock, the calendar module’s advance ring was opened, and the moon phase integrated into the month display at 6 o’clock. With its 18-carat gold rotor, the automatic winding system builds up a large, seven-day power reserve. The perpetual calendar’s mechanical programme automatically recognises the different lengths of the months and adds an extra day at the end of February every four years. The moon phase display is so precise that it will need adjusting by one day after 577.5 years.
Further reading