This year, IWC Schaffhausen is treating its fans to two very special Portugieser models, both featuring Haute Horlogerie complications. The Portugieser Tourbillon Rétrograde Chronograph (Ref. 3940) combines a tourbillon with a retrograde
date display and chronograph, while the Portugieser Perpetual Calendar Tourbillon (Ref. 5045) boasts a tourbillon and a
perpetual calendar.
IWC Schaffhausen Portugieser Tourbillon Rétrograde Chronograph
The new Portugieser Tourbillon Rétrograde Chronograph is a sheer exhibition of IWC’s passion for watchmaking, untiring enterprise and notable craftsmanship. On offer are two models, both limited to 50 pieces each. Ref. IW394005 is a maritime-inspired boutique edition offered in a 43.5mm 18-carat Armor Gold® case with blue dial, gold-plated hands, 18-carat gold appliques and a blue alligator leather strap by Santoni while Ref. IW394006 comes in a Platinum case with silver-plated dial, rhodium-plated hands and appliques and a blue alligator leather strap by Santoni. Both versions feature large rectangular pushers on the right side of the case that control the chronograph. Overall I’d say the entire package feels cohesive and very IWC.
The IWC-manufactured 89900 self-winding calibre beating inside both these timepieces propels complications such as the flying hacking minute tourbillon at 6 o‘clock, the retrograde date display and the flyback function. 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. This perfectly accurate mechanism yields a 68 hour power reserve and a water resistance up to 3 bar.
FEATURES
Mechanical chronograph movement – flying hacking minute tourbillon at 6 o‘clock – retrograde date display – stopwatch function with hours, minutes and seconds – hour and minute counter combined in a totaliser at 12 o‘clock – flyback function – 18-carat gold oscillating weight – limited to 50 watches
MOVEMENT
IWC manufacture calibre 89900
Frequency: 28,800 vph/4 Hz
Jewels: 42
Power reserve: 68 h
Winding: Automatic
WATCH
Ref. IW394005: 18-carat Armor Gold® case, blue dial, gold-plated hands, 18-carat gold appliques, 18-carat gold oscillating weight, blue alligator leather strap by Santoni
Ref. IW394006: Platinum case, silver-plated dial, rhodium-plated hands and appliques, 18-carat gold oscillating weight, blue alligator leather strap by Santoni
Glass: Sapphire, arched edge, antireflective coating on both sides
Water-resistant: 3 bar
Diameter: 43.5 mm
Height: 16 mm
IWC Schaffhausen Portugieser Perpetual Calendar Tourbillon
The Portugieser Perpetual Calendar Tourbillon is a sensational timepiece that amplifies the allure of one of the most coveted complications in the horological world – the ‘Tourbillon’. This watch brings together two complications – a tourbillon and a perpetual calendar and is once again offered in two versions, both limited to 50 pieces. One will be available as a Boutique Edition with an 18-carat Armor Gold® case, while the second will be available in platinum. On the wrist, there are no surprises – The watches wear large (45mm in Diameter) and are more on a heavier side.
The dial lay-out is highly intuitive and consequently very easy to read. An 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. 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.
FEATURES
Mechanical movement – perpetual calendar with displays for the day, date, month, year in four digits and perpetual moon phase – flying minute tourbillon at 12 o‘clock – power reserve display – 18-carat gold oscillating weight – see-through sapphire glass back – limited to 50 watches
MOVEMENT
IWC manufacture calibre 51950
Frequency: 19,800 vph/2.75 Hz
Jewels: 54
Power reserve: 7 days (168 h)
Winding: Automatic
WATCH
Ref. IW504504: 18-carat Armor Gold® case, blue dial, gold-plated hands, 18-carat gold appliques, 18-carat gold oscillating weight, blue alligator leather strap by Santoni
Ref. IW504505: Platinum case, silver-plated dial, rhodium-plated hands and appliques, 18-carat gold oscillating weight, blue alligator leather strap by Santoni
Glass: Sapphire, arched edge, antireflective coating on both sides
Water-resistant: 3 bar
Diameter: 45 mm
Height: 15.3 mm