SIHH 2010 IWC Portuguese Yacht Club Chronograph and IWC Portuguese Tourbillon Mystere Retrograde

Thanks to some nicely timed leaks to select media (earliest appear on Dec 13, 2009), it is safe to say that the scoop is officially out on 2 new models that IWC will be releasing at the upcoming Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH).  While I am yet to get my hands on “official” IWC images, I figured I would go ahead and run with what is out there.  First, though, hat tip to Alon over at Watch Freaks for bringing the “print media” online! with his nice scan from the latest print copy of EuropaStar earlier today.

IWC Portuguese Yacht Club Chronograph stainless stell case (left) and IWC Portuguese Tourbillon Mystere Retrograde (platinum case)

Photo:  Page scan from Europastar magazine via watchfreaks.

According to the Europastar magazine article, the Portuguese Yacht Club Chronograph comes in three variants:  steel with silver dial (pictured below), steel with black dial (pictured above) and red gold with slate-colored, sun-pattern dial.  All three versions are 45.4mm case size and with a black rubber strap.

As for the IWC Portuguese Tourbillon Mystere Retrograde (pictured above-right), a watch that has been in the IWC collection for many years, the upgrade for 2010 is the retrograde date display and extended power reserve (7 days).  It will be limited to 500 pieces in 18k red gold and silver dial and 250 pieces in platinum with ruthenium black dial.

Here’s a look at a different variation of the new Yacht Club, from a Tokyo print magazine:

IWC Portuguese Yacht Club Chronograph (stainless steel case/silver dial)

Source:  Page scan from Tokyo Begin magazine via TZ-UK on 12/13/09.  Later noted on James List 12/22/09.

If you are not familiar with the “original” IWC Yacht Club, learn more from my friends at Hodinkee who wrote about this watch back in June 2009 – and I’ve included a photo from the Hodinkee article below as well:

An early version of the IWC Yacht Club, circa 1970s

Quite a “renovation job” they’ve given the new version, eh?

Like last year’s substantial overhaul of the IWC Aquatimer collection, I must say that at first glance the IWC Portuguese Yacht Club Chronograph does not “Wow” me.  The Portuguese Tourbillon Mystere Retrograde, however, does look appealing.

Can’t wait to see what else is in the bag!