In last week’s look at the IWC Portuguese Tourbillon Hand-Wound I alluded to another model that the brand had also introduced.  And here it is, the IWC Portuguese Chronograph Classic, Ref. 3904.  Of note, this Portuguese Chrono features an in-house 89000 series IWC caliber, much like the Yacht Club Chrono.   The chronograph caliber 89361 is an ugprade from the ETA-based cal 79350 such as that found in the (immensely popular) Ref 3714 Portuguese chronograph.  In other words, this new Portuguese Chronograph Classic represents in many ways an attractive upgrade for IWC fans.  The Reference 3904 is available in 18-carat red gold or stainless steel with either a silver-plated or slate-coloured dial, on Santoni strap — see them all below.
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Yesterday IWC unveiled two new models that are joining the esteemed ranks of its iconic Portuguese collection.   The first, shown above in red gold, is the IWC Portuguese Tourbillon Hand-Wound (Ref 546301).  Although the tourbillon is no stranger to the Portuguese collection, the new Ref 5463 series — with its dial-side tourbillon joined only by a small seconds subdial — is among the most elegant and simple in its aesthetic.
Click through for a closer look at this new IWC Portuguese Tourbillon

Platinum, Unique Piece…

IWC Schaffhausen is the Official ‘Festival-Time’ Partner of the Tribeca Film Festival in New York for 2013.   To commemorate the occasion IWC has produced the gorgeous piece you see here — a one-of-a-kind, platinum-cased Portuguese Automatic with slate-colored dial, claret-colored subs and hands and appliqués in red gold.  A not oft-seen platinum-cased Portuguese is enough to have me interested, but as you can see this watch is so much more.

The Portuguese Automatic “Tribeca Film Festival 2013″ edition will be auctioned on April 10, 2013 by Antiquorum, one of the leading timepiece auctioneers.   All proceeds will support the Tribeca Film Institute, the Film Festival’s nonprofit affiliate.

IWC Portuguese Automatic “Tribeca Film Festival 2013″

Unique Piece

42.3mm platinum case (14mm thick), automatic mechanical IWC Caliber  51011, slate-colored dial, on black alligator leather strap with platinum folding clasp

specially engraved rotor / sapphire displayback

More on the IWC Website>>>

IWC for Laureus 2013 – Portuguese Yacht Club Chrono

Limited Edition 1000 pieces, price $15,100

For seven consecutive years now, IWC Schaffhausen has supported the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation by releasing a limited special edition watch.  Always a fan of a “good watch for a great cause” (as I like to say it), I’ve featured each of IWC’s special Laureus edition watches for since 2009, which means that this year will be the fifth year that Perpetuelle has highlighted the noble cause of Laureus and IWC’s support of it.

Each year IWC selects a different model; this year, it is the Portuguese Yacht Club Chronograph.  But the theme of the watch remains intact — dial in the signature “Laureus Blue” color and special caseback engraving which reflects the winning drawing of a child from the annual contest IWC and Laureus sponsor.

You can see all of my prior IWC Laureus coverage here — 2009 Portuguese, 2011 Ingenieur, 2012 Portofino — and yes even the special Platinum Spitfire which also issued in 2012 for a special event (it sold for 116,000 Euros).  If you are wondering about 2010, well, there actually was no piece for 2010, though IWC was still involved and supported the Laureus Foundation.

This year’s caseback is based on the drawing by 12-year-old Hakkini Hasanga Sandumal De Silva of Sri Lanka

the drawing contest theme was “Time to move”

Continued commendations to IWC and Laureus for their efforts to support disadvantaged children throughout the world.  They have touched millions in a positive way.

http://www.laureus.com>>>

You can see and read more at IWC, here>>>

 And again, my prior years coverage of IWC for Laureus:  2009 (Portuguese), 2011 (Ingenieur), 2012 (Portofino) and the 2012 platinum Spitfire which sold for 116,000 Euros

IWC is almost done offering visitors to Harrods in London its exclusive two-week preview of three eye-catching limited-edition timepieces from its Top Gun.  The models been on display since Feb 18:  a Big Pilot chronograph with blue superluminova dial, a Big Pilot with green dial, and a Perpetual Calendar with red dial.  Official launch is July 2013, at the famous London department store. Pics/Specs, below.
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SIHH 2013…”Silver Arrow”

With the new Ingenieur Chronograph Silberpfeil, IWC brings the legend of the historic Mercedes-Benz racing car back to the forefront.  What instantly grabs one’s attention on this watch is the perlage (or “circular grained) dial, in your choice of silver or brown.  There is historical significance in this attribute, that being the Mercedes Silver Arrow W 25 (‘silverpfeil’ in German) also had a circular-grained dashboard.   Between 1934 and 1939, Mercedes-Benz chalked up countless Grand Prix and other championship victories with its Silver Arrows (link at bottom for more info).

IWC ngenieur Chronograph ‘Silberpfeil’

(Ref IW378505 silver dial, Ref IW378511 brown dial)

Limited Edition 1000 pieces each variation

Price: $13,100

45mm steel case (15mm thick), automatic mechanical IWC 89361 flyback chronograph movement, date display with crown-activated rapid advance; black rubber strap with calfskin inlay

Notice the upper sub-dial/totalizer — readable as simple hour/minute hands — simple.

 Here is the silver dial version:

An engraving of a stylized Silver Arrow racing car can be found on the case back.

A Mercedes-Benz  W25 ‘Silver Arrow’ (more at http://www5.mercedes-benz.com/en/history/silver_arrows_the_birth_of_a_legend/)

SIHH 2013…

Featuring a second local-time display, the Ingenieur Dual Time Titanium is meant practically for people who are continuously changing time zones. Like the Mercedes AMG Petronas fans who travel the global F1 circuit, for example.  But for others, this is a very attractive dual-time/GMT model that can be worn for most any occasion.  The dial is very clean, very balanced and with attractive color set.  And the functionality is clean, too — the hour hand is adjustable in one-hour steps.  IWC calls this the “TZC” or Time Zone Corrector.  Priced at $8,800, it is a nice entry point into the high-luxe world of IWC.

IWC Ingenieur Dual Time Titanium

(Ref IW326403)

Price: $8,800

45mm titanium case (13mm thick), 24-hr display/second time zone, date

 rubber coated chrono pushers and crown

On the dial, we see current local time. On the outer 24-hour ring, the hand with the white triangle keeps track of a second time, such as that in the owner’s home time zone.  To make it easier to differentiate between day and night, the top half, from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., is darker than the lower half.  Note also that IWC made the date window display white font on black background — details, details!  Little things like this make all the difference.

SIHH 2013…

For the new Ingenieur Double Chronograph Titanium with the new IWC 79420 calibre, IWC’s designers took their inspiration from materials typically used in Formula One: the casing ring is made of titanium and the striking screw heads in the bezel are made of ceramic. The crown, the crown protection and the push-buttons are lavishly coated with black rubber. The totalizers, which closely resemble tachometers, give the watch a consistent, instrument-inspired look.  Like most of the 2013 IWC collection, though this piece in particular, the design theme here is very well thought out from dial to case to strap.

IWC Ingenieur Double Chronograph Titanium

(IW386501 silver dial, IW386503 black/blue dial)

Price: $12,700

45mm titanium case, rubber coated pushers and crown elements, automatic mechanical IWC 79420 split-seconds caliber (day, date, split seconds chronograph, small hacking seconds)

 Love those blue-triangle tipped subs!

Did You Know?

RATTRAPANTE (“SPLIT-SECONDS”).  The word “rattrapante” describes the split-seconds mechanism on a chronograph, which catches up with the primary chronograph hand.Unlike a standard chronograph, the split-seconds chronograph has two hands that start simultaneously. The rattrappante or split-seconds hand, which is superimposed on the stopwatch hand, can be stopped independently using a third button at “10 o’clock”, while the stopwatch hand continues to run. This permits the user to record two separate times, exact to the second, within any given minute. If the third button is pushed again, the split-seconds hand instantaneously catches up and is synchronized with the other hand. The process can be repeated as often as desired.

Full listing of 2013 IWC watches, “Year of the Ingenieur”.  Pricing is reflected for each piece (on click-thru).

CLICK ANY WATCH FOR PERPETUELLE COMMENTARY, SPECS, AND HIGH-RES IMAGES!

IWC 2013 “Year of the Ingeniuer”

SIHH 2013…

And the piece de resistance award in the IWC Ingenieur family this year goes to this spectacular Ingenieur Constant-Force Tourbillon.  The $290,000 piece features a 46mm integrated platinum and ceramic case.  The IWC caliber 94800 features a patented constant-force mechanism (which I recently discussed a bit here, if you want some background), integrated in a tourbillon.  The mechanism provides for extremely accurate ratekeeping over at least 48 hours, according to IWC.  It is a double barrel movement with 96 hour power reserve when fully wound; the configuration is surely needed to power the constant-force tourbillon.  There is also a moon phase module (upper right quadrant of dial), with finely detailed moons and showing the 3 of days until the next full moon.  In the lower right quadrant is the power reserve display.  This is no doubt a fine piece, though I do find the interplay of platinum and ceramic in the case to be a bit unusual looking.  High-res and more, below.
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