The IWC Portugieser Automatic 42 is a sophisticated timepiece that blends timeless elegance with modern innovation. With its subtle updates for 2024, we explore just how much this new iteration stands apart from its predecessors.
What We Love
- Slimmer case design
- New elegant dials offer a lot of versatility and wearability.
- The watch looks fantastic on the wrist! Date window also seamlessly blends in with the dial.
What We Don’t
- The leather strap’s clasp isn’t my first choice for the design, as it’s hard to open.
- Movement could do with more finishing.
- With case thickness reducing, the size could’ve been slimmed down too!
Overall Score: 8.5 / 10
- Value for Money: 8/10
- Wearability: 8.5/10
- Design: 8.5/10
- Build Quality: 9/10
IWC Schaffhausen’s Portugieser line needs no introduction. It’s one of the most important collections not only from the brand but in the world of watchmaking. The story of the Portugieser is one of triumph, where it overcame obscurity to become one of the most iconic timepieces in the horology.
The IWC Schaffhausen Portugieser Automatic 42 “Silver Moon”
IWC Schaffhausen has stayed true to the original design of the Portugieser, released in 1942, with the timepiece’s clean and simple design with sharp, refined hands and the Arabic hour indices being signature details. If you were to pick up one of the first 1940s models, you’d be easily able to pick the similarities between today’s Portugieser and the vintage model. This is how powerful the design code of the Portugieser was.
Related Reading: The Legacy Of Iconic Watch Designs: IWC Schaffhausen Portugieser
This year, the brand did a major update to the Portugieser collection. The Portugieser Automatic 40, Automatic 42, Chronograph and Perpetual Calendar 44 all went through a major update that saw the timepieces being unveiled in four new colourways, a newly refined case that featured a thinner profile, and subtle updates to the dial and movement design. Matt has covered these changes in his review of the latest IWC Schaffhausen Portugieser Chronograph “Dune” timepiece.
Related Reading: REVIEW: Hands-On With The IWC Portugieser Chronograph ‘Dune’
The previous-gen of the IWC Schaffhausen Portugieser 42 Automatic came with a 42.3mm case that measured 14.1mm in thickness. Like the new collection, there were various dial variations, with some of the standout Portugieser 42 Automatic models being the silver dial with blue indices (reference IW500705) and my personal favourite, the silver dial with blue counters (reference IW500715). The movement in the previous gen was the IWC-manufactured calibre 5201,0 which offered the 7-day power-reserve.
For the major 2024 update to the Portugieser 42 Automatic collection, it’s safe to say that IWC Schaffhausen wasn’t too adventurous with design changes. Besides the collection now getting additional colours, the layout and design of the Portugieser 42mm has stayed the same. And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Like they say, “If it isn’t broken, don’t change it”.
Full collection of 2024 Portugieser Automatic 42 models
A total of six new references were introduced as part of the new Portugieser 42 Automatic collection. Firstly, we get the four models that pay tribute to IWC’s 2024 Watches & Wonders theme: “A Tribute To Eternity”. These were the Ref. IW501708 (18-carat white gold case with Horizon blue dial), Ref. IW501707 (18-carat 5N gold case with Obsidial dial), Ref. IW501705 (stainless steel case with Dune dial) and Ref. IW501701, the timepiece we have for review today! Alongside this was also two other editions: Ref. IW501704 (stainless steel case with blue dial and rhodium-plated hands) and the Ref. IW501702 (stainless steel with silver-plated dial and blue hands).
This IWC Schaffhausen Portugieser Automatic 42 (Ref. IW501701) is, as mentioned, part of the brand’s A Tribute to Eternity collection. It is the “Silver Moon” phase of the day, which is described as “The hue of the early morning before the light fully reveals its intensity.”
Initial Impressions:
After being a big fan of the previous generation Portugieser 42 Automatic (Ref. IW500715) with the contrasting look, I was looking forward to seeing what the newly developed collection would look like in person. I’ve already seen IWC Shaffhausen’s new “A Tribute to Eternity” colourways, such as the “Dune” and “Obsidian”, in person on the different Portugieser models, so I wanted to have something different for the review.
The silver-plated dial with the gold-plated hands is so much better looking in person than pictures do it justice. With the plain silver look of the timepiece, it offers elegance and, in my opinion, more versatile wearability compared to some of the other models in the collection. The watch also was comfortable to wear, after getting the unconventional strap to work! I also loved the wrist presence of this timepiece, with the watch offering a very stylish and elegant look.
The Case Design:
IWC Schaffhausen’s Portugieser Automatic 42 has a case design that showcases elegance and refinement. The previous gen Portugieser Automatic 42 had case that measured 42.3mm x 14.1mm thick. The thickness of the timepiece can sometimes be seen as too large for a timepiece that is considered a dresswatch. With this latest update to the collection, however, the brand adopted a more “refined” approach to the case design, all the while keeping the characteristic elements of the Portugieser case intact.
The new case measures 42.4mm x 12.9mm thick, shaving off more than 1mm from the previous design. While this might not seem substantial, the difference can be felt in how it is worn, as it feels and looks thinner on the wrist. The case refinement is thanks to IWC Schaffhausen adopting a thinner case ring and using double box-glass sapphire crystals. The update not only enhances the watch’s elegance, but also the wearability to suit a variety of wrist sizes.
The middle case component has remained the same height, while the case back and the bezel have been reduced in size. The case also comes with different finished surfaces, and while it is not a new update, it feels more “shinier” in appearance than before! The case middle features a mix of horizontal and vertical brushed finishing. The middle side features a horizontal brushed finish, while in between the lugs, it has a vertical brushed finish. The surface of the lugs, the bezel and the and caseback all feature polished finishing, which allows the watch to shine beautifully.
The new 12.9mm case thickness, while not a major reduction from the previous Portugieser Automatic 42 thickness, is still impressively slim for a watch of its size. The newly refined design sits on the wrist comfortably and is slim enough to fit under the cuff of a blazer/jacket. This makes the new Portugieser Automatic 42 an excellent choice for formal occasions or pairing with tailored attire.
The Dial Design:
As mentioned earlier, the new Portugieser Automatic 42 collection has six new dials with different colours and colour combinations to choose from. The “A Tribute To Eternity” collection features dials with sun-ray brushing with galvanic treatment, giving different metallic colours. When you take a closer look at the dials, you can see the masterclass in refined craftsmanship and attention to detail. Each of the different dials in this new collection is covered in lacquer 15 times, then compressed to achieve the required thinness. The finishing touch is added to the dial to give it a glossy finish.
The silver-plated dial is the embodiment of elegance, and for me personally, it is the more versatile colour choice in the new Portugieser Automatic 42 collection. This essentially “white” dial complements any outfit and can be paired with more formal attire while also being dressed down for casual wear with the leather strap. This silver-plated dial also comes with blued hands and hour indices (Ref. IW501702), which gives a striking contrasting look. However, if you are after elegance and luxury, the gold-plated indices and hands are the way to go!
The Arabic hour indices are applied numerals that are delicately set onto the dial. This means that the indices have a three-dimensional aesthetic that gives the watch more character. The feuille (leaf-shaped) gold-plated hands are finely polished to match the shine of the hour indices, and has been carefully proportioned so that the sweep gracefully across the dial! While the indices and hands don’t have a stark contrast compared to the silver-plated dial with blue markers, the readability of this dial is still easy and clean, thanks to the well-balanced design.
This well-balanced design is also achieved thanks to the seamless integration of the sub-dials, which maintains the dial’s symmetry, a characteristic feature of the Portugieser Automatic 42 collection. The sub-dials (power reserve indicator at 3 o’clock and small seconds indicator at 9 o’clock) are recessed into the main dial (milled and stamped through the lacquer and brass base of the dial), which gives the appearance of a “layered” dial with dimensionality. While not as prominent on the silver-plated dial as the other colours in the new collection, the sub-dials come with a subtle concentric guilloché pattern, a series of fine circular engravings that catch and reflect light beautifully. This not only enhances the legibility of the counters but also creates a tactile contrast with the main dial.
The Calibre 52011 Movement
Shown through the sapphire crystal caseback is the IWC-manufactured Calibre 52011 movement. The movement is used for the new generation Portugieser Automatic 42 timepeices. It is derived from the Calibre 52010 movement, which IWC Shaffhausen used to power the previous gen Portugieser Automatic models alongside the IWC Shaffhausen Bit Pilot’s Watch. The cal. 52011 movement measures 37.8mm and 7.6mm in height and features 257 components and 31 jewels. Like the cal. 52010 movement, this new gen operates at a high frequency of 4Hz (28,800 VpH), ensuring high accuracy.
The movement has a patented IWC Schaffhausen innovation: the Pellaton automatic winding system. Instead of a traditional winding system, the Pellaton AWS uses a pawl-based design with double pawls to convert the motion of the rotor into bidirectional energy transfer, making it much more efficient and resistant to wear and tear.
Another stand-out feature of the movement is, of course, its impressive seven-day power reserve. The seven-day power reserve is achieved thanks to the twin-barrels. These barrels run in parallel, which means the torque is delivered more efficiently throughout the span of the power reserve. This extended reserve is particularly useful for those who rotate between watches, ensuring the Portugieser remains powered even after multiple days of non-use!
With the newly developed case, the case back of the timepiece is slightly enhanced from the previous gen Portugieser Automatic 42 to offer a better view of the movement. The Calibre 52011 movement features the iconic IWC Schaffhausen medallion on the skeletonised winding rotor alongside different finishing techniques like Côtes de Genève striping and perlage (circular graining), showcasing the brand’s attention to aesthetic detail.
How It Wears
The IWC Schaffhausen Portugieser Automatic 42 is a watch that offers versatility in wearability. As you can see from the photos, the timepiece looks excellent regardless of whether it is dressed down with jeans and a t-shirt or if paired with the more dressy and formal options.
On my 16.5cm wrists, the watch doesn’t protrude out. However, I would say that if it were to be even slightly bigger, it wouldn’t sit well on my wrist. The curved lugs and leather strap combination ensure that the watch still looks well-proportioned on my wrist. Mind you, my wrists are fairly small, so the watch would fit fine for those with wrists larger than 16.5cm.
While the 1.2mm height difference seems subtle between the previous gen Portugieser Automatic 42 and this latest version, the watch does feel like it fits better on the wrist. The 12.9mm height is also enough for the watch to sit comfortability paired with a jacket.
One aspect of the watch that I found slightly frustrating was the buckle/deployant clasp on the leather strap. Unlike traditional designs with a push-button mechanism for easy removal, this clasp requires you to press into the leather strap and manually disengage the buckle with your finger. The process felt cumbersome, especially during the first few times I tried on the timepiece.
Final Thoughts
With its seven-day power reserve, the Portugieser Automatic 42 is a practical choice for those who want a timepiece for daily wear. With this being said, however, the timepiece only has a water resistance of 50 meters, which makes it splash-resistant but not for swimming. I found this to be an excellent timepiece for attending dinners and to the office. It can even be paired perfectly with formal wear for luxury events and functions. The case’s elegant design, alongside the dial’s simple yet beautiful aesthetics, make this timepiece that you’ll keep coming back to.
The 2024 updated design of the IWC Schaffhausen Portugieser Automatic 42 subtly enhances what was already a fantastic timepiece. The aesthetic appeal of the Portugieser Automatic 42 was strengthened with the addition of the new dial colours, with this particular model with its silver-plated dial and gold-plated hands and markers being one that I would consider a more wearable and versatile option.
While the deployant clasp on the leather strap can take some getting used to, the minor inconvenience pales in comparison to the overall experience that the watch delivers. The combination of the beautifully crafted dial, the powerhouse 52011 movement, and the comfort of its slim profile ensures the IWC Schaffhausen Portugieser Automatic 42 is more than just a timepiece—it’s a statement of elegance and precision!
References: IW501701
Specifications:
- Dimensions: 42.4mm, 12.9mm thick & 48mm lug-to-lug
- Case Material: Brushed and polished Stainless Steel
- Dial: Silver-plated lacquered dial with gold-plated indices and hands.
- Crystal: SSapphire crystal, double box, antireflective coating on both sides
- Water resistance: 50m / 5 Bar
- Movement: IWC-manufactured calibre 52011 beating at 4Hz (28, 800 VpH) and 31 jewels
- Power reserve: 7 days (168 hrs)
- Strap: Black alligator with steel folding clasp
Australian Recommended Retail Price: A$20,000
Availability: Available now at IWC Boutiques, authorised retailers or online at IWC.com
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