In 1868, the American watchmaker and entrepreneur Florentine Ariosto Jones travelled from Boston to Switzerland and founded the ‘International Watch Company’ in Schaffhausen. His visionary dream was to combine advanced American manufacturing methods with the craftsmanship of Swiss watchmakers to make the best pocket watches of his time. In doing so, he not only laid the foundation for IWC’s unique engineering approach but also established the centralised production of mechanical watches in Switzerland.
Over its 150-year history, IWC Schaffhausen has developed a reputation for creating functional complications, especially chronographs, which are robust and easy for customers to use. Recently the brand moved their Portugieser chronograph line to all in house manufacturer movements, a move celebrated widely by industry pundits.
Now for 2020, IWC has launched the Portugieser Chronograph on a sporty stainless-steel bracelet. Designed to be both practical and picturesque, the new bracelet is elaborately finished with polished and satin-finished surfaces. Thanks to the butterfly folding clasp, it sits ergonomically on the wrist and provides excellent wearing comfort.
The Portugieser chronograph symbolises the brands commitment to its sportier design expression, the reference featuring a distinctive open dial with the two recessed totalisers at 12 o’clock and 6 o’clock, as well as the inner flange printed with a quarter seconds scale, the timelessly modern chronograph has turned into one of the most popular models from Schaffhausen.
The new Manufacture calibre 69355 housed within the Portugieser chronograph features 27 jewels, automatic winding, and 46 hours of power reserve. Pleasingly, the movement has been designed to fit the Portugieser line and as such, through the sapphire crystal case back, the entire movement is visible, including the column wheel and escapement.
The new reference available with the stainless-steel bracelet (Ref. IW371617) showcases an interesting silver-plated dial, complete with blue hands and applied numerals. A look befitting the recent advertising aesthetics of IWC, the brand certainly looking to appeal more in the yacht club than in the scuba suit.
The new stainless-steel bracelet is also available as an accessory for all new models of the Portugieser Chronograph (Ref. IW3716).
The new IWC Reference IW371617 with steel bracelet carries an RRP of $13,300AUD.
