IWC Portugieser

Bartholomeu Dias becomes the first person to sail around the southernmost tip of Africa, Fernando Magellan is the first to circumnavigate the world, and Pedro Cabral discovers Brazil: The Portuguese of the 15th and 16th centuries were bold, adventurous, and intent on new discoveries.

Towards the end of the 1930s, two merchants named Rodríguez and Teixeira from Lisbon and Porto contacted the International Watch Company (known today as IWC) in Schaffhausen. Their idea: a large steel wristwatch for captains and officers of the Portuguese merchant fleet, who were in need of a “really large watch” with the precision of a maritime chronometer.

In 1939, the first model of the Portuguese line is born: the original Portuguese (Ref. 325). As the requirements for a marine chronometer can only be fulfilled by a sizable pocket watch movement, a Savonette movement calibre 74 was incorporated into a plain wristwatch case. The original Portuguese from 1939 promised a successful era for the entire collection: the Portuguese watches convince with precision, size, and sophisticated mechanics.

1939 marked the year that the original Portuguese (Ref. 325) model was born. During that time, the only way to guarantee accuracy was through the utilization of a large pocket watch calibre. Therefore, IWC incorporated the 74-calibre hunter pocket watch movement and was able to embed it in a simple wristwatch case.

The original Portuguese initiated a successful start to the Portuguese watch family, which to this day, convinces with precision, design, and sophisticated mechanics.

For some time now, IWC has made it a rule to dedicate each year to a different watch collection from their product range. 2010 was the year of the Portuguese.

The innovative force of the Schaffhausen manufacturer culminated in the IWC Portuguese Grande Complication (Ref. IW377401): a sturdy combination of 659 of the smallest mechanical parts forms the technological base for twenty clever functions, including the minute repeater and the perpetual calendar with a moon phase display.

Other models, like the Portuguese Tourbillon Mystère Rétrograde (Ref. IW504401), the Portuguese Hand-Wound (Ref. IW545408), and the Portuguese Yacht Club Chronograph (Ref. IW390210), were also launched with great success. The Portuguese Tourbillon Mystère Rétrograde (Ref. IW504401) comes equipped with a tourbillon that consists of 82 parts and rotates around its own axis once every 60 seconds in order to counteract the natural pull of gravity, which ensures the rate and accuracy of the watch.

The Portuguese Yacht Club Chronograph (Ref. IW390210) is designed after the Yacht Club Automatic from 1967 and introduces a measure of sportive flair into the Portuguese collection. Its energetic design creates an especially interesting wristwatch for athletic gentlemen.

In 2013, IWC added a new member to its Portuguese collection: the Portuguese Chronograph Classic (Ref. IW390403). In the autumn of 2014, the Portuguese Hand-Wound Eight Days (Ref. IW510202) followed. When the Portuguese Hand-Wound Eight Days (Ref. IW510202) is lovingly wound by its wearer - once every eight days - tradition simply meets sensual delight.

The Portuguese Chronograph Classic (Ref. IW390403) reinterprets purism with its distinctive exterior and striking railway-track-style chapter ring. Through means of distinctive design features, the watch pays homage to the original Portuguese.

The exquisite Portuguese Minute Repeater (Ref. IW544901) has also joined the new collection. It features an extraordinary ringing mechanism that is the result of 50, 000 hours of detail-driven work. Hours, quarters, and minutes can be easily discerned with the intricate Portuguese Minute Repeater (Ref. IW544901), thanks to differently pitched chimes.

In 2014, IWC Schaffhausen celebrated the 75th anniversary of the Portuguese Collection, which has always combined the tradition of nautical instruments with up-to-date design features and innovative mechanics. Some highlights of the new collection include the Portuguese Annual Calendar (Ref. IW503501), the Portuguese Perpetual Calendar Digital Date-Month Edition “75th Anniversary” (Ref. IW397201) with a large-scale digital display for date and month, and the Portuguese Hand-Wound Eight Days Edition “75th Anniversary” (Ref. IW510205).

In particular, the Portuguese Annual Calendar shines with innovation: its annual calendar complication is the first available from IWC. In three semicircular windows, the Portuguese Annual Calendar displays the month, date, and weekday. The collection gains status through the addition of the specially designed movement 52000. The calibres belonging to the series are built into the Portuguese Perpetual Calendar (Ref. IW503301), Portuguese Automatic (Ref. IW500701), and Portuguese Annual Calendar (Ref. IW503501).

The 52000 calibre family inspires with technical improvements, an optimised rate accuracy, and a long life-cycle. These classy wristwatches include the finest complications and impart a distinct charm on the wrist of any watch enthusiast. Since Portuguese watches incorporate a timeless and elegant style, they also enjoy great popularity as ladies watches.

Ten years of ambitious development by engineers, watchmakers, and scientists culminate in the Portuguese Sidérale Scafusia (Ref. IW504101).

The back cover of the watch displays a section of the night sky matched to the location of the wearer. The rotating sky disk displays 500 stars and star constellations in extreme detail. The dial features a constant-force Tourbillon and a display for the 96-hour power reserve. The numeral 12 has been replaced by a stunning masterpiece: a display for the Sidereal Time. It only deviates from solar time by about 4 minutes. Furthermore, seasonal times, sunrise and sunset times, as well as the perpetual calendar with leap years are displayed on the dial.

The IWC Portuguese Sidérale Scafusia consists of 520 components and precious materials including platinum, 18-carat white or rose gold, and offers more than two hundred design options, all of which ensure fine workmanship – with an astronomical price to match.

Do you own an IWC Portugieser that you'd like to sell? At CHRONEXT, we offer you the option to sell watches online as well as to buy them. With our various sales options we help you to get the best possible price while taking care of the entire process. If you're interested, simply fill out our online form or contact us by phone, email or live chat. With our many years of experience in the watch industry, we're always happy to advise you and help sell your IWC Portugieser model.