Through The Scope: 2020, The Year of Coloured Dials

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IWC Portugieser Chronograph

When we talk about the IWC Portugieser we immediately think of the Portugieser Chronograph. That is how much of an impact the watch has. IWC launched the Portugieser watch back in the 1930s. The original watch used a Calibre 74 Hunter pocket movement. This was the only viable option considering that the watch was massive in proportions. This was actually a pre-requisite of the timepiece. It had to be huge.

The Portugieser of today might not be that big in dimensions but it sure is a bold entity among luxury watches. The Portugieser has played a vital role in the growth of the IWC brand. Its status as a flagship collection is unquestionable and so is its grandeur.

In 2020, IWC launched the Portugieser Chronograph in three very unique dial colors. These timepieces align with the current aesthetic language of the Protugieser Chronograph. The first timepiece is a boutique edition made out of 18-carat red gold with a stark blue dial. The other two references come in stainless steel cases and have green and burgundy dial colours. The boutique edition comes with a blue leather strap while the green and burgundy dials are accompanied by black leather straps.

Audemars Piguet Code 11.59

After the launch of the Code 11.59 collection in 2019, the Swiss luxury watchmaking powerhouse expanded on the Code 11.59 name with the release of ten brand new models.

The code 11.59 collection was supposed to be a leap ahead in time. The Audemars Piguet moniker has long been solely dependent on the Royal Oak. This new collection has the responsibility to take the brand forward. With the ever increasing popularity of the Audemars Piguet name, it was the right time to launch the next big thing in Haute Horlogerie.

The 2020 releases are not that different from their 2019 counterparts. These watches are just as classy and just as iconic. What’s different though, is the introduction of new dial colours. For a brand like Audemars Piguet that uses elegance and simplicity as its guiding principle, it is quite a surprise to see unorthodox colours being used for dials.

The dials come in lacquered as well as smoked styles in shades of blue, purple, and burgundy. Two additional colours of light grey and dark grey are also available. These dials display a sunburst pattern which goes perfectly with the Code 11.59 vibe.

The collection also offers a freshness in terms of mixing it up with case materials. Along with the new dial options, the new Code 11.59 launches include two-tone gold cases. The light and dark grey references feature 18-carat pink gold mid-sections complemented by 18-carat white gold case backs, lugs, and bezels. The fact that the hands and applied hour markers  match the 18-carat pink gold mid-section offers a nice contrast with respect to the white gold bezel.

The blue and purple dial references are housed in 18-carat pink gold cases while the burgundy dial references is housed inside 18-carat white gold cases.