Watches and Wonders took place at Shanghai and it was one of the very few events that actually commenced this year. While we have the ongoing pandemic to thank for this, let us focus on something more important meanwhile. The year has witnessed numerous watch launches, some of which have been nothing but iconic to say the least. IWC too, joined the fest when it announced its all-new Portugieser reference that will now be available in a bracelet. Yes! For the first time, we will be witnessing a Portugieser on a stainless steel bracelet.
Perhaps the most shocking thing about this launch is why did it take IWC this long to do it. Nonetheless, we finally have a Portugieser with a durable, robust, and rugged bracelet.
The All-New IWC Portugieser With Stainless Steel Bracelet
A Sneak-Peak Into History
IWC, originally named as the International Watch Company, was founded by Florentine Ariosto Jones in 1868. The horologist travelled all the way from America to Switzerland in the hopes of combining American industrial methods with authentic Swiss watchmaking practices. He simply wanted to make the best pocket watches of all time. By doing so, he not only created the very foundation on which IWC operates today, but he also laid down the cornerstones of the centralized nature of production of mechanical watches that Switzerland later became popular for.
Today, more than 150 years later, IWC is a sheer behemoth in the Swiss Haute Horlogerie industry. The brand’s prowess and depth in the field of high horology cannot be denied. The Portugieser, or as it was originally called, the Portuguese is a direct product of this ingenuity and resourcefulness.
Getting Into The Details
The reference IW371617 is available in a 41 mm wide and 13.1 mm thick stainless steel case. It has a bracelet made of stainless steel too. The sub-dials are located at 12 and 6 o clock. The chronograph pushers are located at 2 and 4 o clock. The watch is water resistant to up to 30 meters. This might be a little less for a some but then again, just don’t go diving with this timepiece.
The silver plated dial has blue-coloured Arabic numerals for hour markers and blue hands for showing time. You have the hour hand, the minute hand, and finally, the central seconds hand. The dial lacks luminescence and a date display. The terms Chronograph Automatic are mentioned near the 9 o clock mark while the brand logo IWC Schaffhausen is mentioned near the 3 o clock mark.
In terms of the movement, the watch has a IWC in-house manufacture Calibre 69355. The automatic mechanism offers a power reserve of about 46 hours whilst beating at 28,800 vibrations per hour. The movement offers hours, minutes, central seconds, and a chronograph.
The Bracelet
The bracelet has to be the key point of attraction in this timepiece. This goes without a saying that the brand should have done it a long time ago. However, it is better it is better late than never, right? This inclusion of a stainless steel bracelet will make the Portugieser far more versatile than it ever was.
The bracelet is gorgeously designed and elaborately detailed. It displays satin finished as well as polished surfaces, features that add finesse to the rugged nature of steel. To add icing to the cake, the bracelet dons a butterfly folding clasp.
Honest Opinion
The IWC Portugieser has always been one of the most handsome looking watches in the luxury watchmaking scenario. The addition of a stainless steel bracelet makes things even more interesting. Now, not only is the timepiece suave, but it also has ruggedness that it earlier lacked. I’ll say it again, the brand should have done it sooner. The IWC Portugieser is the perfect candidate for something tough and durable like steel bracelet.
Furthermore, the bracelet is not the only new thing in this reference. The new watch also gets a new movement. The column wheel calibre 69355 offers users a 46-hour power reserve. Overall, the watch has a sporty personality. There is also a youthfulness about the timepiece that makes it more likable amongst younger audiences. The rugged aesthetics of the new Portugieser Chronograph (Ref. IW371617) will also have a major role to play in its future course.
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