Jewellery & Watch News
As well as a slew of new Portugieser Chronographs watches arriving at this year’s Watches & Wonders 2024 event, updates also come in the form of the Portugieser Automatic 40 and 42 watches. Check out everything you need to know about them here.
IWC released several new Portugieser Automatic 40 and 42 watches just a few weeks ago at the annual Watches & Wonders showcase held in Geneva. As is the case each year, all the newly released luxury timepieces are eagerly anticipated by avid fans, including devoted IWC Schaffhausen watch collectors. This year, IWC brings some more shades to the Portugieser collection. These dial colours include Silver Moon, Obsidian, light blue, dark blue and a Dune shade. Today, we’ll be covering these new variations, including those crafted from 18ct white gold and rose gold. First, let’s give you a quick overview of the Portugieser watch collection and why it’s so well-loved.
What We Love About the IWC Portugieser
The IWC Portugieser watch collection has an incredible spec list, lots of styles and an interesting backstory. What’s not to love? The collection of 40mm models is adored for a very clean dial design. Every element on the display stands out with purpose. The crisp Arabic numerals, although incredibly refined, are confident and catch the eye. They sit on a very spacious dial featuring central hands and a small second sub-dial located at 6 o’clock. That sub-counter serves a functional use but at the same time donates more space to the rest of the dial elements, enabling the central hands to take centre stage. Meanwhile, the 42mm models are equally as striking. Aside from the Portugieser Chronograph version, you can also enjoy this model with an added power reserve indicator. In these particular models, the small second sub-dial is relocated to 9 o’clock and the power reserve indicator balances things out at 6 o’clock. A date window nestled in between these two counters sits at 6 o’clock.
Of course, if you look back on the IWC Portugieser Automatic 40 watches of the past, you’ll see there are many discreet features to love about this watch. Take, for example, the raised indices on the large running seconds sub-dial at 6. They add a pop of texture and depth to the dial. Then there are the concentric circles which fill the sub-dial, while the indexes on the seconds track even mirror the minutes on the main dial. One of the most popular finishes of the Portugieser watch is the blued indexes and hands against a silver dial. If that sounds like a bit of you, you’ll want to keep reading. The brand has unveiled a new Silver Moon version of this at the 2024 Watches and Wonders showcase this year.
If you want to learn a little about the story behind the IWC Portugieser watch, you’ll be interested to know that the purpose behind the design was commissioned by two Portuguese businessmen back in the 1930s. They approached IWC, asking for a large-wearing wristwatch that could offer the precision of the marine chronometer. IWC saw that as a challenge and released the reference 325. The company used pocket watch movement Calibres 74 and 98, producing the first Portugieser watches in 1939. The rest, as they say, is history. The Portugieser became an instant hit and a style icon that was loved for its simplicity, its size and its performance. Defining the Portugieser was the railway track chapter ring and the slim feuille hands, which originated in the 1930s.
The New IWC Portugieser Automatic 40 Watches
One of the most appealing features of the Automatic 40mm models is the reliable movement that powers them. The Calibre 82200, which powers the new Portugieser Automatic 40, has everything you’d need in a movement. Displayed through a sapphire crystal glass exhibition caseback, you get to enjoy perlage decoration, vertical stripes, an IWC-engraved logo on the rotor, and a Pellaton winding system with bidirectional rotation. The automatic moment provides a 60-hour power reserve once fully wound and takes advantage of a 50-meter water-resistant case to protect it from moisture, shock impact and heat.
The 40mm models of the new IWC Portugieser Automatic design come in dial colours of Obsidian and light blue, both of which are only available in gold cases. The Obsidian is paired with an alluring rose gold case, while the light blue evokes a slightly more contemporary feel with its polished 18ct white gold case. Both of these new options come on a colour-matching leather strap to complete their design and secure against the wrist with a buckle crafted from the same material as the case. Both models feature the typical two-handed design with a small second sub-dial at 6 o’clock and an Arabic numeral hour track.
The New IWC Portugieser 42 Watches
Arriving in a slightly slimmer build, the new Portugieser watches have a less chunky case depth measurement. The 42mm models measure a height of 12.9mm and come topped with a double box-glass sapphire crystal with antireflective coating on both sides. The material helps protect the dial from scratching, denting, heat, moisture and light damage. The larger 42mm models are powered by the Calibre 52011, which provides a power reserve once fully wound of 168 hours. You can track the 7-day power reserve of this movement through the sub-counter located at 3 o’clock. The feature is balanced by the small running seconds counter at 3 o’clock, along with a date window at 6 o’clock.
There are several versions to choose from in the Portugieser Automatic 42 watch. The Silver Moon option, which comes in a gold-coloured handset or a blued handset (mentioned earlier), is fitted on a leather strap (black or blue respectively). The darker blue dial is a nice variation too. Crafted in the same way as the Silver Moon iterations in stainless steel, the model features a stainless steel bracelet and a folding clasp for guaranteed comfort. Then there is the Dune dial version, complete with rhodium-coated hands and encased in polished stainless steel. The dark brown alligator leather strap pairs effortlessly with the soft pink-beige tones of the dial. Matching its smaller counterpart, the 42mm light blue version of the Portugieser Automatic 42 is a premium iteration crafted from polished 18ct white gold. It comes fitted on a blue leather strap and makes another great option for wearing daily thanks to its universal tones and legible display. My favourite of all, however, has to be the indulgent IWC Portugieser Automatic 42 Obsidian model, paired with an 18ct rose gold case and black alligator leather strap.
If you’d like more information on any of the new IWC Portugieser 40 and 42 Automatic watches, you can call and speak to a member of our C W Sellors sales team today on 01335 216004 or email us a question at sales@cwsellors.com
