IWC Portugieser: The Most Beautiful Chronograph In The Market

The Portugieser line of watches has a great amount of history. It is almost as if one would drown in this collection’s history if necessary precautions are not taken. On a serious note, the Portuguese collection was first introduced in the 1930s. The idea was to expand the horizons of the International Watch Co. The idea was fortified when two Portuguese businessmen met with IWC and asked for chronometers that can be used by men. The answer to this was the Portuguese ref. 325.  The watch was way ahead of its time and it did not disappoint. Although it could not impress the audience due to its large case size and futuristic design codes, it did leave an impression.

The Ref. IW371447 – A Dream Come True

IWC watches for women were kind of non-existent at this time so the entirety of the brand’s focus was on men’s wristwatches. The watch was surprisingly never shipped to Portugal until after three years of its launch. Instead, it was shipped to Russia first. After the inevitable discontinuation, the IWC Portugieser resurfaced in 1993 in the form of ref. 5441.

Features

All that being said, it is time to focus on the watch that is the topic for discussion, the ref. IW371447, one of the jewels of IWC watches for men. This blue dialled beauty is simply a piece of art. The modernistic design codes are fresh yet they hold a lot of similarities to the earlier references. In this sense, the ref. 3714 is extremely close to the watch in terms of design and structure. The watch displays a case size of 40.9mm and a case thickness of 12.6mm. The timepiece sports a sapphire crystal and water resistance of 30 meters. The Portugieser Chronograph features a small second's display at 6 o’clock and a chronograph spilt seconds display at 12 o’clock. It also offers a non-hacking central second’s hand and a serene blue dial.

Attention To Detailing

When it comes to detailing, the watch leaves no stones unturned. The time markers are in Arabic numerals and are in silver lacquer. At 3 o’clock, the users can see the IWC Schaffhausen moniker and at 9 o’clock the watch displays the wordings ‘Chronograph Automatic’.

Nothing about this watch is fancy and that is what makes it stand out. Its understated aesthetics and subtle architectural cues make it a masterpiece. Another thing that adds to the sumptuousness of the Ref. 371447 is the luxurious stainless steel case. There are other options available as well but the stainless steel version just speaks to you. Not to forget, the IWC watches price in steel is very aggressive.

The Silver Lining

There are, of course, a few factors that may be a big ‘no’ for many. This includes the lack of contrast between the dial and the hour markers. This may make it a tad bit difficult for people to tell the time when in darker spots. The movement is criticised as well. Instead of an in-house manufactured movement, the brand utilizes a modified Valjoux movement which is the 79350, a calibre that provides up to 40 hours of power reserve. Nothing wrong about it, but IWC could have done better.

Nevertheless, the IWC watch is a sight for sore eyes. It proudly carries with it the heritage of the IWC Portugieser family and reflects the watchmaker’s sheer expertise in the art of horology.