Portofino has been one of IWC’s most high-profile families ever since its first launch back in 1984. Created by the former head designer Kurt Klaus and the head designer Hanno Burtscher, this line named after the idyllic Italian village is inspired by the classic rounded designs of the fifties and sixties. Imbued with a spirit of casual glamour, the Portofino watch is dedicated to men and women. Signature elements, like the sleek style and uncluttered dial, remain just as popular with consumers today.
2019’s new Portofino watches for women are powered by a self-winding mechanical movement, oscillating at a frequency of 28800 vph and featuring a 42-hour power reserve. With a reduced diameter of 34 millimetres, the five new models are some of the smallest across IWC’s entire portfolio and hark back to the very first Portofino collection which had similarly-sized timepieces for slender wrists. Available from August 2019, these new models - water-resistant to 30m - are available in either 18-carat 5N gold or stainless steel cases, with silverplated, blue, or green dials, all of which feature diamonds on the case or dial.
This versatility extends to the inventive strap design, which allows the wearer to customise their watch to their look. A small tool accompanying each product makes it easy to swap between different 12 different strap options - crafted by leather goods maker Santoni - offered in an array of vibrant, hand-coloured shades, in addition to a Milanese stainless steel mesh bracelet.
“With these five new models, we were inspired by the origins of the Portofino family, and wanted to continue the tradition of IWC ladies’ watches from the 1980s, offering a very wearable size for women. Another highlight is the new strap changing system [...],” explained Christian Knoop, Creative Director of IWC Schaffhausen.
