IWC

Portugieser

Tourbillon Hand-Wound

The Portuguese collection from Swiss watch manufacturer IWC Schaff- hausen are masterpieces of precision engineering. The delight of watch lovers round the globe for over 70 years, they are landmarks in the history of mechanical timekeeping.

Since its inception, the purist Portuguese line has com­ bined an elegant and timeless language of form with un­ compromising horological perfection. Benchmarks of good taste, these chronometers concede nothing to the whims of fashion. The tradition behind the IWC Portuguese family stretches back to the precision nautical instruments once used by navigators to discover the world. Over half a millennium later, in the late 1930s, two Portuguese busi­ nessmen working in the watch sector visited the Schaff­ hausen factory and commissioned wrist watches to match the accuracy of a marine chronometer. The first Portuguese, in 1939, came fitted with a pocket watch movement. The IWC watch line has endured over 70 years since then and is a firm favourite amongst the world's watch lovers, who ap­ preciate its sheer size, precision and complex mechanics.

Tourbillon, queen of disciplines

The Portuguese collection is famed for combining the trad­ ition of nautical instruments with contemporary design and futuristic mechanics. The Portuguese Tourbillon Hand- Wound is a refined expression of this synthe­ sis. Ideal for big, hand­wound wristwatches such as this, the 98900 calibre marks the apogee of a long line of fore­ bears from the Schaffhausen works. The stylistically mini­ malist case in 18­carat white gold or 18­carat red gold supremely embodies unadorned understatement. How­ ever, the presence of the flying tourbillon at “9 o'clock” is an unmistakeable sign that this timepiece boasts the finest components which impressively reflect IWC's watch- making flair. The tourbillon rotates once round its axis every 60 seconds. This offsets the pull of gravity on any disequi­librium in the balance wheel, which may affect the rate of the watch. The new front glass with arched edge makes the Portuguese Tourbillon Hand-Wound seem very flat, en­ hancing its classic, balanced lines. The choice of dial suits the case – slate­coloured for the 18­carat white gold vari­ ant and silver­plated for the 18­carat red gold. The IWC­ manufactured 98900­calibre movement, with its intricately decorated nickel­silver three­quarter bridge, can be admir­ ed through the transparent sapphire­glass back. The 98000­calibre family has been in production since the 1920s and has evolved further, blending tradition with the latest technical advances. For the Portuguese Tourbillon Hand­Wound, IWC engineers have increased the balance frequency to 28,800 beats per hour, which ensures excel­ lent precision.

Craftsmanship from the tradition-steeped house of Santoni

The Portuguese Chronograph Classic and the Portuguese Tourbillon Hand-Wound are both fitted with exquisite lea­ ther straps from the House of Santoni. This Italian family firm specializes in nuanced dyeing of leather. Every Santoni strap is lovingly finished with manual artistry to lend an exclusive patina look with individual colour shade. To achieve this effect, Santoni craftsmen polish the leather surface with various pastes until they take on the desired shading and a perfect sheen. Santoni's elegant leather products epitomize masterly craftsmanship and the high­ est quality.