IWC Portofino Automatic

History

Portofino was a former fishing village on the Gulf of Tigullio in Genoa, Italy and serves as a classic Mediterranean vacation spot for actors and actresses across the world. The quaint little place provided the inspiration for the Portofino collection which was first launched in 1984. The IWC Schaffhausen Portofino collection was crafted to provide classic simplicity which appeared beautifully.

The Automatics

The glamorous IWC Schaffhausen Portofino collection features a set of minimalistic, simple, and sleek set of timepieces. Starting with the Portofino Automatic, the simple yet elegant dial displays hours with index markers and Roman numerals. These timepieces also feature a date window that is complacently placed at the 3 o’clock marker. A petite addition to the automatics is the Portofino Automatic 34. In these timepieces, the date window is absent. The 34mm Portofino features diamond markers uniquely placed behind index markers. The 34mm variant also features a timepiece that has a diamond-studded bezel and a mother-of-pearl dial. If one has a certain affinity for date windows, they can opt for the 37mm variant. With diamond markers and a date function, this petite timepiece also offers bezels that are set with diamonds. Expanding the spectrum, the automatic timepieces inside the collection also feature a moon phase iteration called the Portofino Automatic Moon Phase. Inside the Moon Phase iteration, there is a well-defined moon phase indicator at the 12 o’clock marker. This iteration is also available in a 37mm version called the Portofino Automatic Moon Phase 37. These are fitted with diamond markers and also feature variants equipped with a diamond-studded bezel.

The Chronographs

For the complications part, the collection features a chronograph available in two iterations, the Portofino Chronograph 39 and Portofino Chronograph. The IWC Schaffhausen Portofino Chronograph 39 features a minute sub-dial at the 12 o’clock marker and a running seconds dial at the 6 o’clock position. Portofino Chronograph 39 is also available in a limited edition variant made in conjunction with Laureus Sport For Good Foundation called the Portofino Chronograph 39 Edition “Laureus Sport For Good”. With a little bit of deviation, the Portofino Chronograph is equipped with an hour sub-dial at 9 and a day/date window at 3 inside a 42mm case.

The Hand-Wounds

For the purists, the IWC Portofino collection also features a variety of hand-wound timepieces. Equipped with the in-house calibre, the 59210, the Portofino Hand-Wound Eight Days provides an exemplary power reserve of 192 hours or approximately 8 days. This Portofino features a power reserve indicator and a small seconds sub-dial at 6. Featuring a tourbillon, the Portofino Hand-Wound Tourbillon Retrograde is fitted with the in-house movement, the 59900. With a power reserve indicator at 3 and a retrograde date at 9, the timepiece is a clear example of the brand’s aesthetic legacy. Adding more complications to the manuals, the collection also features the Portofino Hand-Wound Moon Phase. In these timepieces, the moon phase is further complemented by a small seconds sub-dial at 6 and a power reserve indicator at 9.