ReviewAnnual Calendar : First time on the new IWC Portugieser
Two firsts for IWC and three masterstrokes of horology, all in one watch, make this a must have for any connoisseur.
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If you’re an ardent follower of the horological world, it’s not an unknown fact that IWC Schaffhausen always gives the spotlight to a particular collection each year. 2012 was the year of the Pilot. 2013 belonged to the Ingenieur and 2014 was the year of the Aquatimer. Not surprisingly, 2015 was the year of the Portugieser a collection which also happens to celebrate its 75th anniversary. Of all their novelties lined up, one watch stood out. A watch that also happens to be IWC’s first annual calendar ever. Here’s the new IWC Portugieser Annual Calendar, the newest and a first from the watchmaker from Schaffhausen.
Keeps the charm of the Portugieser:
The average connoisseur doesn’t have the time to get used to a new design or look and IWC played their cards safe by updating and upgrading just a few aspects of its the Portugieser (in terms of looks), just the way it’s been appreciated for so many years.
Thus, we found the same dial layout, with a small seconds located at 9 and a power reserve indicator at 3. The core face of the watch hasn’t changed either, with the Arabic numerals, the rail track design around the dial and the leaf hands. The large dial opening, with almost no bezel only restores what makes the charm of the Portugieser.
The core elements of the collection have mostly remained unchanged. What has changed though, is what you see at 12 o’clock.
The First Annual Calendar:
The new IWC Portugieser Annual Calendar bridges the gap between a perpetual and a simple date display with its first annual date display. The designers back at Schaffhausen neatly replaced the indices from 11 to 1 o’clock with 3 discs – one for the month, one for the date and one for the day –displayed in an arc style, which makes for a clean and legible look. Something new that’ll probably take some time for you to get used to, but after using it as your daily watch for a couple of days you’ll actually start to appreciate the big, legible date display right on top.
They’ve gone with the “American” order (Month/Date/Day) of date, not only from a technical and design point of view, but more so to pay homage to F. A. Jones, IWC’s American founder.
Unlike its cousin, the perpetual calendar, the dial is not overloaded, yet IWC has succeeded in integrating the annual calendar complication whilst being faithful to the traditional look of the Portugieser with the new offing.
“It took IWC’s designers almost 5 years to design this watch!”
A Brand New Calibre:
The Annual calendar is powered by a new in-house calibre 52850, which took a good 5 years to develop. In addition to their already existing 52000 family, two barrels have been added to provide a higher torque required to drive the new three date display discs. Rotors are slimmer, bridges are more open and inset with a solid gold “Probus Scafusia” medallion and all its complications are clearly visible through its see through sapphire crystal case back, a beautiful sight to say the least.
And when fully wound, the two new barrels supply enough energy for a full week’s runtime. That’s right, the new 52850 has a best in class power reserve of 7 days.
Iconic all the way:
Built around a strong, stainless steel case with a fine sun-pattern midnight blue dial, the Annual calendar also comes with an exclusive black ‘Santoni’ alligator leather strap, giving it an extremely comfortable fit on your wrist.
A watch destined to be a collector’s item and good looking enough to befit any social situation.
Specs given below:
FEATURES
- Mechanical movement
- Pellaton automatic winding
- Power reserve display
- Annual calendar with displays for the date, day and month
- Small hacking seconds at 9 o’clock
- Glucydur®* beryllium alloy indexless balance with high-precision adjustment screws on balance rim
- Breguet spring
- See-through sapphire-glass back
- Rotor with 18-carat gold medallion
MOVEMENT
- Movement: IWC-manufactured calibre 52850
- Frequency: 28,800 A/h / 4 Hz
- Jewels: 36
- Power reserve: 7 days (168 h)
- Winding: automatic
WATCH
- Ref. IW503501: case in stainless steel, silver-plated dial, black alligator leather strap, folding clasp in stainless steel
- Glass: sapphire, arched edge, antireflective coating on both sides
- Water-resistant: 3 bar
- Diameter: 44.2 mm
- Case height: 15.3 mm
