IWC presented a small range this year, with majority of the new models being the revamped Portofino range. For the longest time the Portofino was almost an afterthought but now it has turned serious.
The flagship of the new Portofino line is the Hand-Wound Eight Days. Featuring a new in-house calibre based on the cal. 5000 8 day automatic, this 46 mm watch is practical minded and displays the power reserve and date.
Its size and shape remind me of the classic ref. 5251 moon phase though this is clearly a watch from a different era.
Also new is the Portofino Dual Time. Like the 8 days Portofino this too is large at 45 mm and similarly useful with a second time zone function and date. The movement is automatic with a three day power reserve.
Both this and the 8 day hand-wind are available in steel or rose gold, and are both fitted with beautifully antiqued straps lined in orange provided by shoemaker Santoni. This is not something one would normally associate with a technical brand like IWC but Georges Kern is a snappy dresser so it’s not difficult to imagine why this came about. And given the Portofino line is meant to evoke images of Italy, these Santoni straps suit the ideal.
The rest of the Portofino family has been updated though they remain similar to their predecessors. The Portofino chronograph is now 42 mm while the Portofino automatic is 40 mm. Both are available with silver or black dials but the chronograph is only in steel while the automatic is also available in rose gold.
Notably both are available on a Milanese mesh bracelet. Unlike the mesh bracelets widely sold online which often have substandard clasps, these bracelets are fitted with suitably high quality and appropriate looking clasps.
The rest of the collection on the other hand is now new but has undergone numerous minor tweaks mainly in terms of subdial colour.
The Ingenieur chronograph for instance now has subdials in the same colour as the dial, instead of contrasting colours as before.
Similarly the Portuguese Hand-Wound has matching seconds dial.
Ditto for the Aquatimer models.
The change of the subdial colours to match the dial give the watches a much more muted and serious look. It works well for the Portuguese but less so for the Aquatimer in my view.
- SJX
This message has been edited by SJX on 2011-01-30 07:48:35 This message has been edited by AnthonyTsai on 2011-01-30 16:18:17 This message has been edited by SJX on 2011-01-31 07:35:34