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Dial design of IWC Portuguese Chrono

 

This watch is held as a classic by many in the IWC line up. It's a watch I admire very much but never really got to acquiring yet. Before the prevalence of in-house movements, my excuse was the 7750 movement. Then most recently they went "in-house" and now the cost of entry has gone beyond reasonable for me (at least in SRP terms). Still, once in a while I go to the website and admire it.


Today (yes after all those years looking at this reference) I spotted something peculiar. It has to do with the symmetry of the markers in the dial.

Maybe this has been discussed before?




I don't quite understand why the position of 4 and 8 were changed eventually. 4 sits closer to 5 than to 3. Same with 8 to 7 than 9.

As early as 3714-17, the ones with full blue markers (applied?) have this asymmetry, while those with partial blue markers (painted?) have maintained symmetry. 
The earlier chrono/ rattrapante models were able to maintain proper symmetry. The 4/8 position seem to have changed around 2003/2004 and have carried on to this date.

Asymmetrical example:
www.watchprosite.com

Symmetrical example:
www.watchprosite.com


I wasn't bothered by the cut numbers at 12 and 6, but I wish IWC would correct this 4 and 8 positioning.
Surely, if the Portuguese Automatic 40 has gotten it right despite the subdial at 6, the Portuguese Chrono deserves the same.



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