IWC Portugieser Hand-Wound Eight Days 75th Anniversary

The Portugieser was so-called because two IWC clients from Portugal approached the manufacture with a somewhat daunting task: to produce a wristwatch that was just as accurate as a marine chronometer. In those days, the only way to ensure that degree of accuracy in a wristwatch would be to cannibalize a movement from a pocket watch and put it in a wristwatch case. The watches the resulted from such a union were large, a huge departure from the slim cases that typified wristwatches of the era.    So that’s what IWC did, using a Hunter Calibre 74 pocket watch movement to create the first Portugieser.  In 2015, IWC released the watch that we have here, the Reference 5102 Portuguieser made to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the original Portuguieser which debuted in 1939. This watch comes in at the same size as the original too, at 43mm wide. At the time, the standard size of most men's watches was closer to 33mm or 34mm, so while this watch isn't exactly small now, it would have been absolutely massive 75 years ago! This watch features a gorgeous matte black dial with printed 'Arabic' quadrant numerals, a subsidiary seconds counter at the 6:00 position, and an exhibition caseback, displaying the IWC Calibre 59215 hand-cranking movement with a massive 8-day power reserve.  With only 750 examples made in steel, this is an excellent opportunity to pick up a contemporary classic with its full kit, and one of IWC's best releases in recent years!