IWC unveils their first Portugieser model in Ceratanium – their version of ceramic, in a new release of the Portugieser Chronograph Ceratanium.
Press Release with commentary in italics.
New: IWC Portugieser Chronograph Ceratanium
The IWC Portugieser Chronograph Ceratanium Ref. IW371631 retails at CHF 13,000 / SGD 20,000. Limited edition of 1,500 pieces.
Commentary
Interesting release with by IWC. Not only is the watch interesting and a new step for IWC, the way it was unveiled to the world is also unique. The watch was just released, 7:30pm Melbourne time at a concert with Ed Sheeran wearing the watch.
The watch is a departure for the Portugieser collection, which is almost always seen as a very classical watch. Classical proportions. Very traditional design. But now the Portugieser has entered into what IWC calls the “dark mode”. The watch is presented in all black Ceratanium, IWC-speak for their proprietary ceramic. The case and pin buckle is in Ceratanium. The crown, pushers and dial with appliqué and hands are in a matching black shade but the materials used are not identified in the press release.
Making this an all black out watch. Low visibility in normal lighting to be sure. And as of the time of publishing, we do not yet know if the dial features lume, which will make reading the time in the dark easier.
The movement is the rather workhorse chronograph, the caliber 69355. Nothing special here, except that the caseback shows a very dark image as well. We are not sure if the movement itself is treated to be black, or it sits behind a dark glass.
Release details
IWC Schaffhausen unveils the Portugieser Chronograph Ceratanium®. Entering dark mode, the iconic chronograph is presented in an all-black version crafted in Ceratanium®, an IWC-developed material that combines lightness and hardness with a distinctive dark finish. Alongside the Ceratanium® case, crown, and pushers, the watch features a black dial with black appliques and hands, and a rubber strap in the same shade. The Portugieser Chronograph Ceratanium® is presented in a limited edition of 1,500 pieces.
Since its introduction in 1998, the Portugieser Chronograph has brought a touch of sporty elegance to IWC Schaffhausen’s Portugieser collection. With its two vertically arranged subdials and an inner flange with a quarter-second scale, the chronograph has established itself as one of the Swiss luxury watchmaker’s most recognizable and popular watch designs. IWC now presents a creative reimagining of this timeless classic: the first all-black version crafted from Ceratanium®.
“With its clean, pure and timelessly relevant aesthetic, the Portugieser Chronograph has captivated me from the beginning. I am excited to combine this unique design with Ceratanium®, one of our most significant material innovations. The all-black execution is different from anything we have ever done before. It emphasizes the chronograph’s mere shape, ensuring that nothing distracts the eye from its distinctive silhouette.”
Christian Knoop, Creative Director at IWC Schaffhausen
Limited to 1,500 pieces, the Portugieser Chronograph Ceratanium® (Ref. IW371631) features a 41-millimetre case, crown and pushers crafted from Ceratanium®. Developed by IWC, this advanced material combines the lightness and robustness of titanium with a hardnessand scratch-resistance similar to that of ceramic. Another characteristic of Ceratanium®, which is based on a special titanium alloy and fired at high temperatures in a kiln, is its distinctive, dark and metallic finish. The all-black design of the chronograph is further enhanced with a black dial, black appliques and black hands. The applied Arabic numerals, indices and quarter-second scale are discreet elevations against the background of the black dial. A black rubber strap with a square pattern complements the monolithic look of this watch.
The Portugieser Chronograph Ceratanium® is powered by the IWC-manufactured 69355 calibre, a mechanical chronograph movement engineered with a focus on robustness, reliability and longevity. The column-wheel control mechanism for the chronograph function provides clearly defined phases in the switching sequence and offers distinct tactile feedback when the buttons are pressed. The movement features an automatic double-pawl winding system, which reliably builds up a power reserve of 46 hours in the mainspring.
IWC Portugieser Chronograph Ceratanium Specifications
F E A T U R E S Mechanical movement – Stopwatch function with minutes and seconds – Small hacking seconds – See-through sapphire glass back
M OV E M E N T IWC-manufactured calibre 69355 * Frequency 28,800 vph / 4 Hz * Jewels 27 * Power reserve 46 h * Winding Automatic
W A T C H Materials Ceratanium® case, black dial, black hands and appliques, black rubber strap with Ceratanium® pin buckle * Glass Sapphire, convex, antireflective coating on both sides * Water-resistant 3 bar * Diameter 41 mm * Height 13.1 mm
