Press Release: IWC Tribute to Pallweber and the Portugieser Constant-Force Tourbillon Edition “150 Years”

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IWC Schaffhausen is turning 150 next year. To celebrate this milestone, the company is set to unveil a special Jubilee collection at the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH) watch fair in Geneva, comprising a total of 27 limited-edition models from the Portugieser, Porto no, Pilot’s Watches and Da Vinci families. To mark this occasion, IWC is also launching its first-ever wristwatch to feature the original digital hours and minute display as it appeared on the Pallweber pocket watches back in 1884. The one aesthetic element all these time- pieces share is their imprinted dial in white or blue, an effect that is achieved by a process of applying several layers of lacquer, reminiscent of heritage enamelled finishes.

IWC Tribute To Pallweber Edition “150 Years”

IWC’s first-ever watches to feature jumping numerals in a digital display are one of the special highlights of the Jubilee collection. They show the hours and minutes in large numerals on rotating discs. IWC was already using this form of time display in pocket watches back in 1884; the display was a revolutionary development in its time. The IWC Tribute to Pallweber Edition “150 Years” (Ref. IW505002) has an 18-carat red gold case, a white dial with a lacquered finish, white display discs, and a blued seconds hand. The watch is available in a limited edition of 250. As a reference to the design of the historic Pallweber watches and a tribute to F. A. Jones – the American watch- maker who founded IWC – the windows of the digital display are labelled as “Hours” and “Minutes”.

When creating the IWC-manufactured 94200 calibre, the watch designers developed a new solution for the technically sophisticated digital display (patent pending). While toothed cogs moved the discs in the historic Pallweber pocket watches, the impulse that advances the single-minute disc now is supplied by a separate wheel train with a barrel of its own. A release mechanism that establishes a connection to the watch’s main wheel train unlocks the train every 60 seconds and then immediately locks it again. After 10 minutes, the single-minute disc moves the 10-minute disc forward by one position. Every 60th minute, the hour ring jumps to the next numeral. The fact that the flow of power in the main wheel train is unifluenced by the separate wheel train guarantees a precise rate and a high 60-hour power reserve.

 

FEATURES

Mechanical movement – Hand-wound – Large digital displays for hours and minutes – Small hacking seconds – Breguet spring – See-through sapphire-glass back – Jubilee medallion in 18-carat gold on back of movement – Limited to 250 watches

IWC-manufactured calibre 94200

Frequency 28,800 A/h | 4 Hz 50
Jewels 50
Power reserve 60 h

Winding Hand-wound

Materials 18-carat red gold case, white dial with lacquered finish, black printed indices and numerals, blued seconds hand, black alligator leather strap by Santoni

Glass Sapphire, arched edge, antireflective coating on both sides

Water-resistant 3 bar

Diameter  45 mm

Height  12 mm

 

IWC Portugieser Constant-Force Tourbillon Edition “150 Years”

The Portugieser Constant-Force Tourbillon Edition “150 Years” (Ref. IW590202) also stands out in the Jubilee collection. The watch has a platinum case, a white dial with a lacquered finish, and blued hands. It is available in a limited edition of 15. For the first time, the new IWC manufactured hand-wound 94805 calibre with a power reserve of 96 hours combines a constant-force tourbillon with a single moon phase display that only needs to be adjusted by 1 day after 577.5 years. The patented constant- force mechanism transmits completely even impulses to the escape wheel. In conjunction with the tourbillon, which compensates for the negative influences of gravity on the watch’s oscillating system, this achieves an exceptionally high level of precision.

FEATURES

Mechanical movement – Hand-wound – Power reserve display – Tourbillon with integrated constant-force mechanism – Perpetual moon phase display – See-through sapphire-glass back – Jubilee medallion in 18-carat gold on back of movement – Limited edition of 15 watches

IWC-manufactured calibre 94805

Frequency 18,000 A/h | 2.5 Hz 41
Jewels 41
Power reserve 4 days (96 h)

Winding Hand-wound

Materials Platinum case, white dial with lacquered finish, black printed indices and numerals, blued hands, black alligator leather strap by Santoni

Glass Sapphire, arched edge, antireflective coating on both sides

Water-resistant 3 bar

Diameter 46 mm

Height 13.5 mm

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