There are few luxury watch brands at the same calibre as IWC Schaffhausen. Their uncompromising search for accuracy and their years of commitment to design and technical excellence has distinguished them against the competition and they are often a name new watch collectors search for when starting a collection. Characterised by their leaf-shaped hands and timeless profiles, the IWC Portofino family is always a good place to begin as it sits at the top of the ranks for affordability. Today, the Swiss watch manufacturer extends its Portofino collection with a trio of new IWC Portofino Chronograph 39mm watches.
First launched in 1984, the IWC Portofino watch collection was designed to appeal to those with smaller wrists and to differentiate from the brand’s other mechanical offerings with Roman numerals and slim feuille hands. Very much a dress watch, the IWC Portofino has evolved into several iterations over the years including the Portofino Hand-Wound, the Portofino Moonphase and the Portofino Chronograph. The latter has understandably become an integral part of the series, offering a touch of sportiness to the typically sophisticated design. Before today, the IWC Portofino Chronograph exuded its elegance through a variety of 42 millimetre designs but in honour of its original values, the blueprint has been reimagined as three new 39 millimetre models. Let’s take a look at the new trio of IWC Portofino Chronograph 39 watches…
All dressed in stainless steel and powered by the 79350 self-winding mechanical movement, the IWC Portofino Chronograph 39 watches currently come under three references. In numerical order, the first is model IW391404 which pairs the 39 millimetre stainless steel case with a black dial, rose gold-plated hands and appliques and a brown alligator leather strap. The second IW391405 opts for a gorgeous dark green dial with rhodium plated hands and appliques and a matching green alligator leather strap. Lastly, reference IW391406 is a classic boasting a silver-plated dial, rose gold plated hands and numerals and a black alligator leather strap.
Like the IWC Portofino Chronograph watches before them, the new 39 millimetre variants sit comfortably on the wrist with slim, contoured lugs, thin unadorned bezels and convex sapphire crystal glass with anti-reflective coating on both sides. The cases also sit at 13.6 millimetres in height and promise a water resistance of 30 metres assured by a screw down case back. Hidden behind the case back is the 79350 automatic calibre which powers the two balanced totalisers at 6 and 12 o’clock for the 30 minutes counter and small seconds and the three central leaf-shaped hands for hours, minutes and chronograph seconds. The Swiss made movement is intricately engineered from 240 components including 25 jewels and a Cotes de Geneve decorated rotor which spins in secret to deliver a 44 hour power reserve and a frequency of 28,800vph.
All three IWC Portofino Chronograph 39 watches retail at £5,150 and are available to order now on the Jura Watches website. For more information on these new releases and the interest free finance and free delivery available, get in touch with the team by calling 01335 453453 or send us a message at help@jurawatches.co.uk.
Specifications: IWC Portofino Chronograph 39 Watches (IW391404, IW391405, IW391406)
- Case Size: 39mm
- Case Material: Stainless steel
- Bezel: Fixed
- Glass: Convex sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment on both sides
- Crown: Non-screw locked
- Case Back: Closed
- Water Resistance: 30 metres
- Movement: 79350 Calibre automatic winding
- Functions: Hours, minutes, small seconds, central chronograph seconds, 30 minutes counter
- Power Reserve: 44 hours
- Jewels: 25
- Frequency: 28,800vph
- Dial: Black, green or silver
- Strap: Alligator leather
- Buckle: Pin
- RRP: £5,150
