IWC Portugieser 7 Day Automatic

Overall Condition: Excellent condition overall. Case shows only faint signs of wear from gentle use and handling. Dial and handset are in excellent condition. Factory strap and deployant show only light signs of wear.

Though the International Watch Company is most often associated with aviation, the manufacturer from Schaffhausen made its reputation with the Portuguese line, now its flagship and an opportunity for the brand to showcase its expertise in manufacturing complicated watches.

The Portuguese line had its genesis in the 1930s, shortly before the Second World War. Two clients from Portugal tasked IWC's watchmakers with producing wristwatches that were as accurate as marine chronometers. In those days, the only way of achieving that goal was to take movements from pocket watches and put them in wristwatch cases. IWC used a 74 caliber movement from Hunter as the basis for the new line, christened Portuguese (or Portugieser) after the homeland of the clients who inspired it. Since the Hunter movement was a hefty 37mm alone, the Portuguese required a large case to match, a huge departure from the slim cases that typified wristwatches of the 1930s.

In 1993, the brand's 125th anniversary, IWC introduced the Portuguese Reference 5441.

Introduced in 2005, the Reference 5001 series (which we offer here), is the modern extension of the iconic Portuguese form. In keeping with its predecessors, the Reference 5001092 is imposing. Though the case is only 42.3mm in diameter the movement (the Calibre 50010, based on the legendary Calibre 5000) as well as the sapphire display case back make it quite substantial on the wrist.

Yet this watch is not without touches of elegance (a nod to the ornamentations found on pocket watches in the golden age of railroad chronometers). From the feuille hands to the running seconds at 9 o'clock (not to mention the 7 day power reserve indicator, artfully-arranged on the dial), this watch is meant to be worn and admired. No blushing beauty, it won't slip unobtrusively under a cuff--but would you really want it to?