Appliquéd Arabic numerals, railway-track-style chapter ring and characteristic feuille hands: the Portugieser Chronograph Classic has all the stylistic attributes of a typical Portugieser. And now, IWC Schaffhausen is unveiling a revised edition of this timeless IWC-manufactured chronograph, featuring an even more purist dial design in three new colour combinations.
For almost 80 years, the Portugieser has been synonymous with timeless design and watchmaking perfection. The Reference 3904 – the third Chronograph in the Portugieser family – was presented for the first time in 2013, yet it still retains the unmistakable character of the originals from the 1930s. IWC is now reissuing the Portugieser Chronograph Classic (Ref. 3903) with a slightly revised and updated design. The dial with the typical Portugieser railway-trackstyle chapter ring looks even neater than its predecessor without the subdivision of the seconds, while the watch as a whole has a more modern impact thanks to the convex sapphire glass.
The top-of-the-line version has an 18-carat red gold case and a silver-plated dial, as well as golden hands and appliqués. It is fitted with a hand-finished brown alligator leather strap. Two models are available with a stainless-steel case and a black alligator leather strap. One features a silver-plated dial and blue hands and appliqués, while the other has a midnight blue dial and rhodium-plated hands and appliqués.
When it comes to the technical components inside these watches, IWC relies on the aspect of continuity: the new Chronographs are still driven by the tried-and-tested IWC-manufactured 89361 calibre with flyback function, self-winding system and a power reserve of 68 hours. The recorded time is particularly easy to read on the combined hour and minute counter at “12 o’clock”. A see-through sapphire-glass back provides a view of the movement and the rotor, which is adorned with Geneva stripes.
The new Portugieser Chronograph Classic models are available now in IWC boutiques and from authorised IWC dealers.