First Look: IWC’s Newest Perpetual Calendar Timepiece

In 1981, IWC created the first Portofino pocket watch for the wrist, but it took the timepiece maker another three years to launch the full collection. The watch, Ref.5251, had a hand-wound movement with a small seconds subdial at 9 o’clock and a moon phase indicator at 3 o’clock. Now, expanding its Portofino collection, IWC has unveiled Perpetual Calendar timepieces in 18 ct 5N gold and stainless steel. The new offerings retain the aesthetics of the original timepiece.

With this, IWC has introduced one of the most iconic complications to the Portofino collection. The first model has a 40 mm stainless steel case, (Ref. IW344601), lugs with a silver-plated dial, rhodium-plated hour, minute and seconds hands, baton-shaped hour markers and Roman ‘12’ numeral. Turning this model reveals a skeleton caseback with a stainless steel oscillating weight and four visible screws.

Next in line is the 40 mm, 18 ct gold model (Ref. IW344602) that also gets a silver-plated dial, gold lugs, hour, minute and seconds hands, baton-shaped hour markers and Roman ‘12’ numeral. Turning the watch shows the golden skeleton caseback with a stainless steel oscillating weight and four visible screws.

The models have either golden or silver rings for their subdials. The date is shown at 3 o’clock, the month at 6 o’clock and the day of the week at 9 o’clock. There is a small leap year indicator on the weekday display and a red “L” indicating a leap year — the calendar will automatically insert the 29th of February. 

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The perpetual moon phase display is another interesting feature. Integrated into the month display, it shows the moon against the backdrop of a star-studded night sky. As the watch brand puts it, thanks to a precisely calculated reductionist gear train, it will only deviate by one day from the orbit of Earth’s satellite after 577.5 years. 

The oscillating weights on both models have the engraving of the ‘Probus Scafusia’ medallion in solid gold.

The watches are powered by IWC’s in-house Calibre 82650 hand-wound movement with a power reserve of 60 hours. Both versions are fitted with blue straps made of traceable Swiss calf leather. 

The water resistance is up to 50 m for both versions.

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