New Watch! • 30 Aug 2015
IWC SCHAFFHAUSEN PORTOFINO COLLECTION – NOW FEATURES A SOPHISTICATED CHRONOGRAPH
With this new complication, IWC Schaffhausen adds a second in-house chronograph to its ever-popular line. In keeping with family tradition, the latest model oozes style and distinctive elegance and also features a further sophisticated technical feature: by far the most widespread type of chronograph is the classic model, with push-buttons at “2 ’clock” and “4 o’clock”.
However, the IWC Portofino Hand-Wound Monopusher (Ref. W515103/IW515104) sets itself apart with an ingenious single push-button stopwatch that measures time for up to 60 minutes. The chronograph push-button is integrated in the crown and at glance is virtually invisible. Repeatedly pressing the single, multifunctional push-button starts, stops and resets the chronograph.
When the button is pushed for the third time, all the chronograph displays return to zero. It is not only convenient but also an aesthetically pleasing aspect. Despite this additional function, the IWC Portofino Hand-Wound Monopusher remains a simple timepiece and divulges its functionality only when we look more closely. Understatement like this is part of the family tradition: watches have stood for discreet design and classic lines for as long as anyone can remember.
“Here, we have a perfect balance of functionality, design and ease of use,” says Georges Kern, CEO of IWC Schaffhausen. “Drawing on traditional craftsmanship and modern engineering, we have created a new haute horlogerie watch of which we are enormously proud.”
AN INTRICATE INNER MECHANISM
The newly developed movement in the IWC Hand-Wound Monopusher is a worthy addition to IWC’s in-house movements and the range. The 59360 calibre is an offshoot of the high-performing 59000-movement family with the outstanding feature of a chronograph mechanism built into the movements. The owner can look forward to a 192-hour movement, which, when fully wound, will run accurately for eight whole days before automatically stopping.
The amount of energy remaining is displayed on the power reserve display on the dial between “8 o’clock” and “9 o’clock”. The subdial at “12 o’clock” displays the number of minutes recorded by the chronograph while the seconds can be read off on the central hand. Together with the small-seconds subdial at “6 o’clock” and the date display at “3 o’clock”, the IWC Portofino Hand-Wound Monopusher results in a well-proportioned dial design.
The back view, too, is no less inviting: the sapphire-glass back exposes an IWC-manufactured movement decorated with Geneva stripes together with the chronograph mechanism. The IWC Portofino Hand-Wound Monopusher is available either in white gold with a slate-coloured dial and grey Santonialligator leather strap or in an 18-carat red gold version with an attractive silver-plated dial and brown Santonialligator leather strap.
LUXURY LEATHERS FOR A LUXURY TIMEPIECE
For more than a quarter of a century, the IWC Portofino watch family has been an indispensable part of the IWC Schaffhausen collection. In 2011, as part of its quest to identify with the Italian way of life, the company joined forces with shoe manufacturer Santoni. The renowned family-owned company stands for luxurious elegance and quality of the highest order: values it shares with IWC Schaffhausen. Santoni produces exclusive, hand-made leather straps for IWC. A special process during manufacture produces a wonderful patina that gives the leather its characteristic colour gradations. The technique makes leather look as if it has already been carefully used for several years, despite being completely new. Another typical Santoni hallmark is the orange-coloured lining found on the inside of the strap. The charm and aesthetic cachet of southern European life are blended together in the perfect craftsmanship exuded by both watch and strap.
IWC SCHAFFHAUSEN
With a clear focus on technology and development, the Swiss watch manufacturer IWC Schaffhausen has been producing timepieces of lasting value since 1868. The company has gained an international reputation based on a passion for innovative solutions and technical ingenuity. One of the world’s leading brands in the luxury watch segment,
IWC crafts masterpieces of haute horlogerie at their finest, combining supreme precision with exclusive design.
As an ecologically and socially responsible company, IWC is committed to sustainable production, supports institutions around the world in their work with children and young people, and maintains partnerships with organizations dedicated to climate and environmental protection.
The Hour Glass is a proud retailer of IWC SCHAFFHAUSEN timepieces.