IWC has linked their watches to ‘Le Petit Prince’ —The Little Prince— for a while and numerous limited editions, as well as regular production watches, have been released honoring one of the greatest books ever written. The IWC Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Tourbillon Edition 'Le Petit Prince' ref. IW504803 in 18K Armor Gold is to us a perfect watch to talk about on Valentine’s Day and here’s why.
Posts tagged #IWC Schaffhausen
News: IWC Schaffhausen Inaugurates Its New ManufakturZentrum. A State-of-the-Art Very Modern Facility.
Last week, IWC Schaffhausen marked the inauguration of its new Manufakturzentrum with a celebration. The official opening of the new production plant for movement components, manufacture movements and cases is a milestone in the Swiss luxury watch manufacturer's 150-year history. In its new production plant, over an area spanning 13,500 square meters, the Schaffhausen-based watch manufacturer brings together the production of movement components, manufacture movements and cases under one roof —a milestone in the company's 150-year history.
Eye Candy: IWC Portugieser Perpetual Calendar Tourbillon Edition “150 Years”. Uniting a Perpetual Calendar from Kurt Klaus with a Tourbillon on the Dial.
With the Portugieser Perpetual Calendar Tourbillon Edition “150 Years”, IWC combines the legendary perpetual calendar created by Kurt Klaus with a tourbillon on the dial for the first time. This masterpiece of watchmaking is available in a limited edition of 50 watches. It has an 18K red gold case, a white dial with a lacquered finish, and blued hands. To make the tourbillon visible at 12 o’clock, the designers opened up the calendar advance ring and integrated the moon phase in the month display at 6 o’clock.
News: IWC Pilot's Watch Mark XVIII 'Laureus Sport for Good Foundation'. A Limited Edition of 1,500 Pieces.
At the occasion of the 2018 Laureus World Sports Awards in Monaco, IWC has just released new watch with a case made of black ceramic. This new IWC Pilot's Watch Mark XVIII 'Laureus Sport for Good Foundation' features a blue dial and a special engraving on the case back. This is now, the 12th special edition timepiece released after the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation by IWC Schaffhausen. The new Pilot’s Watch Mark XVIII Edition 'Laureus Sport for Good Foundation' ref. IW324703 comes in a 41 mm black ceramic case and is available in an individually numbered limited edition of 1,500 pieces.
SIHH 2018: IWC Big Pilot’s Watch Big Date Edition “150 Years” ref. IW5105. A 100-Piece Limited Edition that is Simply Stunning.
Available in either white lacquered or blue lacquered dial comes the new IWC Big Pilot’s Watch Big Date Edition “150 Years”. This is the first time that IWC presents a Pilot’s Watch with a double date display featuring large numerals at 12 o'clock. Available in a limited edition of 100 watches for each dial color, the new Big Pilot’s Watch Big Date Edition comes with a stainless steel case measuring the same 46.2 mm as the previous iterations of this watch and featuring a soft-iron solid case back with small opening.
News: Pre-SIHH 2015 Presenting the New IWC Portugesier Annual Calendar. Five Years to Develop and Simply Stunning.
To celebrate the 75th anniversary of the birth of an iconic watch —the IWC Portuguese— IWC continues to enhance its Portugieser watch family with new eye-catching complications. After the minute repeater in 1995, the 7-day power reserve in 2000, the perpetual calendar in 2003, the Tourbillon Mystère in 2004, the constant-force tourbillon in 2011 and the recent 8-day hand-wound movement presented in 2013, consolidated the Portugieser watches’ reputation as one of the leading lights of haute horlogerie. In 2015, the Year of the Portugieser, IWC’s newly developed annual calendar is another interesting additional feature to complement the perpetual calendar. The complication is powered by the new IWC in-house 52850 calibre. Both are found for the first time in the Portugieser Annual Calendar Ref. 5035. The watch thus symbolizes the launch of an IWC initiative to produce further series of in-house calibre families in the years ahead.
Insider: IWC Portuguese Automatic. A Power-Reserve Classic in Every Way.
The Portuguese Automatic is one of the most elegant and iconic references from IWC Schaffhausen. The International Watch Co., currently known as IWC Schaffhausen, was founded in 1868 by American engineer and watchmaker Florentine Ariosto Jones a.k.a. F.A. Jones.
Appointed at age 27 as the director and production manager for E. Howard Watch & Clock Company in Boston, Mr. Jones moved to Europe looking to combine the excellence of Swiss craftsmanship and modern engineering to make top quality watches for the U.S. market.
The company situated near the Rhine Falls in Schaffhausen, is today one of the most renowned names in watchmaking and fine horology.
The IWC Portuguese Automatic ref. IW500107 in stainless steel, is a very elegant well designed timepiece that takes its name from the two Portuguese watch industry businessmen that visited IWC Schaffhausen —at the end of the 1930s— in search of acquiring steel case timepieces with technical precision and superb craftsmanship. During their visit, IWC decided to meet their demands by fitting the hunter movement of a pocket watch inside a wristwatch case and the Portuguese was then born.
The Portuguese Automatic is fitted with the in-house calibre 51011 with a spring-mounted rotor, Pellaton pawl-winding system and Breguet spring. This newly designed 7-day power reserve movement, represents a great technological and horological leap in the history of automatic calibres.
The Portuguese Automatic comes with a 42.3 mm watch case and a blue alligator leather strap with deployant buckle. The dial is off-white with anodized hands and applied anodized Arabic numbers and markers, power-reserve indicator at 3, running seconds at 9 and date aperture at 6.
The watch wears very comfortably and is not as heavy as one would expect for such a complex calibre and large case. The calibre is very nicely finished and visible through the sapphire crystal display case back. A real treat to the eyes.
If you are ready to wear a watch that is not conventional and that can be worn under the cuff of a bespoke shirt or with a t-shirt, this is a must-have in your collection.
Sticker price $12,400. The Portuguese Automatic is also available in 18K red gold, in stainless steel with white dial and red gold applied Arabic numerals or in stainless steel with a black dial. For more info click here.
