While capitalizing on its affiliation with the F1 movie, which has achieved early box office success, IWC Schaffhausen has introduced the Portugieser Tourbillon Rétrograde Chronograph (Ref. IW394009), a limited edition timepiece of just 100 pieces. The multiple-complication watch features a bold Obsidian dial, in line with the 2024 introduction of four signature colors for the Portugieser collection by the Swiss watchmaker.
The timepiece features a flying minute tourbillon, a retrograde date display, and a flyback chronograph. Does that make it a grand complication? We’ll leave it up for debate, but it’s worth noting that the IWC doesn’t make that reference in their description of the watch. No point in going down that rabbit hole.
The watch’s 43.5 mm case is forged from 18-carat Armor Gold®, a proprietary alloy engineered by IWC for superior hardness and resilience compared to other gold alloys. Complementing the case is a richly layered Obsidian-colored dial, the result of a complex 60-step process involving the application of 15 layers of transparent lacquer.
The description of the process for making such a dial evokes the meticulous attention to detail required to assemble a timepiece of this caliber. Enough to respect the artisans who patiently design and assemble these timepieces.
Gold-plated hands, solid gold appliques, and a black alligator strap by Italian leather goods master Santoni complete the unmistakable Portugieser look. Perfectly complementing the case is an elegant Armor Gold® folding clasp that should hold the watch firmly in place on your wrist.
At 6 o’clock, the flying minute tourbillon serves as a functional and aesthetic centerpiece. Comprising 56 individual parts and weighing only 0.675 grams, it rotates once per minute to enhance timekeeping precision. Let’s not get into a debate on its utility, but we all know the value of today’s tourbillon is more about its near-hypnotic rotation than its improved timekeeping accuracy. However, many press releases (including the one on this watch) continue to emphasize the accuracy function.
IWC’s use of silicone for the pallet lever and escape wheel coated with its proprietary Diamond Shell® technology minimizes friction and ensures efficient energy flow, which helps get the watch to a 68-hour power reserve. In addition, the tourbillon can be stopped entirely, allowing the wearer to set the time to the exact second.
The retrograde date display adds visual dynamism to the dial at 9 o’clock. A small hand sweeps along a semi-circular scale from the 1st to the 31st, snapping back to the beginning at the start of each month. This mechanical choreography adds function and flair. At 12 o’clock, the flyback chronograph totaliser displays elapsed hours and minutes on a single subdial. The flyback function enables the stopwatch to be reset and restarted instantly with a single push.
Powering the watch is the in-house calibre 89900, a self-winding movement made from 375 decorated components. Visible through the sapphire glass caseback, the movement showcases Geneva stripes (a crowd favorite), circular graining, and a solid gold oscillating weight (perhaps the star of the show). The caliber operates at a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour (4 Hz).
Limited to 100 pieces, the watch refines familiar elements into an understated yet intricate timepiece. While the press release is silent on the price, we have it on good authority that it is around $145,000. It’s a piece worth adding to your collection, more so if you’re an IWC fan.
