IWC Schaffhausen’s limited-edition Portugieser Chronograph is an ode to the fiery Year of the Dragon
If there’s one thing that IWC Schaffhausen is known for, it’s the brilliance of its mechanical depth. The Swiss luxury watchmaker has a penchant for coming up with bold instrument watches and functional complications, most evident in its coloured ceramic and titanium aluminide pieces.
Its chronographs encapsulate the spirit of the brand. And perhaps none have been more coveted than its Portugieser Chronograph. A watch well ahead of its time when it was introduced in the ’30s, its size, feuille hands, and distinct chapter ring made it quite the icon. Entering the Lunar New Year, the watchmaker offers a special edition of the famed chronograph, with the introduction of the Portugieser Chronograph Year of the Dragon.
“Since 1998, the Portugieser Chronograph has embodied the dynamic, sporty side of IWC Schaffhausen’s acclaimed Portugieser collection,” IWC Schaffhausen China Managing Director Peter Lao says of the limited-edition release, which only has 1,000 pieces in circulation. “Thanks to the dial layout with the vertically arranged counters and the quarter-seconds precision scale, it has become one of our most coveted designs.”
It’s been IWC Schaffhausen to honour the Chinese calendar, as well. The timepiece is as rare as the Year of the Wood Dragon. Such a celebration only happens once every 60 years. Exemplifying the best qualities of individuals born under the sign, the Portugieser Chronograph is a symbol of prosperity and ingenuity. It “initiates big things and keeps them running,” as the brand notes.
Boasting a 41-millimetre stainless steel case, the timepiece charms with its burgundy dial and gold-plated hands and appliques. The timepiece is powered by the IWC-manufactured 69355 calibre, as well. This is a robust and precise mechanical chronograph movement in a classic columnwheel design made in the IWC Schaffhausen tradition. Even more impressive is the movement seen through the transparent sapphire case back, revealing arguably the watch’s most notable highlight: the gold-plated rotor of the automatic winding system that takes the form of a dragon.
Punctuating all this is the “2024 YEAR OF THE DRAGON” engraving on the case back ring, as well as the beautiful butterfly clasp. Tying the features together is the wearer’s option of the strap, either in the timeless black calfskin strap or the fiery burgundy rubber strap. The IWC Portugieser Chronograph Year of the Dragon retails for approximately US$ 9,350 or AU$ 13,916.
Visit IWC for more information.
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