There are many ways to update well-established product lines and all brands, whether big or small, should be particularly mindful about how they approach their novelty releases in such trying times for the luxury watch market.
IWC Schaffhausen Portugieser Automatic 42 - Credit IWC
While recent figures released by independent sources such as Deloitte (which produces an in-depth annual report on industry performance) show that the total value of Swiss watch exports continues to climb, the actual number of pieces is not increasing at the same rate. What that means in layman’s terms is that the average unit price is increasing. While this is a good thing for the brands in many ways, it is not such great news for consumers. Not only are there fewer consumers than one would expect for such a hefty total value of exports (more than of 16 billion Swiss francs for 2023), but it would seem that many would-be buyers are being priced out of the market due to some rather ambitious pricing strategies implemented by major brands during the pandemic, which saw a spike in speculative spending like never before.
IWC knows all too well the importance of timing when it comes to releasing a highly coveted model, as we saw with the anticipated (and somewhat overdue) re-release of the Ingenieur towards the tail-end of the pandemic-driven boom times. That model landed at a price point that now sees it having to fend off some pretty stiff competition, not just from rival models, but also, and more importantly, from the vastly altered financial landscape watch buyers now find themselves facing.
IWC Schaffhausen Portugieser Automatic 42 - Credit IWC
And so how does a brand combat a changing world when it comes to new releases? Dropping the price of existing models to match expectations is a terrible look for a luxury outfit and so brands have a couple of options available to them. Either they can create entirely new models that are not coupled to existing pricing structures and price them more competitively to match demand and resources, or they can take existing models and simply improve them, either technically, functionally, materially, or aesthetically, and charge less of a premium than they might have been able to command when everything was playing into the brands’ hands.
The effect is that new pieces seem to be bargains straight off the bat, which stokes if not consumer confidence in their next purchase, but, at the very least, enthusiasm.
What we’re seeing with the automatic novelties from IWC this year are subtle tweaks to a time-honoured design for which the brand has been known, in varying degrees, since the 1930s.
While the changes may not be immediately apparent, they are noticeable with a keen eye, and, it must be said, do a great deal to modernise and refine this foundational collection.
IWC Schaffhausen Portugieser Automatic 42 - Credit IWC
The biggest changes can be seen in the case profile, which has been slimmed in a similar fashion to the Rolex Submariner updates of recent times. This makes for a more elegant watch on the wrist and a more timeless wearing experience. Furthermore, the sub-second dial on the 40 mm models has been significantly redesigned, with the numerals and seconds track replaced by slim five-second indices and the border slightly expanded to sit just a hair’s breadth away from the 5 and 7 o’clock hour markers.
Ironically, this “slimming” of the case is all about the side profile and not about the actual thickness of the watch, which has increased from 12.3 mm to 12.4 mm, while the diameter remains identical at 40.4 mm. It is certainly true that black and white dimensions never tell the full story and that, in my opinion, these new iterations of the “40 mm” Portugieser automatic do look and wear better than their predecessors did, but it does raise the question of whether IWC might have been able to drop the case down by 0.1 mm instead of increasing it by the same, or perhaps just keeping it at 12.3 mm so as not to draw the ire (or faintly quizzical looks) of watch aficionados.
IWC Schaffhausen Portugieser Automatic 42 - Credit IWC
My personal favourite change is to the crown. Its diameter has been stepped up and it is not slightly less protrusive than before, which is a change I wish more brands would adopt to cure the plague of spindly crowns that seemed to be brainlessly selected by brands looking for a “dressier” option over the past ten years or so.
The new 42 mm 7-day power reserve automatics, however, offer something new. While visually, this model is almost identical to previous iterations of the concept, the case measurements have changed “significantly”. The last novelty in this line from 2022 was 42.3 mm wide and 14.1 mm thick (reference IW500715). The modern references (of which there are six) measure 42.4 mm wide by just 13 mm thick.
From a visual impact perspective, this is a big change. Moving both dimensions in this way will make the watch seem much bigger on the wrist than the slight upward nudge of 0.1 mm in diameter might suggest.
IWC Schaffhausen Portugieser Automatic 40 - Credit IWC
Further aesthetic changes include a repositioning of the “automatic” text (which has moved up on the dial so it is more centrally located between the dial’s centre and the top edge of the trapezoid date window at 6 o’clock), the new font for the word “DAYS” and the paring back of the power reserve scale in the 3 o’clock sub-dial, and the simplification of the seconds track of the 9 o’clock sub-counter.
Additionally, the “Swiss Made” text has dropped down into the minute track, leaving its previous position, which had seen it flanking the date aperture.
The crown looks to have been slightly reshaped in the same way as it was on the 40 mm version, but with less dramatic impact thanks to the previous 42 mm crown being closer in style and proportions to the reworked update.
All in all, and especially when paired with one of the three sunburst dials available (in either horizon blue, dune, or blue), these modifications result in an overwhelming sense of space. In my opinion, the whole model hangs together better than it did before, and it’s nice to see IWC diligently improving their product line wherever the brand can.
IWC Schaffhausen Portugieser Automatic 40 - Credit IWC
In total, there are eight references available across the two sizes, two in the 40 mm diameter, and six in the 42 mm case. The 40 mm variants are only available in 18-carat gold cases (one white gold and one 5n gold), while four of the 42 mm pieces reside in steel housings (full reference breakdowns below).
My personal favourite (if money were no object), would be the 5n gold 42 mm version with the obsidian black dial, with a close second place going to the same model but in a stainless steel case and the characterful dune dial.
Our Choice of Straps:
There are plenty of straps in our own collection that would make a great match with the new IWC Schaffhausen Portugieser Automatic Novelties. Take the Durbuy Ostrich Leather strap for example, it comes in four timelessly classic colours and has an intricate and expressive design that is comparable to the alligator leather strap IWC offer with this model. Another stylish option is the Leuven strap, expertly executed using contrasting thread and hand-painted with a colour stain to match the leather. If you’d prefer a vegan alternative, the Laverton is a perfect option with its unique texture and luxurious feel on the wrist.
Technical Specifications for the 40 mm models
- Name: IWC Schaffhausen Portugieser Automatic 40
- Collection Reference: IW3584
- Case Dimensions: 40.4 mm wide by 12.4 mm thick
- Crystal: Sapphire, double box-glass, antireflective coating on both sides
- Water Resistance: 50 metres
- Movement: IWC manufacture calibre 82200, automatic
Specific references for the 40 mm models:
- Ref. IW358402: 18-carat white gold case, Horizon blue dial, rhodium-plated hands and applied indices, gradient light-blue calfskin strap from Santoni with 18-carat white gold pin buckle
- Ref. IW358401: 18-carat 5N gold case, Obsidian dial, gold-plated hands and applied gold indices, black alligator leather strap from Santoni with 18-carat 5N gold pin buckle
Technical Specifications for the 42 mm models
- Name: IWC Schaffhausen Portugieser Automatic 42
- Collection Reference: IW5017
- Case Dimensions: 42.4 mm wide by 13 mm thick
- Crystal: Sapphire, double box-glass, antireflective coating on both sides
- Water Resistance: 50 metres
- Movement: IWC manufacture calibre 52011, automatic
Specific references for the 42 mm models:
- Ref. IW501708: 18-carat white gold case, Horizon blue dial, rhodium-plated hands and applied indices, gradient light-blue calfskin strap from Santoni with 18-carat white gold folding clasp
- Ref. IW501707: 18-carat 5N gold case, Obsidian dial, gold-plated hands and applied gold indices, black alligator leather strap from Santoni with 18-carat 5N gold folding clasp
- Ref. IW501705: Stainless steel case, Dune dial, gold-plated hands and applied gold indices, black alligator leather strap with stainless steel folding clasp
- Ref. IW501701: Stainless steel case, silver-plated dial, gold-plated hands and applied indices, black alligator leather strap with stainless steel folding
- Ref. IW501702: Stainless steel case, silver-plated dial, blue hands and applied indices, blue alligator leather strap with stainless steel folding clasp
- Ref. IW501704: Stainless steel case, blue dial, rhodium-plated hands and applied indices, stainless steel bracelet
