Portugieser Chronograph

The story of IWC's Portugieser begins in 1939 when two Portuguese dealers knocked on the door of the International Watch Company in Schaffhausen with a request for a wristwatch that would have the legibility and precision of a marine chronometer. The company responded with a 43mm watch – much larger than the usual 33mm diameters of the day in order to accommodate a hunter pocket-watch movement. One could say this very first Portugieser was a precursor of the modern trend for oversized watches. Losing none of its distinguishing features, this new chronograph sports a steel case surrounding a wide burgundy dial. Powered by the in-house IWC 69355 movement, it sits comfortably on the wrist thanks to a newly developed butterfly folding clasp.