A Simple, Yet Monumental Change: Introducing the IWC Portugieser, Now on Bracelet

For the first time in the model’s life, it’s been given a gift by the brand: a stainless steel bracelet.

November 04, 2020
By: Logan Hannen

The Portugieser has been a long-standing member of the IWC lineup, a fan-favorite dressy watch that was nevertheless sporty, harkening back to Marine Chronometers from the turn of the century in its clean, minimalist design. There are a small handful of very impressive variations on this basic design, with one of the most popular being the chronograph. And now, for the first time in the model’s life, it’s been given a gift by the brand: a stainless steel bracelet.

Source: IWC

The Specs
Case Diameter: 41mm
Case Material: Stainless Steel
Crystal: Sapphire
Water Resistance: 30 Meters
Strap/Bracelet: Steel Bracelet
Movement: IWC Caliber 69355

The 41mm diameter stainless steel case is part of the Portugieser’s icon status, a fluid, but stark form that still manages to hug the wrist beautifully with its sharply downturned lugs and relatively compact lug-to-lug length of 48mm. The case also essentially lacks anything significant in the way of a bezel, which gives the dial plenty of real estate on the wrist.

Speaking of the dial, we have a very clean silver base upon which are applied heat blued Arabic numerals for indices. The blue and silver combination is one of IWC’s greatest hits on this model, so it makes sense that this, the first Portugieser with a bracelet, would feature this iconic layout. At 12 and 6 o’clock, we have subdials for the chronograph minutes and constant seconds, respectively. A set of leaf hands at center help offset the sportier elements of the watch’s design with a touch of elegance that the watch not only needs, but thrives on.

Source: IWC

The new feature, of course, is the steel bracelet. It’s very reminiscent of something like the bracelet from the Patek Philippe Nautilus or, more directly, the IWC Ingenieur (in fact, it appears to be very much the same bracelet from that model). It features an H-link design with polished center links and a hidden, push button release clasp. Powering the watch we have the IWC Caliber 69355, an automatic chronograph movement with 46 hours of power reserve and a 28,800 bph beat rate.

The Damage
The IWC Portugieser Chronograph on Bracelet retails for $8,900.

The Take
We’re living in an era where the steel bracelet is no longer a point of negotiation – it’s an essential part of a brand’s lineup. Even Lange, a brand who seems diametrically opposed to the notion of sporting models, has released a watch on a steel bracelet. Clearly, then, while I may prefer the notion of a Portugieser on a leather strap, the bracelet is still a beautiful and essential move.