Results for IWC

5 Times a Watch Surprised Me After the Fact

Watches can be tricky things to judge without getting some real world wrist time. Details like their scale or finishing details can be lost in even the best of images, and that’s to say nothing of more intangible things, like their heft or the way the bracelet wraps around your wrist. Try as we might, we still sometimes end up writing a watch off, or worse still, prematurely lauding it, before allowing enough hands-on time to appropriately confront our biases. These watches have a way of coming back to us, and like many things in life, a way of surprising us after the fact. With each example, we hope to learn a bit more about our blind spots, and take a bit more pause when scouting the landscape ahead.  These are some examples of watches that surprised me after their initial launch, and what I learned from the experience. Jump into the comments below to share your thoughts and experiences. The IWC Tribute to 3705: Learning to Ignore the Numbers IWC has ridden their Pilot and Big Pilot ranges heavily in recent years, and while I enjoy the aesthetic of these watches, I’ve never been fond of the on-wrist experience with any of them. When I first saw the Tribute to 3705, I was quick to dismiss it based on some of the numbers, predominantly the thickness measurement north of 15mm. But then I got my hands on one, and it was the watch that triggered a reassessment of how I think about the numbers around watches. I even wrote an article implying you to do the same. The Tribut...

The Spec Sheet: An IWC Ingenieur Chronograph That's Ready For The Formula One Track

The Ingenieur's answer to the Big Pilot still has Genta's DNA.

FRIDAY WIND DOWN: Race over to Chadstone for an adrenaline-filled IWC experience

If you have ever binge-watched Drive to Survive, played the Gran Turismo video games, or, more plainly, are a Formula 1 super-fan, then you will probably want to race over to the IWC pop-up racing experience over at the Chadstone Shopping Centre. Not only will you be able to get hands-on with a range of IWC watches, you will … ContinuedThe post FRIDAY WIND DOWN: Race over to Chadstone for an adrenaline-filled IWC experience appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Start your (virtual) engines… The IWC Esports Challenge at Battersea Power Station

The first time I set foot in a luxury watch boutique was for a sim racing competition in 2019, driving a GT3 car around the Hungaroring. I won a pen, notebook, and baseball cap for my third place ranking, and figured that I’d pretty much peaked in my sim racing career. IWC went down a … ContinuedThe post Start your (virtual) engines… The IWC Esports Challenge at Battersea Power Station appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Watching Movies: It's Like 'Top Gun,' But Real: Glen Powell And Jonathan Majors Fly Planes Wearing IWC and Rolex In 'Devotion'

Powell heads to the cockpit once more in 2022 for our watch-related movie of the week.

Hands On: IWC Portofino Perpetual Calendar

IWC has a suite of instantly recognisable models synonymous with the brand, namely the Pilot’s Watches and of course, the Portugieser. But one collection does get as much recognition as its peers, despite being almost 40 years old. Named after the famous seaside city in Italy, the Portofino was introduced in 1984 (though the inaugural model didn’t yet have the Portofino name at the time) as an oversized pocket watch-style wristwatch, something of a clarion call to persist with mechanical watchmaking after the Quartz Crisis. Now the brand has revived one of the classics from the line with the Portofino Perpetual Calendar. At 40 mm in diameter, it’s the most compact of IWC’s perpetual calendars and is equipped with an in-house movement from the 82000 family. Initial thoughts The perpetual calendar is a sought-after complication for its utility but also its aesthetics, especially when it includes a moon phase, which adds a touch of romanticism to the design. IWC’s latest take on the complication is straightforward, practical, and priced reasonably enough. In fact, it’s essentially a visually-simplified version of the Portugieser Perpetual Calendar 42, which uses the same movement but inside a larger case. While not revolutionary in technical terms, the Portofino Perpetual Calendar is a solid performer with a concise design. It retains all the features that made the 1990s original appealing but adds a few contemporary touches in both design and the in-house base m...

HANDS-ON: The new IWC Portofino Perpetual Calendar IW344601 and IW344602

Most people associate IWC with pilot’s watches, which makes total sense due to their rich aviation history and classics like the Mark and Big Pilot series. But with their Portugieser and Portofino collections, IWC prove they still know how to appeal to dressier sensibilities. The latest duo of Portofino watches, the IWC Portofino Perpetual Calendar … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The new IWC Portofino Perpetual Calendar IW344601 and IW344602 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Habring2 Introduces the Doppel 38

Habring² has scaled down its signature split-seconds chronograph to create the Doppel 38, which retains all of the key features of the original but in a more compact case. Still having the “bullhead” pusher layout that characterises the split-seconds chronographs of Habring², the Doppel 38 is smaller and thinner than its predecessor, but continues to be powered by the proprietary hand-wound A11R calibre. Initial thoughts Long one of the best values in terms of sub-US$10,000 chronographs, the Doppel is perhaps the archetypal Habring² watch since it’s descended from the complication Mr Habring invented at IWC three decades ago. Now vastly improved and refined by Mr Habring, the Doppel possibly the most accessible split-seconds chronograph on the market – in itself a major point of appeal. But the original Doppel was 42 mm, not massive but large enough to make someone who prefers smaller watches think twice. Personally I thought the larger Doppel was sized well for its particular type of complication, but the Doppel 38 is unexpectedly compact, especially at just 11.5 mm high. Beyond making it more wearable for more people, the new dimensions will no doubt give the Doppel 38 a slightly more retro feel, although the dial styles on offer are thoroughly modern. And it remains affordable as such things go, with a retail price of about US$7,900 before taxes. A value-proposition split-seconds Like many of the recent watches from the brand, the Doppel 38 is simple in sty...

HANDS-ON: The IWC Portugieser Automatic IW500715 is handsome and powerful

I recently tackled the new IWC Portugieser Chronograph IW371620, a solid summer watch that brings the youthful summer vibes to a classic and storied collection and manufacture. But a chronograph is not always everyone’s flavour. Unless you are dead-set on using a mechanical and analogue timekeeper for timing cars on the racetrack, or more realistically … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The IWC Portugieser Automatic IW500715 is handsome and powerful appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

New: IWC Portugieser Automatic 40 in burgundy dial for Chinese New Year of the Rabbit

IWC goes early to welcome the new Year of the Water Rabbit (22 Jan 2023) with a magnificent new Portugieser Automatic 40 with a burgundy dial.

Watch Of The Week: My Family History Involves Two Vintage IWC Watches And Four Generations Of Military Service

Oren Hartov, watch writer and fourth-generation veteran, has a question. Can a solid-gold dress watch also be a military watch?

IWC Introduces the Portugieser Automatic 40 “Chinese New Year”

Continuing with its occasional practice of special editions to mark the Chinese Lunar New Year, IWC debuts the Portugieser Automatic 40 Edition “Chinese New Year” to commemorate the Year of Water Rabbit that begins in early 2023. The limited edition retains the style of the classic Portugieser but dressed up with a riveting burgundy dial with gilt numerals and hands. Initial thoughts As an admirer of vintage timepieces, I find few watches that match the distinctive simplicity of the original Portugieser ref. 325 from 1939. So the Portugieser Automatic 40 is easy to like since it echoes the feel of the vintage original. The Portugieser Automatic 40 Edition “Chinese New Year” stands out with its unusual dial. Bright red is the traditional colour of Lunar New Year, but its darker counterpart is a more appropriate hue for a dress watch. While the design still evokes the original – the gold hands and numerals give it a vintage feel – the burgundy dial is more dynamic than the conventional silver alternative, giving it a more versatile feel than the formal original. More importantly, the new Portugieser is not merely a fancy dial catered to Asian buyers. The case back reveals the in-house movement that’s one of the better automatic movements in this price segment. Lastly, the Chinese New Year edition costs US$1,000 more than the standard edition, which is an acceptable premium for the new dial as well as the commemorative rabbit rotor. The only downside for a co...

IWC collaborate with Mr Sabotage on special-edition camouflage strap

Brand collaborations are becoming almost as popular now as vintage dive-watch reissues, so much so that the phenomenon now extends to straps as well as watches. Although it may seem a little ridiculous at first, anything which motivates watch companies to become more creative and branch out from the norms is a great thing in … ContinuedThe post IWC collaborate with Mr Sabotage on special-edition camouflage strap appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

IWC’s TOP GUN Exhibition Comes to Singapore

From 22 to 30 October, IWC is holding an exhibition featuring its partnership with Top Gun and its incredibly popular colored ceramic pilot’s watches. Jeremiah met with IWC’s Chief Design Officer, Christian Knoop to take a first look at the exhibition and explore the brand’s world of color and Top Gun. We also got to […]

IWC and The Polaris Dawn Human Spaceflight Mission

Event invitation: IWC Top Gun Exhibition and new IWC x SBTG Watch straps

Your invitation to the IWC Top Gun Exhibition in Singapore, where you can also buy the maison's collaboration with Singapore designer Mark Ong.

Exhibition: IWC ‘Monochromatic Top Gun’ in Singapore

Twenty-twenty two has been all about the Pilot’s Watch for IWC, but with a particular focus on materials, including coloured ceramics and titanium. All that materials tech, watchmaking, and military provenance is now on show in Singapore with Monochromatic Top Gun. Taking place from October 22-30, 2022, the exhibition showcases the brand’s aviator’s watches – including rarely-seen watches made for actual military pilots – along with its watchmaking knowhow in a series of classes and talks. The centrepiece of the exhibition is the all-ceramic line of Pilot’s Watches named after the US Navy’s fight jet academy, Top Gun. Historically available only in black, the Top Gun collection has more recently become a platform for IWC to roll out a range of coloured ceramics. Naturally the show includes the year’s new launches, namely the Top Gun chronographs in forest green or white ceramic. Earlier models such as the Miramar with its sand-coloured ceramic case are also on show, along with the quintessential all-black version. Notably, the exhibition also includes 15 military-issue watches, each bearing a unit insignia on the dial, in perhaps its most intriguing section. Rarely seen since they are only available to members of the individual air force and navy units, such watches reflect the fact that the Schaffhausen watchmaker is the sole official supplier of watches to the US Navy and Marine Corps. As a result, IWC has created watches for some 350 squadrons, includin...

HANDS-ON: The new IWC Portugeiser Chronograph IW371620 is a near-perfect warm weather watch

The IWC Portugieser collection is rooted in both class and utility. It was an elegant solution, originally presented in 1939, due to demand for a marine-deck chronometer experience that could be translated into a wristwatch. It was oversized for its time – a rather sporty characteristic – but still every bit as elegant as its … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The new IWC Portugeiser Chronograph IW371620 is a near-perfect warm weather watch appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Vintage Watches: A 1990s IWC Fliegerchronograph In Black Ceramic, A 1967 Rolex Zephyr, And A 1979 Benrus Type I Class A

Black dials galore this week in a tightly curated selection of vintage watches in the H Shop.

New Release: IWC’s Mark XX edition

The IWC Mark XX is a highly wearable military timepiece with simplicity and functionality at its core. It has 120 hours power reserve which is significantly more than the average 3 days movement today. You may recall that the designers took their inspiration from the 1930s Junkers Ju 52 cockpit instruments, which have served as the model for classic pilot’s watches. The displays are round, generously sized and clearly arranged. The Arabic figures, big and round, stand proudly in position, with just two exceptions: instead of a “12”, we see a white triangle with a single dot on either side for better legibility, and at “3 o’clock” a date window, as a concession to modernity. The 40mm watch is well sized without being bulky at 10.8mm, uses contrasting dial and displays come very close to the ideal of the classic pilot’s watch. The watch is priced at US$5250 on leather and US$6150 on bracelet.

HANDS-ON: The new IWC Mark XX is a huge upgrade with its new dials and bracelet

Whether or not you are a seasoned collector, every collection needs a staple watch. A watch that excels in its simplicity, its versatility and reliability providing a rock-solid foundation within your collection. For many, the watch of choice to fill that role has been an IWC Mark. Robust, legible and handsome with its military and … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The new IWC Mark XX is a huge upgrade with its new dials and bracelet appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

This new IWC Portugieser duo are more wearable, more affordable and a lot more green

The IWC Portugieser is a staple in the Schaffhausen watchmaker’s collection, with its signature Arabics, feuille hands and railroad minute track designs originating in 1939, before its reinvention in the early ’90s. Andrew went hands-on with two of its latest iterations – the Portugieser Automatic 40 and Perpetual Calendar 42. Both of these represent their … ContinuedThe post This new IWC Portugieser duo are more wearable, more affordable and a lot more green appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

IWC and Filling Pieces create the perfect watch + sneaker pairing

IWC’s recent partnerships with Pantone, Orlebar Brown, Hot Wheels and more have yielded a variety of takes on different models from their collection. Their latest collaboration sees a green-tinged, effort bound in leather, rubber and ceramic, as Filling Pieces, a Dutch footwear brand, pay tribute to IWC’s “Woodland” Pilot’s Chronograph, released at this year’s Watches and … ContinuedThe post IWC and Filling Pieces create the perfect watch + sneaker pairing appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

IWC’s New Mid-size Portofino Collection Is Sure to Bring in New Fans of the Brand

Wei and Jeremiah take a first look at the new IWC Portofino collection with watches in 34 and 37mm that are incredibly well executed. The day-night complication makes its debut in the Portofino and there is also a stunning 39mm Chronograph that will surely be a hit!

More diamonds, more refinement, more options: The new IWC Portofino Automatic 37

The IWC Portofino Automatic 37 has been a staple in the Schaffhausen watchmaker’s collection since 2014, largely targeted at their female audience. The new Portofino 37 models continue the feminine touches found in the original, with subtle design changes and technological improvements. This includes the introduction of a manufacture calibre, enhanced diamond setting and larger … ContinuedThe post More diamonds, more refinement, more options: The new IWC Portofino Automatic 37 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Watch Of The Week: Tom Brady's Personal IWC

Before I was an ambassador, I was a fan of the brand. And here's the watch I love right now.

The Spec Sheet: The IWC Mark XVIII: The Wearable Pilot's Watch With Serious Heritage

One unit of quintessential tool watch.

INTRODUCING: The IWC Portugeiser Automatic and Chronograph in white and blue

Without any unnecessary fluff or circumstance, the two latest additions to the IWC Portugeiser range are simply gorgeous and elegant designs with a focus on contrast. While the last few years have shown an exciting trend towards more colourful and expressive watches, it can sometimes feel like there isn’t much available for those who prefer … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The IWC Portugeiser Automatic and Chronograph in white and blue appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

IWC presents two new Portugieser models with white and blue dials

IWC introduces new versions of the Portugieser Automatic and the Portugieser Chronograph, both featuring contrasting white and blue dials.

Introducing: Look Up! IWC's New Mark XX – The One We've Been Waiting For (Now With An In-House Movement)

Fans of the brand's 40mm Pilot's Watch spoke, and it seems IWC listened.