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Results for IWC Mark XX

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IWC Introduces the Portugieser Automatic 40 “Chinese New Year” SJX Watches
Casio nal practice Nov 7, 2022

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...

Recommended Reading: A Guide to the F. P. Journe “Tourbillon Nouveau” SJX Watches
F.P. Journe s second-generation Tourbillon Souverain Mar 7, 2022

Recommended Reading: A Guide to the F. P. Journe “Tourbillon Nouveau”

F.P. Journe’s second-generation Tourbillon Souverain, the” Tourbillon Nouveau” or “TN”, was the longest-lived iteration of his first wristwatch model. Produced for 15 years from 2003 to 2018, the TN was replaced in 2019 by the Tourbillon Souverain Vertical (“TV” for short), which was launched to mark the 20th anniversary of Francois-Paul Journe’s first tourbillon wristwatch. Though the first-generation Tourbillon Remontoir d’Egalite and second-generation TN were fundamentally identical – both combined the tourbillon with a constant force mechanism – the TN brought with it several improvements. Most notably, the TN marked F.P. Journe’s transition from brass to 18k red gold for its movement plates and bridges – an impressive breakthrough at the time. The Tourbillon Souverain Regency with a hand-engraved dial The development of the TN along with its various iterations have been detailed in The Tourbillon Nouveau Collector’s Guide by Shawn Mehta, founder of independent watchmaking merchant Watch4moi. Relying on information from F.P. Journe itself, Mr Mehta explains the differences between the first- and second-generation tourbillons before moving on to production numbers and variants. He estimates only 750-850 examples of the TN were produced over its 15-year production run, most of them in the standard catalogue variations. But in his opinion, the rarest standard configuration is likely the version with both the dial and case in rose gold. The ...

Type Casting: Comparing The Breguet Type XX And Type XXI Chronographs Hodinkee
Breguet Oct 3, 2021

Type Casting: Comparing The Breguet Type XX And Type XXI Chronographs

The Type XX and Type XXI chronographs don’t seem to get quite as much attention as you would think they’d get, at least in the USA, where the world of pilot’s chronographs skews much more heavily towards companies like IWC, Omega, and Breitling. Maybe part of the reason for that is that when you think of tool watches, you might think of an awful lot of companies but Breguet just isn’t one of them – tourbillons, certainly, and a history of making aesthetically irreproachable, often complicated, and very elegant watches from the end of the 18th century right down until the present day, but not tool watches as such. And yet, aviation is perhaps just as important a part of the Breguet family’s history as watchmaking, with the Type XX and XXI chronographs representing one of the most important aspects of the inventiveness that characterized Abraham Louis Breguet and his descendants.

Hands-On: Bell & Ross BR 05 SJX Watches
Vacheron Constantin Overseas Piaget Polo S Sep 4, 2019

Hands-On: Bell & Ross BR 05

Luxury sports watches in steel with distinctive case shapes and integrated bracelets have been an unstoppable trend of late. Though the segment was born in the 1970s with the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak and then Patek Philippe Nautilus, it’s arguably at the high-water mark now. Several brands have joined the party with their own luxury sport watches, each designed with a different impetus, but often met with a certain degree of controversy. Recent examples include the Vacheron Constantin Overseas, Piaget Polo S, and Girard-Perregaux Laureato. And now, it’s the turn of Bell & Ross (B&R;) with the BR 05. Unsurprisingly, the BR 05 is a riff on the most iconic Bell & Ross design – the circle-within-a-square case. The BR 05 enters a crowded segment in both an affordable manner; it’s kitted out with a well-constructed case and customised movement for under US$5000. An unmistakable form At first glance, the rounded-square case and bezel with visible screws inevitably brings to mind Gerald Genta’s classics. But on its own, the BR 05 is a logical derivative of the signature B&R; case. The BR 05 is a compact watch, with a wide bezel making it look slightly smaller than it actually is. The case measures 40mm across and 10.4mm in height, which is relatively slim and within the general ballpark of such watches. That being said, a case below 10mm would have given it more elegant and classical proportions. And in contrast to the merely adequate depth rating of the ...

Business News: Richemont and Swatch Results; Massive Inventories at Swatch SJX Watches
Vacheron Constantin saw overall sales dip Jul 18, 2019

Business News: Richemont and Swatch Results; Massive Inventories at Swatch

Swiss watchmaking groups Richemont and Swatch Group just announced their first quarter and six-month results for 2019 respectively, with each going in opposite directions. Owner of brands like Cartier, IWC and Panerai, Richemont saw growth across most segments and regions. Overall sales were up 12% at constant exchange rates, with every region growing in the low teens save for the Middle East and Africa. Sales in Asia grew 10%, led by China, where demand is up due to lower taxes locally on luxury goods and more stringent checks on travellers importing items bought overseas. Most notable was the performance of its online channels, namely luxury fashion mall Yoox Net-a-Porter (YNAP), pre-owned watch merchant Watchfinder, and to a lesser extent. That growth is from a low base of comparison: last year’s first quarter for each platform was only two and one month respectively. That being said, online sales are still substantial, rising to 50% to €648m, almost equal to the €698m of sales in the Americas as a whole. The group’s watchmaking brands, which include A. Lange & Söhne and Vacheron Constantin, saw overall sales dip 2%. This was attributed to a reduction in the number of sales channels as well as reduced orders of new product by retailers. Up in Biel, where the Swatch Group has its headquarters, half-year sales were down 3.7% at constant exchange rates, to 4.07 billion Swiss francs. Net profit followed suit, shrinking 11.3% to 415m francs. For the full year, howe...

Benzinger Meets Zanella; Watch Collector Anniversary Watch Revolution
Patek Philippe s 175th Anniversary collection Jun 11, 2015

Benzinger Meets Zanella; Watch Collector Anniversary Watch

Watches that commemorate anniversaries are often amongst the most desirable. Collectors still hunt for pieces of Cartier’s 150th and Patek Philippe’s 175th Anniversary collection, and probably will do the same in the near future for REVOLUTION’s own anniversary Panerai and IWC. That such celebrations often result in the creation of truly unique watches is once […]

Hands-On With The Fleming Series 1 Mark II Redwood Watch - High-End Watch Evolution At Its Finest Fratello
Mar 31, 2026

Hands-On With The Fleming Series 1 Mark II Redwood Watch - High-End Watch Evolution At Its Finest

That’s heavy sh*t, man. Two years ago, we had the chance to go hands-on with the Fleming Series 1 Launch Edition Tantalum. In that alloy, which is roughly twice as heavy as steel, the watch made a lasting impression. It was “heavy” in hippie-speak because of its refined case shape, intricate dial details, and remarkable […] Visit Hands-On With The Fleming Series 1 Mark II Redwood Watch - High-End Watch Evolution At Its Finest to read the full article.

Hands On: IWC Portugieser Chronograph Ceratanium SJX Watches
Hublot then Mar 25, 2026

Hands On: IWC Portugieser Chronograph Ceratanium

IWC started the year with a dramatic new look for a classic, the Portugieser Chronograph Ceratanium. Almost 30 years old but ageless, the Portugieser Chronograph gains an all-black look and Ceratanium case with this appealing, but pricey, limited edition that encapsulates the brand’s strengths and weaknesses. Initial thoughts In the mid to late 2000s, the all-black look was one the major fads in watchmaking, having been pioneered by Hublot, then at the beginning of its renaissance led by Jean-Claude Biver. All-black watches were everywhere yet desirable, and some even sold for multiples of retail. The Portugieser Chronograph Ceratanium is two decades late for that fad, and too early for the next one. But it is still an appealing watch in itself, though expensive compared to the standard version. It’s essentially a Portugieser chronograph dressed entirely in black with a case in ceramic-coated titanium. As a result, it has of the elements that make the model appealing: a symmetrical design, good proportions, slimness, and a distinctive style despite the simplicity. The all-black livery adds to the design, since it goes well with the clean styling. Though complementary aesthetically, the all-black finish and Portugieser design don’t quite pair conceptually, since the Portugieser is a historically inspired dress watch. Despite the incongruity, the Ceratanium chronograph looks and feels good on the wrist. More broadly, the watch illustrates IWC’s strengths and weakness...

IWC Portugieser Chronograph Ceratanium Review Teddy Baldassarre
IWC Feb 26, 2026

IWC Portugieser Chronograph Ceratanium Review

In 2017, IWC introduced a proprietary alloy called Ceratanium, or ceramized titanium, a hard, lightweight material that combined the best of ceramic and titanium. Oh, and it happened to look pretty cool as well. The material has been used sparingly in the intervening years, largely appearing across the brand’s sport-watch portfolio, from the Pilot to the Aquatimer collections. This week, Ceratanium is making its first appearance in the Portugieser collection with a new, limited-edition 41mm chronograph featuring a Ceratanium case affixed to a black rubber strap. In an effort to drive the point home, the rest of the watch is fully murdered out making the IWC Portugieser Chronograph Ceratanium a decidedly sporty take on this otherwise dressier collection. [toc-section heading="What's New"] The new watch is the Portugieser Chronograph Ceratanium, and it turns the classic chronograph layout on its head by rendering every detail in shades of black (insert Henry Ford quote here). The Portugieser is a historic watch with roots that date back to the late 1930s, and its modern aesthetic is largely referential to that history. That underlying design remains intact here, with a large, open dial hosting Arabic numerals at each hour, and a set of leaf hands tracking the time against them. The two subdials are arranged vertically, retaining a symmetric layout that recalls the original time-only references that had subsidiary seconds located at 6 o’clock.  Using Ceratanium (which ha...

Ressence and Legendary Industrial Designer Mark Newson Team Up for the New Type 3 MN Worn & Wound
Ressence Dec 4, 2025

Ressence and Legendary Industrial Designer Mark Newson Team Up for the New Type 3 MN

It’s honestly a little hard to believe that Ressence and Mark Newson hadn’t collaborated until now. The new Type 3 MN, a limited edition version of Ressence’s oil filled watch designed by Newson, feels like a watch that was somehow inevitable. Ressence occupies a very specific niche in independent watchmaking – there is simply no other time telling system quite like the one they have pioneered, and it has a distinctive quality to it that is immediately recognizable. Newson’s design work is similarly well known, and while he’s worked across many industries over many years, watch lovers will quickly identify him as the creator of the Ikepod, a futuristic watch with an aggressively circular design that has influenced a variety of contemporary watches, especially those in the realm of independents. Ressence is chief among them, not necessarily because any particular Ressence looks like an Ikepod (although you can make a case) but because of the deliberate nature of each.  The Type 3 MN is tough to discuss without mentioning Ikepod because the watch really looks like a modern extension of what that brand might have been if Newson had stuck around. The case has a curvy, pebble like quality to it for maximum ergonomics. The hands are lifted right from classic Ikepod designs, and the whole package has an organic quality to it that is a Newson design signature. Both Newson and Ressence founder Benoit Mintiens mention in the press materials for this release that the col...

Sunday Morning Showdown: IWC Ingenieur Automatic 40 Vs. Chopard Alpine Eagle 41 Fratello
Chopard Alpine Eagle 41 Good Aug 17, 2025

Sunday Morning Showdown: IWC Ingenieur Automatic 40 Vs. Chopard Alpine Eagle 41

Good morning and welcome to another Sunday Morning Showdown. Last week, we had a surprising matchup between two titanium high-beat chronographs that ended up in a tie. This week, we’re curious to see what happens when we put two stainless steel integrated bracelet reinterpretations up against each other. In 2023, IWC brought back the Ingenieur, […] Visit Sunday Morning Showdown: IWC Ingenieur Automatic 40 Vs. Chopard Alpine Eagle 41 to read the full article.

Introducing – The Funky Groove of the New MB&F; HM8 Mark 2 Purple Monochrome
MB&F; Jun 12, 2025

Introducing – The Funky Groove of the New MB&F; HM8 Mark 2 Purple

Max Büsser’s childhood dream was to become a car designer. Although he ultimately studied engineering and founded MB&F;, one of the most successful indie watch brands, his passion for cars has permeated his design language, resulting in driver’s watches like the 1970s-inspired HM5, featuring a lateral speedometer-style display. The HM8 Mark 2, released in 2023, is a true […]

Five Fun And Funky Watches From Tudor, IWC, Longines, And More - Which Would Be Your Pick? Fratello
Longines May 3, 2025

Five Fun And Funky Watches From Tudor, IWC, Longines, And More - Which Would Be Your Pick?

Sometimes we just want something a little unusual in the collection-something we can look down at and know is an entirely unusual or funky design. Today, we’re looking at a few vintage and modern options for funky watches. However, I’d ask readers to provide their suggestions in the comments! We saw at Watches and Wonders […] Visit Five Fun And Funky Watches From Tudor, IWC, Longines, And More - Which Would Be Your Pick? to read the full article.

Vacheron Constantin Marks 270 Years with Most-Complicated-Wristwatch-Ever SJX Watches
Vacheron Constantin Marks 270 Years Mar 31, 2025

Vacheron Constantin Marks 270 Years with Most-Complicated-Wristwatch-Ever

This year is quite the anniversary for Vacheron Constantin, with the brand turning 270 years old. To mark the occasion appropriately, the Geneva-based manufacture created the mighty Les Cabinotiers Solaria Ultra Grand Complication – La Première, the culmination of eight years of development. Now the most complicated wristwatch ever, this unique wristwatch boasts 41 complications on two faces, encompassing five rare functions as well as a world first – a celestial object tracker. All of that is contained in a surprisingly compact, but still large, case. (A detailed list of the complications is available in the addendum below.) Initial thoughts Timepieces of such complexity reach beyond the realm of horology and can be regarded as engineering marvels. In a sense the Solaria is not unexpected since VC has a long history of making ultra-complications – “The Berkley” pocket watch was just unveiled a year ago – but the Solaria is one of the most fascinating watches in recent memory. The numbers behind the Solaria are impressive. Beyond the 41 functions, the watch is powered by the cal. 3655 that’s made up of 1521 pieces and the subject of 13 patents. The watch took eight years to develop and construct, which is impressive for a single timepiece. Surely VC will trickle down some of the developments related to cal. 3655 and install them in simpler timepieces, but condensing 41 complications into a wristwatch no thicker than 15 mm is an engineering feat that cannot b...

Yema Introduces Its Superman Swiss Edition To Mark A Strategic Turnaround Fratello
Yema Feb 25, 2025

Yema Introduces Its Superman Swiss Edition To Mark A Strategic Turnaround

We know Yema as an accessible French brand that offers fairly affordable watches. However, with the introduction of the company’s in-house Calibre Manufacture Morteau movements, its prices shifted upward a bit. To ensure that the watchmakers have enough time to work on the higher-end in-house movements and still offer watches at a more affordable price […] Visit Yema Introduces Its Superman Swiss Edition To Mark A Strategic Turnaround to read the full article.

Hands-On With The Surprising Crafter Blue Mechanic Ocean Mark II Dive Watch Fratello
Jan 9, 2025

Hands-On With The Surprising Crafter Blue Mechanic Ocean Mark II Dive Watch

The new Crafter Blue Mechanic Ocean Mark II looks like a million bucks. Not literally, of course, but it does look way higher-end than the price tag would suggest. US$449 buys you a watch that punches well above its weight. This intro might read like a conclusion, but there is more to say about this […] Visit Hands-On With The Surprising Crafter Blue Mechanic Ocean Mark II Dive Watch to read the full article.

What Are The Least Expensive IWC Watches? Teddy Baldassarre
IWC Nov 5, 2024

What Are The Least Expensive IWC Watches?

IWC Schaffhausen is the quintessential example of a watchmaker that set out to become famous for one thing but ended up being famous for something else. Founded in 1868 by American expat Florentine Ariosto Jones, the International Watch Company devoted itself chiefly to luxuriously decorated pocket watches in its early years but when the military needs of a European continent at war came calling in the 1940s, Jones’ firm shifted its production to focus on decidedly no-frills, robust, utilitarian wristwatches for use in the cockpits of planes. Fast forwarding to today, most watch enthusiasts still regard IWC first and foremost as a leader in the pilot’s watch genre. But that wasn’t always the case, and in fact, IWC’s 21st-Century collection is about as diverse as that of any watch brand out there. For a newbie to the brand, however, that diversity — and even the diversity within the vastly expanded Pilot’s collection itself — can prove daunting, especially when attempting to choose which IWC watches offer the price-to-value ratio that would motivate one to pull the trigger on a purchase. In this latest article in our recently inaugurated Price of Admission series, I will attempt to help you make sense of IWC’s modern collection from an entry-level pricing standpoint, homing in on the best models to consider as one’s “first” IWC watch.  PILOT’S WATCHES: IWC Pilot's Watch Automatic 36 ($4,350) It’s appropriate to start our exploration with the Pilot...

Sunday Morning Showdown: Urwerk EMC SR-71 Vs. MB&F; HM8 Mark 2 Fratello
Urwerk EMC SR-71 Vs MB&F; Sep 1, 2024

Sunday Morning Showdown: Urwerk EMC SR-71 Vs. MB&F; HM8 Mark 2

Our Sunday Morning Showdowns are usually quite sensible. Okay…relatively sensible. We often pit two attainable everyday watches against each other to see which wins the popular vote. Well, today is a bit different. Today, we have a brawl between two Nouvelle Horlogerie watches that, unless you are reading this from the sundeck of your 200-foot […] Visit Sunday Morning Showdown: Urwerk EMC SR-71 Vs. MB&F; HM8 Mark 2 to read the full article.

Fratelli Stories: Serving In The Kampfschwimmer With An Issued IWC Fratello
Porsche Design these titanium watches had Jul 8, 2024

Fratelli Stories: Serving In The Kampfschwimmer With An Issued IWC

In the 1980s, IWC introduced a series of highly specialized dive watches for the Kampfschwimmer, an elite German military dive unit. Made in conjunction with Porsche Design, these titanium watches had IWC technology and ingenuity behind them. As military-issued versions of the IWC Ocean 2000, they are now referred to as the “Ocean Bund” among […] Visit Fratelli Stories: Serving In The Kampfschwimmer With An Issued IWC to read the full article.

IWC Ingenieur Automatic 40 Review Teddy Baldassarre
IWC Jul 2, 2024

IWC Ingenieur Automatic 40 Review

IWC released a new generation of its Ingenieur collection in 2023, at what many would consider the tail end of the integrated-luxury-sport-watch craze that gripped the industry heading into 2020. At the time, it was tempting to say that IWC was a bit late to the punch here, especially considering the Schaffhausen-based brand's enviable position of having an original Gérald Genta design from the ‘70s to utilize. In hindsight, however, it seems that IWC was playing the long game, and wasn’t interested in rushing out a throwback type of release. Instead, IWC took a bit more time and released a modern rendition of the original Genta design, released in 1976, as a foundation for years to come. The result is the Reference 3289 Ingenieur, and it’s a watch that looks to do more than merely capitalize on a passing trend.  There are two watches with which you likely associate the name Gérald Genta, and those are the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, and the Patek Philippe Nautilus. Genta penned both of these now iconic designs, in 1972 and 1976 respectively, and they have served as cornerstones in creating the premium sport-watch genre as a whole, as well as helped to spawn the subset of integrated-bracelet designs within it. But those are far from the only watches that can be attributed to Genta, and in fact, aren’t even the only integrated-bracelet sport-watch designs to come out of that era. In 1976, he also designed a new Ingenieur for IWC, known as the SL Ref. 1832 (tha...