Home » IWC Watches » IWC Portofino Hand-Wound Eight Days Watch
The last year was definitely the year of the Portofino Family. In 2011, IWC launched two revised and one newly developed watch. The most notable novelty is IWC Portofino Hand-Wound Eight Days Watch. The new Portofino is powered by the IWC-manufactured 59210-caliber which will run accurately and reliably for, as the name suggest, full eight days before it automatically stops.
IWC Portofino Hand-Wound Eight Days Watch IW510103
Portofino Hand-Wound Eight Days is housed in an elegant, round case with the diameter of 45 mm and the thickness of 12 mm. Although it looks a little bit larger, with a slender lugs and a small winding crown, it is perfectly wearable and appropriate on most wrist sizes. The water-resistance of the case is assured down to 30 meters (100 feet).
IWC Portofino Hand-Wound Eight Days Watch IW510103 Caseback
Further, a classical looking narrow bezel perfectly rounds the uncluttered dial. The watch is protected on both sides by scratch-resistance sapphire glasses with antireflective coatings. The arched-edged front glass provides perfect readability, while a see-through sapphire-glass back allows an unimpeded view at the mechanical movement.
A Newly Developed Caliber 59210
The new in-house manufactured caliber 59210 mechanical movement, based on the large Caliber 50000, is the first hand-wound movement from Schaffhausen with eight-day power reserve. As IWC announced, their watchmakers were working on the movement for two whole years. I assume that they have done a great job, but considering the fact, it is a newly developed movement that has yet to prove itself over time.
IWC Portofino Hand-Wound Eight Days Watch Caliber 59210
The mechanical movement is quite large with the diameter of 37.9 mm, but it is proportionate to the case size. It is built on 30 jewels and produces 28,800 vibrations per hour, which helps to insure a high level of accuracy.
The Flagship of the Portofino Family
A clean-looking dial features hour and minute hands, markers, Roman numeral 12, a date window, one sub-dial and a power reserve indicator. A little date aperture is located at the 3 o’clock position, a small hacking seconds counter is situated at the 6 o’clock position, whereas a power reserve indicator is positioned between the 8 and 9 o’clock markers.
IWC Portofino Hand-Wound Eight Days Watch IW510102
IWC Portofino Hand-Wound Eight Days is available in an 18-karat red gold case with a slate-colored dial and solid gold indices (the referent number is IW510104), or in a stainless-steel case with the choice of a black (IW510102) or a silver-plated dial (IW510103). The first one sports gold plated indices, while the model with a silver dial matches rhodium-plated markers.
The red gold version is the most expensive one in this line and it can be bought for about $20,000, while two other models are much more affordable. They are priced approximately $11,000 each.
IWC Portofino Hand-Wound Eight Days Watch IW510104
For the best comfort of the wearer, IWC attached Portofino Hand-Wound Eighty Days timepieces to fine alligator leather straps from the world-famous Italian shoe manufacturer, Santoni.
Every strap made by a luxury shoemaker, Santoni, has been finished by hand and it comes with exclusive patina-like shimmer, with its own individual nuances of brown color.
Please look at the model IW510102. It’s so beautiful, isn’t it? Well, ladies and gentlemen, this kind of watch is unique and it’s destined to be on a true man’s wrist. That person must be a fan of IWC watches, a true gentleman, good, smart, and most of all, he must have a charm. Why?! Because this watch has all those characteristics which make it the most popular watch of IWC company.
Honestly, I don’t like this watch. It looks too classy for everyday wearing. I prefer relaxing watches, such as Omega or Fortis. But no matter what, I must say that I totally agree with Dustin´s comment and explanation what type of man must wear this watch. And his explanation is the truth.
C’mon guys, this watch is too expensive. I really mean that! For $2,000 you can buy an extraordinary watch. This watch costs at least $11,000, and it doesn’t have any special features and it doesn’t look so good. I have only one question to ask – what is so special about this watch that it costs $11,000?!
Roy, it’s the good case material and quality mechanism that this watch posses. Another thing, IWC is in the watches world like Audi is in the car’s world. It is made of pure quality materials and a very precise and reliable movement. It’s simply one of the best watches brand in the world. Normally, its watches will cost a little bit more than watches from other manufacturers.