Portugieser Automatic 40

The Portugieser Automatic 40 Story

A clearly organized and open dial, with the characteristic minutes scale and the small seconds at "6 o’clock"; IWC’s Reference 325 in the late 1930s established a classic design idiom that has run as a common thread through the history of the Portugieser family ever since. Now the timelessly modern design returns to the collection in a new automatic model with a compact case diameter of 40 millimetres. The Portugieser Automatic 40 is powered by the IWC-manufactured 82200 calibre. This robust, high-quality automatic movement has a Pellaton winding system with components made of virtually non-wearing ceramic, which builds up a power reserve of 60 hours. This model features a stainless-steel case, a silver-plated dial, as well as blue hands and appliqués. It is fitted with a blue alligator leather strap. Thanks to the newly developed butterfly folding clasp, the watch is particularly comfortable to wear.

Calibre Family 82000

The IWC-manufactured 82000 calibre ties in with the tradition of high-quality automatic movements from IWC. It is fitted with the highly efficient IWC Pellaton automatic winding system, which uses both directions of the rotor to wind the mainspring. As in the IWC-manufactured 52000 calibre family, components in the system subject to pronounced stress, such as the pawls, the automatic wheel, or the cam, are made of ceramic. Thanks to the use of this high-tech material, they are virtually wear-free. The efficient automatic winding system builds up a power reserve of at least 60 hours in the mainspring. The indexless balance with a flat coil oscillates at a frequency of 4 hertz (28,800 beats per hour), ensuring a high level of precision. The rotor is skeletonised and offers a view of the movement decorated with circular graining and Geneva stripes.

The Portugieser Collection

Only a few designs are absolutely timeless. With the Portugieser, IWC created an icon in the late 1930s. The basis for the Reference 325, which was delivered to two business men from Portugal – hence its name – was a hunter pocket watch caliber. Inspiration for the clean, open, highly functional dial came from the deck watches IWC was producing for the British Royal Navy at the time. From the outset, the Portugieser had the typical stylistic features of a pocket watch, coupled with the high precision and easy readability of a nautical instrument.

About IWC Schaffhausen

In 1868, the American watchmaker and entrepreneur Florentine Ariosto Jones travelled from Boston to Switzerland and founded the “International Watch Company” in Schaffhausen. His visionary dream was to combine advanced American manufacturing methods with the craftsmanship of Swiss watchmakers to make the best pocket watches of his time. In doing so, he not only laid the foundation to IWC’s unique engineering approach but also established the centralized production of mechanical watches in Switzerland.

Over its 150 year history, IWC Schaffhausen has developed a reputation for creating functional complications, especially chronographs and calendars, which are ingenious, robust and easy for customers to use. A pioneer in the use of titanium and ceramics, IWC today specializes in highly engineered technical watch cases manufactured from advanced materials, such as titanium-aluminide and Ceratanium®. Preferring the principle of “form follows function” over decoration, the Swiss watch manufacturer’s timeless creations embody their owners’ dream and ambitions as the journey through life.