IWC Releases New Portofino Chronograph 39 Watch
Sunday - 27 November 2022
IWC has released a new version of the Portofino Chronograph 39 watch. Powered by an in-house movement for the first time and equipped with the company’s quick-change strap design along with improved water resistance, the new Portofino Chronograph 39 watch for 2022 still manages to keep its vintage sporty personality.
Ever since the Portofino watch was released by IWC Schaffhausen, it has been providing luxury watch enthusiasts with a timeless dress watch option courtesy of its sober dials and its range of different case sizes, making it simultaneously a great unisex option. The IWC Portofino watch collection is described as a range of minimalist, delicate and sophisticated timepieces – each one with a round case that pairs well as an understated companion with smart or formal attire. When the collection gained a chronograph addition, it added a vintage sporty option to the line with distinctive piston-style pushers and a display that managed to remain uncluttered despite its chronograph elements. The latest family member of this line is the new IWC Portofino Chronograph 39 watch, which has been treated to an upgraded design.
If it’s one thing that IWC Schaffhausen does best, it’s improving the design of a much-loved classic that has proven its worth both in style and functionality, without taking too much away from its original appeal. In the case of the IWC Portofino Chronograph 39, that means equipping it with a quick-change strap mechanism and fitting it with an in-house developed movement, as well as improved water resistance and some subtler dial details, which we’ll run through in this review.
The new IWC Portofino Chronograph 39 watch
As its name suggests, the IWC Portofino Chronograph 39 watch still keeps its 39mm diameter – a downsized version of the earlier 42mm models. Its more compact size means it will appeal to a broader audience of smaller wrist sizes. Meanwhile, its dial keeps its same two-register chronograph layout, which has already been offered last year in green, silver and black but now features rhodium-coated hands as opposed to gold-plated ones. The same can be said for its hour markers, represented in slim elongated stick profiles and traditional Roman numerals. Shortened in length are the Roman numerals located at 12 and 6 o’clock where the sub-dials for the recessed and snailed 30-minute chronograph feature and small 60 seconds feature reside respectively. Black IWC Schaffhausen lettering at 3 o’clock is printed onto the surface of the exact same silver-coloured dial seen in last year’s releases, balanced by the “Chronograph” lettering on the other side of the dial.
Moving away from the dial itself, the new IWC Portofino Chronograph 39 has grown a little in height. It now measures a depth of 13mm as opposed to its former 12.7mm – a small yet significant difference that gives the timepiece a little more substance and presence on the wrist. Enforcing its much-loved vintage chronograph-inspired look, this Portofino model keeps its straight lugs, piston pushers and slim bezel. The case is executed in a polished finish and now offers an improved water resistance from 30 meters to 50 meters.
Inside this robust (and ever-so-slightly thicker) stainless steel case is IWC's in-house manufactured Calibre 69355, which has been trialled in the Portugieser Chronograph 3716 before now. It comprises a bidirectional pawl-winding system which provides energy to a column wheel design. This member of the 69000 movement family performs at a rate of 28,800 vibrations per hour and delivers a power reserve of 46 hours once fully wound. Its traditional circular graining and Geneva waves can be admired through the back of the case, equipped with a tough piece of scratch-resistant and anti-reflective sapphire crystal glass.
If you like to change the strap of your watches quite regularly, you’ll be pleased to know that the new Portofino Chronograph 39 watch is now integrated with IWC Schaffhausen’s patented quick-change strap technology. It means you can now browse and choose from a wide range of genuine IWC straps to configure your watch to a different style as and when you need to.
If you’d like more information on the new silver dial version of the IWC Portofino Chronograph 39 watch, you can check out the full spec details online here, or call and speak to a member of our sales team at Jura Watches on 01335 453453
