The IWC Portofino Chronograph 39 Gets a Stainless Steel Bracelet
Thursday - 05 September 2024
Dressing the Portofino Chronograph 39 up, IWC adds an elegant stainless steel bracelet to this classic chronograph complication. The new IWC Portofino Chronograph 39 Steel Bracelet watch is available to order now at Jura Watches
Of all the great IWC watches in the Schaffhausen brand’s portfolio, I’d always recommend the Portofino as a great entry-point watch – a gateway into the realm of luxury watch collecting. Among the labyrinth of brands, complications, styles, materials and sizes – the Portofino just seems to tick every box you need for starting out on your watch-collecting journey. The watch is packed full of history, meticulous craftsmanship and elegant styling. It doesn’t matter where you look throughout the collection, you can’t really go wrong with a Portofino watch. Ooozing classical elegance and a refined yet legible dial, this collection is home to several iterations including various dial colours and case materials like 18ct rose gold that epitomise the spirit of quintessential Swiss watchmaking. Very recently, IWC unveiled a first for the collection – the 39mm model with a stainless steel bracelet. We’re going to look at what the watch offers in a little more detail in this article, but first, it helps to touch on why the Portofino watch by IWC is such a desirable companion.
The Appeal of the Portofino
IWC began forging the foundations of the Portofino watch back in the 1970s. The first model arrived in 1981, offering a large case size (since the design was taken from the brand’s earlier pocket watches) and a pocket watch movement. The full collection, however, didn’t arrive until another year later. When it did, it appealed en masse to the Schaffhausen brand’s fan base. These earlier iterations featured a large dial, a slim bezel, a small seconds sub-dial, and a beautiful moon phase display, exquisitely decorated in blues and golden tones. Honouring the heritage of the brand and the founder’s vision has always been a priority to IWC, so the fact that the moon phase indicator still features in the brand’s current catalogue is no surprise. Yet there are other iterations to enjoy within the collection, including the 39mm chronograph complication. This brings us to the new IWC Portofino Chronograph 39 Steel Bracelet watch. The addition of the stainless steel bracelet configuration enables the wearer to ramp up the design in terms of its formal capabilities, constituting a beautiful dressy chronograph for every eventuality.
The launch of the IWC Portofino Chronograph 39 watch reference IW391503 is something very special, especially for hardcore IWC fans who share the same passion for high-end Swiss watchmaking. The release marks a brand first for IWC, as it’s the first time the manufacturer has released the Chronograph 39 on a stainless steel bracelet. The five-link stainless steel band promises comfort and durability with its links that boast a mix of brushed and satin surfaces. In doing so, the new IWC Chronograph bridges the gap between classic and contemporary perfectly. The bracelet also features an integrated quick-change system, enabling you to swap the metal option for a coloured or black leather band should you so wish. Doing so will undoubtedly give the model a more relaxed and casual, but still classic look.
While the stainless steel bracelet is surely going to be the most talked about feature of this new release, the IWC Portofino Chronograph 39 Steel Bracelet watch has lots more going for it too. Its silver-plated dial is sophisticated and classic, providing the perfect canvas for a set of feuille-shaped hands and an hour track represented in slim hour batons that have been rhodium-coated. Of course, being a chronograph watch, you get the small seconds sub-dial and 30-minute sub-counter taking residence upon the dial at 6 and 12 o’clock. These features a crisp and legible, yet restrained enough to enable the watch to be worn as a dress watch rather than a sporty tool. The entire dial, including the IWC lettering at 3 o’clock and the Chronograph lettering at 9H, are all protected underneath a strong piece of scratch-resistant sapphire crystal glass with anti-reflective properties. It’s the same material used on the back of the watch, where an exhibition window affords a clear view of a mechanical engine inside the watch’s 50-meter water resultant steel case.
The Calibre 69355 features vastly through IWC’s range of chronograph models and provides a faultless performance courtesy of 28,800 vibrations per hour. The movement, which sits inside this new IWC Portofino Chronograph 39 Bracelet watch also provides a useful power reserve of 46 hours and comprises a total of 205 hand-assembled components that have been arranged and decorated with precision by the skilled hand of a talented artisan at IWC Schaffhausen’s ateliers. Cotes de Geneve decoration is also showcased through the exhibition caseback, demonstrating the brand’s commitment to honouring age-old tradition and techniques.
If you’d like more information on the new IWC Portofino Chronograph 39 Bracelet watch, you can call and speak to a member of our Jura watches sales team on 01335 453453. The watch is available to order here now, or you can enquire at help@jurawatches.co.uk
