First introduced in 2013, the IWC Portugieser Chronograph Classic has been redesigned. Inessential elements have been pruned, while all the signature elements like the large Arabic numerals and pump-style chronograph pushers remain.

The new Portugieser Chronograph Classic ref. 3903 has a cleaner dial, featuring just a railroad minute track, without the 1/5-second hashmarks of its predecessor. Also gone are the red accents for the chronograph registers, while the leaf-shaped hands are now slimmer.

The tweaks bring the look of the watch closer to the rest of the Portugieser range, whereas before the facelift it resembled the sport Yacht Club Chronograph.

The rest of the watch remains the same, with a 42mm case that’s 14mm high and contains the calibre 89361. That’s the top of the line IWC movement that’s also found in the Da Vinci Chronograph. It has a flyback function, 68-hour power reserve as well as the hour and minute registers co-axial in a single sub-dial at 12 o’clock.

Price and availability 

The new Portugieser chronograph is available at IWC boutiques and retailers, priced in US and Singapore dollars as follows:

Portugieser Chronograph Classic 18k red gold (ref. IW390301) – US$20,100 or S$30,500

Portugieser Chronograph Classic stainless steel silver dial (ref. IW390302) – US$12,100 or S$18,000

Portugieser Chronograph Classic stainless steel blue dial (ref. IW390303) – US$12,100 or S$18,000

After similar past events in Munich and London, New York is the latest stop for an important Patek Philippe exhibition when The Art of Watches, Grand Exhibition New York 2017 opens its doors at Cipriani 42nd Street in a vast space covering over 13,000 square feet.

Happening from July 13 to 23, the encompasses both the history of Patek Philippe as well as timekeeping in general, including a timepiece dating to 1530. Highlights from the exhibition include the Calibre 89, for many years the world’s most complicated watch (and which Sotheby’s is selling an example of in a few days), as well as significant wristwatches including two examples of the ref. 2523 HU world time.

The world time ref. 2523 HU in white and rose gold, both with cloisonné enamel dials

A pendant watch presented to Queen Victoria during the Great Exhibition of London in 1851

The Packard astronomical pocket watch of 1925

Historically important timepieces belonging to personalities as diverse as Queen Victoria and automobile tycoon James Ward Packard will also be on show in the two-storey, ten-room venue. In fact, one of the rooms is a replica of the sale room inside the Patek Philippe boutique in Geneva.

Watchmaking and artisanal craft demonstrations will also be part of the exhibition, as will a Patek Philippe cafe.

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