In the Portugieser Tourbillon Hand-Wound, the "whirlwind" - as the word tourbillon translates - turns at "9 o'clock" on the dial. The tourbillon rotates around its own axis once every 60 seconds to counteract the pull of gravity on any disequilibrium in the balance wheel that would adversely affect the watch's rate and accuracy. The arched-edge front glass gives the watch a classic, balanced appearance. The horns have also been ergonomically optimized to make the watch more comfortable to wear on a slimmer wrist. The IWC-manufactured 98900-calibre movement with its intricately decorated nickel-silver three-quarter bridge can be admired through the transparent sapphire-glass back. The 18-carat white gold version comes with a dark brown alligator leather strap from the House of Santoni.
The Portugieser Story The tradition of large pocket watch movements began in the 1930s, when two Portuguese businessmen ordered wristwatches with the precision of marine chronometers. The large wristwatches revolutionized the watch industry and established the trend towards the larger wristwatches so popular today. The iconic design of Portugieser watches, with their imposing size, simple Arabic numerals, slim feuille hands and railway-track-style chapter ring, originates in de 1930's, when it was well ahead of its time. The scale, which is divided up into one-minute sections, makes it easy to read the time precisely and blends seamlessly into the dial. Today, the original, clearly organized dial with its simple design remains an unrivalled style icon.
