Hands-On With The IWC Portofino Hand-Wound Eight Days

There’s a good reason why IWC felt it should make the Portofino Hand-Wound Eight Days the flagship of the Portofino family. And that reason would be the in-house 59210-calibre movement, featuring an eight day power reserve

The complication has always been one of my favorites, as I find it to be one of the most useful on a day-to-day basis. Especially when it’s coupled with a date display such as the one found at 3 o’clock. The combination, which takes center stage in the Portofino Hand-Wound Eight Days, makes it very easy for the wearer to count the days until he or she needs to wind the watch back up.

The watch measures a sporty 45mm, but on the wrist, it remains one of IWC’s most classically elegant watches. While the brand continues to push the boundaries in terms of technology and materials, most notably with the F1 inspired Ingénieur Chronographs, the Portofino Hand-Wound Eight Days offers a great alternative for the nostalgic collector. The Roman numerals in particular, hint at the line’s illustrious past.

Turn over the watch, and you’ll be able to appreciate the finishing on the in-house 59210-calibre movement which powers the 8-day movement. Specifically developed for the Portofino Hand-Wound Eight Days in 2011, it caused quite the stir because of its size, reliability, and because it was the first hand-wound movement from Schaffhausen with an eight-day power reserve.

The watch is available in a gold case with a slate-coloured or silver-plated dial and solid gold indices, or in a stainless-steel case with a silver-plated, black or blue dial with gold- or rhodium-plated indices. All models have a transparent sapphire-glass back and alligator leather straps by Santoni.

My prefered option is Ref. IW510103 which features a stainless steel case and a silver-plated dial with solid gold indices. It’s an atypical association in the 21st century, so when it works, you know you have a special piece in front of you!

Photo Credit: Marion May for Haute Time. For more information, please visit the official IWC website.

Like Haute Time? Join our Facebook page or follow us on Twitter @hautetime