IWC PORTUGIESER PERPETUAL CALENDAR 42

Slender and svelte, the new for 2020 IWC Portugieser Perpetual Calendar 42 models will be perfectly at home under a tailored cuff, but mechanically-speaking they still pack a punch.

This year, IWC have singled out their Portugieser Collection for attention and have unveiled a veritable selection of excellent new models, among them this 42.4mm case Perpetual Calendar piece.

IWC enthusiasts will be familiar with the marque’s finesse for creating complex calendar timepieces. However, in order to equip this smaller case edition with the complication, they had to introduce it into their 82000 family of calibres. So inside and out, this is a debut model of sorts.

While the Portugieser Perpetual Calendar 42 still exhibits the broad cleanly-styled dial which the collection is known for, due to its marginally more petite width, it has three sub-dials instead of four.

On each side, the date and day/leap year indications balance each other at the 3 o’clock and 9 o’clock. On the lower dial, the month combines with an eye-pleasing moonphase. With Portugieser models you expect unfussyness, and this model adheres to this styling code. With only a trio of indications, diminutive numerals and skinny hands, it manages to retain plenty of face-on, flat-dialed bareness.

As stated, IWC are experts when it comes to calendar complications and they have been since the 1980s when Kurt Klaus developed their Perpetual Calendar module. Still largely in use today by IWC this ingenious device has the ability to even out the quirks of the Gregorian calendar, and once set will need no further intervention until March 1st 2100 - and only then because this will be a secular year and not, as ruled by the Gregorian calendar, be a leap year. Notably the moonphase is also synchronised with to the moon with such precision that it will only deviate from its actual phase by just one day after 577.5 years.

The piece is powered by the in-house Calibre 82650, which uses the Calibre 82000 as a base. Despite the energy needed for the multitude of indications, it is equipped with a 60 hour power reserve thanks to Albert Pellaton’s ultra-smooth and precise winding mechanism, which is mechanically restricted to ensure constant accuracy. Featuring a solid gold winding rotor, which has been skeletonised, the movement can be fully appreciated through the sapphire caseback.

The IWC Portugieser Perpetual Calendar 42 will be available in three editions. The boutique-only model has a blue dial and an18ct rose gold case, while IWC authorised retailers will be stocking the stainless steel or 18ct rose gold case editions which both have silver-plated dials. All models come presented on alligator leather straps.

Fact File IWC Portugieser Perpetual Calendar 42

REFERENCE: IW344203 Stainless steel case and silver-plated dial, IW344202 18ct rose gold case and silver-plated dial and IW344205 - boutique only 18ct rose gold case with blue dial.
MANUFACTURER: IWC
CASE: Stainless steel or 18ct rose gold
SIZE: ø 42.4mm x 13.8mm
DIAL: Silver-plated dial with gold-plated hands and appliques for steel case edition; silver-plated dial with gold-plated hands and 18ct gold appliques for rose gold edition; boutique edition available with blue dial and gold-plated hands and 18ct. gold appliques.
MOVEMENT: Swiss automatic IWC in-house Calibre 82650, 28,800vph; Pellaton winding system, solid gold skeletonised rotor.
FUNCTIONS: Hours, minutes, seconds, perpetual calendar with day, date, month, leap year and moonphase.
POWER RESERVE: 60 hours
BRACELET/STRAP: Blue, brown or black alligator leather strap
BUCKLE: Metal buckle to match case
WATERPROOF RATING: 30m