IWC Schaffhausen Gift Guide: 5 Inspiring Watches That Will Last A Lifetime
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Whether to gift to a precious loved one or to reward yourself, celebrate the holidays, or mark an exceptional achievement, a watch with IWC‘s 154 years of horological passion and experience has earned its role in this memorable moment. Here are five IWC Schaffhausen watches to inspire your holiday gift-giving in 2022, from the elegant lines of Portofino to the high-performing chronographs of the Pilot’s collection to the iconic aesthetic of the Portugieser — IWC is all about a perfect gift that will last a lifetime.
Introduced just in time for the 2022 holiday season, the IWC Portofino Perpetual Calendar (Ref. IW344602 in 18k 5N gold, and Ref. IW344601 in stainless steel) is the collection’s new flagship model. Currently, the smallest perpetual calendar in IWC’s collections, the Portofino Perpetual Calendar — or PPC, as it is referred to in IWC enthusiast circles — measures just 40mm-wide, making for a truly timeless and effortlessly elegant presentation of Schaffhausen’s iconic complication. Peerless for its streamlined execution, the IWC perpetual calendar not only automatically adjusts itself for the length of each month, including February in leap years, but allows its wearer to set all its indications via the crown, without the use of finicky additional pushers. The smartest complication just got smarter, still, with the forever-stylish Portofino Perpetual Calendar.
A sporty-elegant chronograph comes as naturally to the Portofino as white tennis shoes or a drop-top Mercedes match the glistening shore of the Italian Riviera that lent its name to this impressive collection in 1984. Measuring 39mm-wide and presented in high-polished stainless steel, the Portofino Chronograph 39 (Ref. IW391502) looks fresh, yet ageless in this dual-pusher, dual-subdial configuration. A silver-plated dial, with stunning leaf-style hands and applied hour markers, and IWC’s trademark high-contrast legibility make for a design guaranteed to stand the test of time. The IWC-manufactured 69355 caliber and its traditional Côtes de Genève and perlage decorations are displayed by a sapphire crystal caseback, while a quick strap change system, also seen at the back, is there to make changing straps — and hence the style — of the Portofino Chronograph 39 easier than ever.
Limited to 55 pairs, the “Faction Studio 1 IWC Collab Ltd.” is a pair of skis hand-made in Austria in a 100% renewable energy factory. Engineered to the same specifications used by Faction for Eileen Gu’s skis, they can withstand the extreme forces generated by the world’s very best freeskiers — and it’s the first time they are manufactured with a luminescent design. The “LAKE TAHOE” and “IWC” letterings on the white topsheet glow in a greenish tone in the dark. To make for the ultimate holiday gift, each pair comes with the option to purchase the IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph TOP GUN Edition “Lake Tahoe” in white ceramic (Ref. IW389105). The Lake Tahoe version of the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph is presented in a 44.5mm-wide white ceramic case in combination with a purposeful, yet energetic black-and-white dial endowed with characteristic IWC design traits, such as the triangular 12 o’clock marker, the crisp white texts, and the aeronautical-inspired Arabic numerals. Combined with that crisp pair from Faction Skis, this is a set ready to perform from the freshwater depths of Lake Tahoe to the mountain ridges of the Alps.
Building on the success of the Spitfire chronographs of 2019, the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 (seen here as Ref. IW388104) has quickly become a staple in IWC’s classic collection. A narrow, yet complex bezel surrounds an extensive dial in rich green, with every must-have design feature of an IWC Pilot’s Watch very much in place, including the large numerals, wide “alpha” hands, as well as a day and date display at the 3 o’clock position. The case is matched to a beautifully finished steel bracelet on a marvel of engineering in itself, with polished bevels running along the outermost edge of every link, while vertically brushed and polished individual links follow each other in close succession. A micro-adjust system, neatly integrated into the clasp, and an easy-to-use EasX-CHANGE® system further enhance daily wear and versatility. Its IWC-manufactured 69385 self-winding caliber is safeguarded by the 100m water-resistant case.
Dating back to 1939 for the commissioning, and 1942 for the first deliveries, the Portugieser is another of IWC’s established and long-standing collections. With its unique combination of an extensive dial, ultra-thin bezel, and curved lugs, the Portugieser is instantly recognizable and timelessly beautiful all at the same time. The hand-applied numerals, seen here in dark blue, stand out against a bright white backdrop, lending the Portugieser dial its trademark sense of immense quality and exceptional refinement. Two pump-style pushers stand between polished, curved lugs and the crown — the latter etched with “IWC Probus Scafusia,” evoking the company’s Schaffhausen origins, “Scafusia,” and relentless pursuit of good, honest quality, “Probus.” The two sub-dials, standing at 12 and 6 o’clock, and a triplet of long, center-mounted hands drive the Portugieser design home on this IWC Portugieser Chronograph Ref. IW371620.
Beautifully diverse in their design and universally uncompromised in their quality of execution, it is over 150 years that IWC watches are being graciously gifted and proudly received. From the exceptionally smart perpetual calendar in the latest Portofino through the high-contrast aesthetic of the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Lake Tahoe to the instantly recognizable Portugieser, and many more, IWC invites you to discover its watches this holiday season.
The IWC Portofino Perpetual Calendar (Ref. IW344602 in 18k 5N gold) is priced at 34,000 Swiss francs; the IWC Portofino Chronograph 39 (Ref. IW391502) is priced at 7,100 Swiss francs; the IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph TOP GUN Edition “Lake Tahoe” in white ceramic (Ref. IW389105) is priced at 11,000 Swiss francs; the IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 (seen here as Ref. IW388104) is priced at 8,900 Swiss francs; and the IWC Portugieser Chronograph Ref. IW371620 is priced at 8,900 Swiss francs. To learn more, visit the brand’s website here.
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