Last month, IWC Schaffhausen celebrated its 150th anniversary, and to mark the monumental occasion, the Swiss giant unveiled a special Jubilee Collection at the SIHH watch fair in Geneva. Featuring a total of 27 limited-edition watches – including additions to the Portofino and Da Vinci lines – this diverse range has something for every aficionado of horology.
All watches in the collection – from the most basic to the most complicated – are unified via a classic design template which consists of an imprinted dial in white or blue (an effect which results from 12 layers of high-quality lacquer being flat-polished, brushed and imprinted several times), a special treatment for the hands (while the white dials are designed with blued hands, the blue dials are paired with rhodium-plated hands) and a black alligator leather strap that can be worn with either a tux or an everyday suit. To finish off the case, each model is designed with the “150 Years” insignia.
Here are our highlights from the collection:
IWC Tribute to Pallweber Edition "150 Years"
This model is IWC’s first wristwatch to feature a jumping numeral module as well as the digital hours and minute display (which used large numerals on rotating discs) that originally appeared on the 1884 Pallweber pocket watches – a feature which was considered revolutionary at the time.
25 watches will be available in platinum, 250 in red gold and 500 in stainless steel.
Portugieser Constant-Force Tourbillon Edition "150 Years"
Five limited-edition models have been added to the Portugieser line, but our personal highlight is the Portugieser Constant-Force Tourbillon – a watch that’s combined a perpetual single moon phase display with a constant-force tourbillon for the first time. One of the most technically advanced timepieces on the market, it also comprises a power reserve of 96 hours, and its moon phase display only needs to be adjusted by one day after 557.7 years – a task that your future progeny will have to worry about.
50 watches will be available in either platinum with a white dial or platinum with a blue dial
Portofino Hand-Wound Moon Phase Edition “150 Years”
Simplistic in design but complicated in function, this watch combines a classic Portofino Hound-Wound Eight Days with a moon phase display. The model to the left is a standout, having been made with gold-plated hands, moon and stars as well as a blue dial with lacquered finish.
150 watches will be available in red gold and 350 in stainless steel (either a blue dial or a white dial)
Big Pilot’s Watch Annual Calendar Edition “150 Years”
One of three additions to the Pilot’s Watch line, this is the only model with an annual calendar. It has an American-format display for the months, date and day in three separate windows on the dial, it comes with wear-proof ceramic components and wearers only have to adjust it once a year at the end of February.
100 watches will be available
Additions to the Da Vinci Collection
Two limited-edition models have been added to the Da Vinci range. First, the Da Vinci Automatic, which is made with small seconds at “6 o’clock” and is the first product to feature ICW’s new 82200 calibre. Also available is the Da Vinci Automatic Moon Phase 36 whose case and moving lugs are paved with 206 pure white diamonds.
250 watches will be made in red gold and 500 in stainless steel for The Automatic Edition, while 50 models will be made in either 18-carat white gold or 18-carat red gold for the Automatic Moon Phase.
Want more watches? Here are 8 timepieces we want from this year’s SIHH
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