iw376703 von iwc

IWC has just introduced a limited edition skeleton version of their popular Portuguese timepiece. This limited edition timepiece was created as a tribute to the founder of IWC, F.A. Jones. The round Portuguese case is made of 18K rose gold or 950 Platinum. It is powered by a hand wound IWC Calibre 98910 movement, that allows precise adjustment of the escapement (due to a long index regulator). The movement has decorative elements based on the historical Jones caliber from the beginning of IWC. The movement and dial are fully hand skeletonized, creating not only a working timepiece, but also a work of art.The Portuguese F.A. Jones Squelette is available in a limited edition of 100 pieces in rose gold and 50 pieces in platinum.Retail $43,000/$58,000 (Rose Gold/Platinum)Source: IWC

IWC Portuguese F.A Jones Squelette (Ref. 544205 and Ref. 544206)The IWC Portuguese F.A Jones Squelette skeletonized watch is equipped with a rare Caliber 98910 manual-wind movement, which is based on a vintage pocket watch caliber developed almost 135 years ago.This is not the only IWC Portuguese, which is dedicated to a certain F.A. Jones of Boston, Massachusetts, who founded the International Watch Company back in 1868. Earlier this year, at SIHH 2010 international trade show, the Swiss manufacturer also introduced their IWC Portuguese Tourbillon Manual-Wind watch (Ref. IW5447) that sported an “F.A.Jones” facsimile counterweighting the visual bulkiness of the tourbillon complication.Although, for some a known reason, most blogs tend to pitch the IWC Portuguese F.A Jones Squelette as a “new” watch, it is not so.The model in question was introduced more than five years ago exclusively for IWC Boutiques and was delivered in platinum (50 units, $58,000, Ref. 544205) and red gold (100 units, $43,000, Ref. 544206) versions.The watch is, probably, not selling terribly well, so the Swiss watchmaker’s PR department must have decided to draw some attention to the beautiful timepiece.The watch is powered by the IWC Caliber 98910 hand-wound movement, which, judging by the looks of it, is directly related to the vintage F.A. Jones movement from the 1870s that was the first in the brand’s history and is still used in some of IWC watches. As just about everyone already copy-pasted from IWC’s PR blurb, the movement’s main point of interest is that it employs an elongated index to regulate the balance hairspring.If you are into skeletonized watches and have financial means, then you should probably hurry to get one, since the timepiece is about to become a horological rarity.