iwc schaffhausen chronograph rattrapante international

SIHH 2010: IWC Portuguese Perpetual Calendar (Ref. IW5023)The Swiss brand has once again updated its gorgeous IWC Portuguese Perpetual Calendar range extending the line with three extra model and two choices of metal (now you can get it in red gold and white gold, too).The most appealing to yours truly is the model ref. IW5023 with its traditional moon phase display and a perfect combination of blue dial and white gold case reminding of a frozen blue flame.Powered by the same Calibre 51613 automatic movement as the earlier iterations of the model, the IWC Portuguese Perpetual Calendar Ref. IW5023 features the same complex functionality perfectly displaying current day, date, day of week, month, four digit year and moon phase.The only disadvantage of this movement is that it will need date correction on February 28, 2100, but that is hardly a problem, unless you plan to live another 90 years.

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.