The Portuguese was born in the 1930s from an unusual request: two Portuguese merchants wanted a wristwatch with the precision of a marine chronometer. IWC responded by creating a timepiece of unprecedented proportions for the time, elegant yet inspired by the ergonomics and legibility of nautical instruments.
Over the years, the model became a cornerstone of the Schaffhausen-based brand, symbolizing a perfect balance between technology and classicism. The chronograph version, introduced in the 1990s, reinterpreted that tradition with modern grace, preserving the original purity but enriching it with dynamism and movement.
Today, the ref. IW371401 remains perhaps the most iconic of the contemporary versions: understated, balanced, and capable of embodying the idea of functional elegance that has always defined IWC. A watch designed for those who recognize beauty in precision and modernity in simplicity.
The IWC Portuguese Chronograph is one of the most balanced creations of modern Swiss watchmaking: a timepiece that combines technical rigor and visual poetry in a form as essential as it is harmonious.
The polished steel case, with a generous yet perfectly proportioned diameter, encloses a silver dial of rare purity. The thin blued steel hands and the symmetrical minute and second counters create an elegant and immediate graphic, almost as if to restore the measurement of time to its purest essence.
The automatic movement, visible through the sapphire crystal case back, reflects the precision and understated engineering for which IWC is known. Nothing is superfluous, nothing is excessive: every element serves to ensure readability and balance.
This piece, in excellent condition and complete with its original accessories, retains all the discreet presence that has made the Portuguese Chronograph a benchmark for enthusiasts. A watch that stands out not for its fanfare, but for its calm authority.
