The Portuguese meter (Portuguese timepiece) is one of the most popular watches of IWC, and everyone is familiar with it. But what you may not know is that IWC Portugal has been launched for more than 20 years. Although IWC has introduced new models and produced many new models in various series today, IWC has not changed its Portuguese meter, and it is one of the most worthy watches for IWC. And a big reason to buy is exactly the same.
IWC
IWC Portugal was launched in 1998
The Portuguese series is one of the deepest in the history of IWC. In 1939, IWC introduced the Portuguese series. According to legend, in 1939, two Portuguese businessmen found IWC, hoping that IWC would make them a high-precision marine watch. So IWC produced a watch with a steel case, large size, easy to read, and a manual pocket watch movement (IWC 74 movement). This is the birth of the Portuguese series. You can understand the historical story.
Portugal in the 1950s
In 1998, IWC introduced the Portuguese Chronometer, the Portuguese meter that everyone is familiar with today. In fact, the Portuguese meter’s chasing needle was earlier than the Portuguese meter. However, the Portuguese meter chasing needles were too complicated and the market was small. IWC subsequently issued a conventional automatic chronograph, the Portuguese meter. From 1998 to today, the appearance of the Portuguese meter has remained unchanged and is very rare.
Portuguese meter has not changed since its birth
Today’s watches are just like cars. Various brands are changing models very quickly. They changed their face within a few years. The old models stopped production and launched a new generation. Players familiar with IWC should know that a few years ago, IWC implemented a policy of updating a series every year. I remember very well that the engineer was updated in 2013, the marine timepiece was updated in 2014, Portugal in 2015, pilot in 2016, and Da Vinci in 2017. With each update, the watch changes greatly. For example, Mark 17 to Mark 18, new marine timepieces, Da Vinci, and engineers, compared with the previous generation, the appearance has changed. Later, IWC may realize that watches are not fashionable and fast-selling. They should remain classic and should not change frequently. So you can see that in the past two years, IWC has launched new models on the basis of classic models, keeping the classic style.
The most popular gold and blue needle Portuguese meters on the market
And for more than 20 years, the Portuguese watch has not changed in appearance, in the context of changes in each watch, it has become the most famous and iconic watch of IWC.
Portuguese meter is a very good watch
High face value has always been a great advantage of IWC. The design of 20 years ago is in one step and does not require any modification. The Portuguese meter fully shows the design level of IWC.
The Portuguese meter has a size of 40.9 mm and a thickness of 12.6 mm. The size of 40.9 mm is very modest. IWC has grasped the trend of big watches well 20 years ago, and the design is very clever. The size of 40.9 mm is a medium size in today’s men’s watches, but in order to make the watch visually larger, the Portuguese meter uses a very narrow bezel. Some people even say that this watch is simply ‘no’ bezel. In this way, the Portuguese dial meter accounted for a very large proportion, visually increasing the size of the watch. At the same time, the thickness of the Portuguese meter is 12.6 mm. As a self-winding chronograph, 12.6 mm, not thick. Coupled with the moderate size of 40.9 mm, the case size of the Portuguese meter is very accurate.
IWC Portuguese watch has a very narrow bezel
On the case treatment, the Portuguese meter is polished on the bezel edges, lugs, and bottom of the case, and the middle part of the case is brushed in a large area. From the handling of the watch, you can see that both luxury and certain pragmatism have been taken into account (large area brushing can cover small scratches).
The high value of Portuguese meter is due to the high level of the design of the plate. Among the three major chronographs of Portugal, Portuguese meter, flying meter and cypress meter, the dial of Portuguese meter is the most balanced and harmonious. In fact, everybody also knows that the Portuguese movement, the flying gauge, and the Cypress meter use the same movement (essentially 7750). Among them, the Portuguese gauge has modified the position of the movement timing dial. Both the femto and cypress are 3-eye counters, plus a weekly calendar. The Portuguese counter is a 2-eye chronograph, 30 minutes at 12 o’clock, and the small second dial at 6 o’clock, which is symmetrical up and down without any burden (there is a record pattern decoration in the binocular chronograph). IWC’s LOGO is written at 3 o’clock, and the English automatic time is written at 9 o’clock. The dial is flat and stable, and they are completely symmetrical.
The IWC’s dial is very symmetrical and harmonious.
There are several types of Portuguese dials, including gold, blue, and silver, and dials include white, black, and blue. The most famous of these are gold and blue needles. The Portuguese dial hour markers and small dot scales are three-dimensional (except for the 150th anniversary edition). With the slender willow pointer, you can notice that the end of the minute hand is curved downwards, with retro characteristics. In addition, there is a circle of chronograph scale on the edge of the disk, which adds a little sense of movement to the Portuguese meter.
IWC
In terms of movement, the Portuguese meter uses the 79350 movement, which is the 7750 improved by IWC. Personally, I have always been less concerned about the universal movement or the self-produced movement. Because I use a universal movement, including 2892, 7750 IWC, I bought many. Regardless of whether it is a Mark Feimeter or a Cypress Portuguese meter, the movement is very reliable and accurate, and can reach the level of the observatory. This Portuguese meter is stable for 1 second every day, very satisfied. On the contrary, I recently bought a watch that is famous for its self-produced movement. After buying it, I found that the travel time is very poor. I go a lot slower every day, can be more than 10 seconds slower. When I wear it for a few days, the watch is obviously very slow. Official warranty (not Lau, Ou, Lau and Ou have always been more accurate). Compared to general-purpose movements or self-produced movements, I value reliability and precision more. Some brands of self-produced movements are unreliable, it is better to use a universal movement.
Calibre 79240 (above) used by IWC before 2007 and caliber 79350 (below). Only the rhodium plating process is different.
The Portuguese meter currently uses the 79350 movement with 31 gem bearings and 44 hours of power. Before 2007, the Portuguese meter used the 79240 movement, in fact the 79350 and 79240 were 7750, but now the 79350 plywood is rhodium plated.
The Portuguese meter is a solid bottom cover.
IWC started replacing self-produced movements on entry models in the past two years, using 69000 series self-produced timing movements, and replacing 79000 series general-purpose movements. But at present, the largest conventional versions of Portuguese meters, Cypress meters, and flying meters still use 79000 series movements. The self-produced 69000 series movement is now only used in the 150th anniversary edition Portuguese meter, some pilot branch series, and engineer timing. Buy Portuguese meters, including the regular version of the Fei Ji, Bai Ji, do not worry too much about the movement, because the regular version has not changed the movement.
Some special versions of the Portuguese meter, in which the green plate above is a customized prototype table.
The public price of the universal steel shell Portuguese meter is 54800. This public price is also on the regular price of mainstream watches, but like Cartier, you need to pay attention that IWC is now in the global scope, and it is better to control the discount. I am very impressed. About last year, after IWC tightened its discounts, the market price of Portugal also went up. Coupled with the relatively large demand, the Portuguese meter has always been a relatively strong hot watch of the IWC. Of course, IWC Portuguese meter, Fei Ji, Bai Ji, these three brothers are very suitable for daily wear watches, Fei Ji, Bai Ji lower public price, you can choose according to the actual price.
PS. Finally, there is a full set of pictures to verify the body