IWC  Portofino  Watches

The IWC Portofino collection helped establish the sophisticated and timeless image of IWC Schaffhausen. The uncomplicated look of these Swiss watches has its own unique appeal that is both elegant and classic. With a variety of luxurious combinations of colors and materials, there is no doubt why the IWC Portofino collection remains one of the most sought-after timepieces from the Swiss watch company. 

IWC Portofino: Sleek and Classic Dress Watches

For over three decades, the IWC Portofino collection has been an ideal model of fine elegance. It captures the lavish aura of the Middeteranian with its muted yet luxurious-looking timepieces. Some watches in this collection are adorned with precious diamonds that embody the picturesque village in Italy. The sleek hands and indexes along with the smooth round cases, clean looking dials, and gold, stainless steel, leather, or suede straps make it an excellent dress watch or a lounging timepiece. With its classic look, it has been one of the most sought-after collections of IWC.

Prices at a glance: Most Popular IWC Portofino Watches

How much does an IWC Portofino watch cost? 

Prices for the IWC Portofino Automatic Watches

The automatic line of the IWC Portofino collection is probably the most minimalist watch in the bunch. Unlike a mechanical watch that needs manual winding, an automatic timepiece offers the convenience of operating on its own through kinetic energy coming from the wearer’s movements. 

Looking at the dial, you will see that the 6 and 12 o’clock hour marks are in Roman numerals while the rest are marked by a thin line. The minimalist dial has Arabic numerals on top that indicate the number of minutes. In addition to that, there is a date window at the 3 o’clock mark and the word “AUTOMATIC” is displayed at 6 o’clock.

The Portofino Automatic IW356523 has a stainless steel case, black alligator leather strap, and a convex sapphire glass with an anti-reflective coating on both sides. It has gold hands and indexes that pop out on top of its beautiful deep blue dial, making it look extra luxurious. With its 42-hour power reserve and 3 bar (30m) water resistance, you can take this stunning timepiece with you on your next vacation trip. This 40mm watch is priced at $4,700 USD.

For a more feminine touch, the Portofino Automatic 34 IW357406 boasts an 18K 5N gold case that is embellished with 92 alluring diamonds. Compared to the previous model mentioned that has a thickness of 9.2mm, this one has a thinner profile of just 8.6mm, making it perfect on women’s wrists. The black Santoni-made alligator leather strap can be easily replaced with a different color thanks to the IWC bracelet quick-change system. For a timepiece this exquisite, it will cost you $19,900 USD.

Prices for the IWC Portofino Chronograph Models

Regardless of the addition of three subdials on its face, the IWC Portofino Chronograph line remains elegant and pleasing to the eyes. The stopwatch feature of chronograph watches is the main reason why it is adored by countless watch enthusiasts.

Portofino Chronograph watches have a 12-hour counter at 6 o’clock, a 30-minute counter at 12 o’clock, and a seconds counter at 9 o’clock. On top of that, there is a day and date display feature on its 3 o’clock mark. The numbers 12 and 30 on the subdials are in a contrasting shade of red so that they stand out and can be easily differentiated. 

The Portofino Chronograph IW391028 has an antireflective convex sapphire glass, a silver-plated dial and a stainless steel case, making it look seamless and almost monochromatic. It has a 44-hour power reserve and a 3 bar (30m) water resistance as well. The push buttons on the side add a sporty yet chic element to the timepiece. This 42mm watch that comes with a 60’s inspired Milanaise mesh stainless steel bracelet is priced at $6,800 USD. For an alligator leather strap, it will cost you about $5,800 USD.

If a more lavish look is desired, this Portofino Chronograph is also available in an 18K 5N gold case with a choice of either a blue or white dial. This costs around $16,800 USD.

Prices for the IWC Portofino Moon Phase Models

The Moon Phase timepieces from the IWC Portofino collection feature its moon display at the 12 o’clock mark. The Portofino Automatic Moon Phase IW459402 with a stainless steel case and black alligator leather strap has a 42-hour power reserve and water resistance of 3 bar (30m). It measures 40mm and has silver indexes and rhodium-plated hands that go beautifully with the blue dial. The matching silver moon and stars complement the whole look. The price of this beautiful IWC Portofino is $6,900 USD.

For a smaller and more exquisite watch, you can go for the Portofino Automatic IW459010 model, which only measures 37mm. Just like the IW459402, it also has a 42-hour power reserve and water resistance of 3 bar (30m). What is special about this watch besides its moon phase feature is that it is bejeweled with 66 diamonds on its bezel and 12 stunning stones on the indexes. Not only that, its case and Milanaise mesh bracelet are made with 18K 5N gold. A watch this breathtaking is priced at $37,900 USD.

Prices for the IWC Portofino Hand-Wound Watches

What sets the IWC Portofino Hand-Wound apart from the rest is that it boasts a 192-hour power reserve. With the help of an indicator located at 9 o’clock, you will be notified when the watch needs to be wound again as it has labels 8, 6 , 4, 2, and 0 which shows how many days you have left. There is a seconds subdial at 6 o’clock and a date display feature at 3 o’clock. What’s more, the watches have a see-through sapphire glass caseback.

The IWC Portofino Hand-Wound IW510115 has a monochromatic look due to its slate-grey dial paired with a matching grey suede strap. The only pops of color are the dainty red bar between 2 and 0 and the red 60 written in Arabic for the seconds display. It comes in a stainless steel case measuring 45mm and has a water resistance of 3 bar or 30 meters. This costs around $9,700 USD. A more luxurious option would be the IWC Portofino Hand-Wound IW510104 as it has an 18K 5N gold case and solid gold indexes. To wrap up the sophisticated look, it comes in a dark-brown alligator leather strap by Santoni. This watch is priced at $19,800 USD. 

Prices for the IWC Portofino Tourbillon Models

Similar to the Hand-Wound line, the IWC Portofino Tourbillon has a 192-hour power reserve. In addition to that, it also has an 8-day indicator at the 3 o’clock mark. For the date, it uses a unique feature wherein as opposed to the usual rotating date, it has a retrograde date display. This features a curved line with numbers and bars from 1 to 31 indicating the date. It automatically jumps back to 1 at the start of every month. For months that have less than 31 days, it can be advanced rapidly. 

The star feature of this timepiece is the visible tourbillon located at its 6 o’clock mark. This tourbillon allows the time of this watch to be set precisely down to the very second. Plus it adds a very interesting and unique touch to the timepiece.

It has an 18K 5N gold case measuring 45mm with a silver-plated dial, a see-through sapphire glass back, and a dark brown alligator leather strap by Santoni. This truly remarkable watch is priced at $58,000 USD.

Prices for the IWC Portofino Perpetual Calendar Series

Perpetual Calendar watches are unquestionably one of the most intriguing timepieces as they typically show the month, date, day, year, and moon phase. IWC released their own version of this back in 1989 with the IWC Portofino Ref. 3541 and IWC Portofino Ref. 2050 Romana Perpetual Calendar Platinum in 1995. Both watches are already discontinued and can only be bought second-hand. 

The Ref. 3541 has an 18K yellow gold case and measures 35mm. The moon phase is at 12 o’clock, the date is at 3 o’clock, the month is at 6 o’clock, the day is at 9 o’clock and the year is between 7 and 8 o’clock. This automatic watch costs around $6,800 USD to $9,435 USD, depending on its condition.

While the Ref. 3541 has lines for indexes, the Ref. 2050 features Roman numerals. It also has a two-digit year indicator as opposed to the Ref. 3541 that has four-digits. With a thickness of just 6mm, this 36mm timepiece was the world’s slimmest perpetual calendar watch at the time. A second hand would cost you around  $8,500 USD.

Prices for the IWC Portofino Limited Editions

The IWC Portofino Automatic Edition “1881 Heritage Boutique” is a special model from the automatic line. It has an engraving on the back of the timepiece featuring the 1881 Heritage building in Hong Kong. From 1885 to 1907, this building was the headquarters of the Marine Police. Every 1PM, it would drop a mounted ball in its Time Ball Tower to notify ships to recalibrate their chronometers. Today, it has become an establishment housing numerous luxury brands including IWC. In fact, this certain watch is only sold at IWC’s boutique. 

Similar to the rest of the watches from the automatic line, it has a power reserve of 42 hours, a water resistance of 30m, and a date display feature on its 3 o’clock mark. The 40mm timepiece has an 18K 5N gold case, gold-plated hands, and silver-plated dial. Paired with its dark brown alligator leather strap, this notable timepiece adds an elegant touch to your outfits. 

Vintage IWC Portofino: Is it a Good Investment?

The very first timepiece in the Portofino line is IWC Portofino Ref. 5251. It is a moon phase watch with an 18K yellow gold case and a white dial with beautiful Breguet-style hands and Roman numeral indexes. On its 9 o’clock mark is a seconds subdial and on its 3 o’clock mark is the moon phase feature showing a gold moon against a dark blue sky background. The cursive “International Watch Co. Schaffhausen” makes the watch look more vintage and the open back with a sapphire crystal caseback allows you to see the intricate movements inside. Measuring at 46mm, it was quite a bold watch back in the 1980s yet despite its large size, it remained a classic with its sleek and slim details and clean, easy-on-the-eye dial. It is suspected that only 350 pieces of this model were produced making it a rare IWC timepiece and would be a great addition to any watch aficionado’s collection. Depending on its condition, a second-hand would cost around $5,000 USD to $7,000 USD. Some can stretch up to $17,000.00 USD.

History Behind the IWC Portofino Collection

IWC created the Portofino collection in 1984. Inspired by the 1970s Lépine pocket watch, the IWC Portofino collection started with a large 46mm case, which was an uncommon size at the time. Thus, it was tagged as the “Giant Portofino”. The pocket-watch-style wristwatch was influenced by and named after the beautiful fishing village of Portofino located on the Italian Riviera Coastline. It is known for its picturesque scenery and expensive lifestyle fit for elites. 

From the first time it was released up until now, the Portofino collection retained its elegant look with rounded cases, thin hands, sleek indexes, and neat dials. With the timelessness of the Portofino collection, it has been admired by watch enthusiasts, both men and women alike, all over the world.  

5 Reasons to Buy an IWC Portofino Watch

If you are someone who loves the posh yet laid-back aura of the Mediterranean or if you love going on cruises, you should definitely check out the IWC Portofino collection. Here are the reasons why you should get one for yourself:

1. Timeless and elegant, perfect for formal occasions, the IWC Portofino can also be dressed down for more casual looks.

2. Women’s watches that are embellished with precious stones and expensive diamonds still look sophisticated unlike others that look loud and cluttered.

3. Special or limited-edition watches have unique engravings on the back depending on what it is celebrated for, definitely must collect timepieces.

4. IWC Portofino watches are high-quality Swiss luxury timepieces made with the finest materials.

5. The Hand-Wound and Tourbillon series have an impressive power reserve of 192 hours. 

Famous Patrons of the IWC Portofino

The annual star-studded Golden Globe Awards is yet another excuse for celebrities to go all-out and flaunt their thousands of dollars worth of outfits. Of course, other than the gowns and suits and ties, jewelry and timepieces are the details that complete an ensemble. 

Spotted at the 76th Golden Globe Awards is The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story actor, Darren Chris, sporting a classic Portofino Automatic Ref. IW356501. He won for Best Performance by an Actor in a Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television award. Nominee James Van Der Beek, on the other hand, wore a Portofino Hand-Wound Eight Days Ref. IW510104.

IWC Portofino: A Luxury Dress Watch for All Occasions 

Even though the IWC Portofino is the simplest collection of the Swiss watch brand, it is a versatile timepiece due to its timeless and simple look. It has an aesthetic of its own that sits well among men and women. With its superb quality and designs, the IWC Portofino is definitely a watch worth investing in.