When the idea was first hatched that we would work with IWC on auctioning a rare-in-this-condition Porsche Design by IWC Ocean 2000 ref 3504 for charity, a name quickly emerged as someone to consult with on the process. Carson Chan is not only the Head of Mission of Greater China for the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie (FHH), but he’s also an out and proud superfan of this collaboration between Porsche Design and IWC that was, as we explained in the last story, a victim of its outrageous success. Whenever we would speak about this particular watch, well before this opportunity arose, his excitement and energy level rose alarmingly. It’s only natural that now, barely 12 hours from the end of the auction of the Porsche Design by IWC Ocean 2000 ref 3504, that we unleash the geek beast in Carson, and give you a couple more — I would say fairly salient — reasons to take it off the market for a still-reasonable price. The bidding is currently at $9000AUD ($6400USD, a pinch really). The auction ends at midday tomorrow AEST. Once again, we wish all bidders luck. 1. What makes the Porsche Design by IWC Ocean 2000 ref 3504 a collectible… Read More
NEWS: We are auctioning a seriously cult-worthy watch for charity, the Porsche Design by IWC Ocean 2000
The Porsche Design by IWC Ocean 2000 ref 3504 is the kind of model that makes the experience of being into watches great again. But more about the watch later. Because the really great news is that we have one (in pretty extraordinary condition) to auction on eBay, from this morning. You can bid on the watch right now, here. The auction will run for the next seven days. All monies raised will go toward the vital work of Motor Neurone Disease (MND) Assocation of Victoria, an organisation dedicated to finding a cure for MND. “Until there is a cure, there is care,” their site promises. Anyone who has been touched by MND knows that it is a cruel, dehumanising disease whose usually slow progress is agonising for all involved. Needless to say, it is a worthy cause. And the cause is combined, in this effort, with a pretty incredible watch, as we said above, in pretty incredible condition. Once you scratch the cool, smooth, pebble-like titanium surface of the Ocean 2000 you are immediately drawn into a world of storytelling and mythology that has been nicely compacted by the 35-odd years since its release. This, in short, is a crush… Read More
VIDEO: 6 of the best new IWC watches from SIHH 2019
One of my highlights of SIHH every year is IWC – and not just because their booth is exceptional; this year it was dominated by an actual gleaming silver Spitfire. No, I like seeing IWC because the watches rarely disappoint, and this year was absolutely no exception. The Pilot’s collection is one of the brand’s iconic staples, and hugely popular in Australia (and, for that matter, around the world). And at SIHH it got some major new additions, mainly in the Spitfire and Top Gun sub families. Spitfire is the more retro of the two, and covered off the classics — a pitch-perfect 39mm automatic, a chronograph, a simpler Timezoner, a Big Pilot-cased perpetual and even a welcome return of the UTC. Now, while it’s easy to get caught up in the bronze cases and green dials on offer, for me the really big news is that the whole Spitfire family is now powered by in-house movements. Over in the Top Gun line, novel materials were the name of the game — with Ceratanium making an appearance on the Doppelchrono, and a gorgeous khaki ‘Mojave’ limited edition that I just can’t get out of my head. So, time to cue… Read More
HANDS-ON: The IWC Pilot’s Watch Double Chronograph Top Gun in Ceratanium
Materials innovation is looking like quite a thing in 2019 and for you, the watch buyers, that has to be good news: more aesthetic choices and (hopefully) better performance. Which brings us to IWC’s new Top Gun Double Chronograph Ceratanium. Ceratanium? It’s a naturally matt-black finish, but differs from PVD/DLC in one crucial respect: rather than a coating, it’s integral to the base material (its name being a contraction of ceramised and titanium). It’s the product of five years R&D within IWC, and is made by first milling the parts (case, pushers and crown) from a titanium alloy, then subjecting them to intense heat. The composition of the alloy triggers what IWC calls a “diffusion” process, which transforms the structure of the alloy’s surface into ceramic. The result is a best-of-both worlds material – as light and unbreakable as titanium, and as hard and scratch-resistant as ceramic. What’s more, being part of the material itself, the finish cannot chip or wear off as a coating might. To the eye it looks deeply black, with neither sheen nor texture, but seeming to absorb every last suggestion of light. In the hand, the watch feels light yet very substantial. Although Ceratanium isn’t… Read More
INTRODUCING: The IWC Pilot’s Watch Timezoner Spitfire Edition “The Longest Flight”
I love this time of year: the decorations, the food, the festivities, and, of course, the pre-SIHH announcements. And one brand that never fails to excite during this joyous season is IWC, with the Schaffhausen manufacturer gearing up for 2019 with the beginnings of what looks like another wonderful year for the Pilot’s watch. The first flight off the deck is this one, the IWC Pilot’s Watch Timezoner Spitfire Edition. Dedicated to the “Silver Spitfire – The Longest Flight” project, which next year will see a beautifully restored (and slickly chromed out) Supermarine Spitfire take off from London, covering more than 43,000 kilometres over several months on a round-the-world flight. Regular readers, and fans of IWC, will know that this isn’t the first model to bear the Spitfire, or for that matter, the Timezoner name. And this version is based on a chronograph we first saw back in 2016. However, this is the very first to combine IWC’s patented Timezoner mechanism with an entirely in-house made IWC movement – the calibre 82760 with automatic Pellaton winding, ceramic components, and a 60-hour power reserve. Essentially, the watch is a three-handed Pilot’s watch with a 24-hour display in the top half of… Read More
VIDEO: A classical beauty – IWC’s Portugieser Hand-Wound Eight Days Edition “150 Years”
When you’ve been around for 150 years you can afford to take the long view when it comes to the vagaries of fashion and trends, and start to take some perspective. Perhaps this is why IWC’s celebratory anniversary collection is jam-packed full of classics, like this Portugieser. A round gold watch in the classic style, with a beautifully simple dial design — Arabic numerals and leaf hands look the business, especially on the rich white lacquer dial that is a hallmark of the “150 years” limited editions. The only thing that bucks convention is the size — at 43mm, the case is a little on the large size for traditional tastes, but even then it fits into the narrative of the Portugieser, originally conceived as a pocket watch movement in a wristwatch. Really, though, what all this means is a watch that’s simple, and simply stunning. IWC Portugieser Hand-Wound Eight Days Edition “150 Years” Australian pricing and availability IWC Portugieser Hand-Wound Eight Days Edition “150 Years”, limited to 250 pieces, $27,100
HANDS-ON: Big-hearted – the IWC Portofino Hand-Wound Moon Phase
Few things are as tactile and pleasing as manually winding a watch, and I’ve got to say the levels of satisfaction achieved in watching the power reserve indicator on this plus-sized Portofino are pretty intense. On one level it’s because there’s a lot of winding to be had, thanks to the eight days of power, but partially I think the joy is simply because this large 45mm red gold watch just feels great — heavy, substantial and downright powerful. At its heart, the Portofino is a dressy watch. Simple, refined, with a curvaceous case inspired by the pocket watches of yore. But the Portofino Hand-Wound Moon Phase is no diminutive dress option. It’s as bold as a Big Pilot, but still somehow delicate. The expansive dial looks wonderful in shimmering slate grey — a colour that pairs exceptionally well with the red gold hands, markers and case, and manages to encompass the diverse displays of moonphase, sub-seconds, date and power reserve without looking cluttered or busy. No mean feat. For me, though, what I like most about this watch isn’t visible from the front – it’s the big, beating heart of the watch, the mighty Calibre 59800, which makes the… Read More
IN-DEPTH: Perfectly suited to summer – the IWC Portugieser Yacht Club Chronograph
The story in a second: The sportiest member of the Portugieser family is busy living its best life. IWC’s Portugieser family is, large diameter aside, a fairly dressy affair. Classic style, leaf hands, all that jazz. It’s the classic business watch. Except, of course, for the Portugieser Yacht Club Chronograph, a watch that is business casual at best. The Yacht Club Chronograph is a timepiece in tune with its fun side, the sort of watch that can transition seamlessly from business to party. And looks great doing it. The dial Slate grey, which is the formal name of this dial, hardly sounds exciting. But the proof, as they say, is in the pudding. This dial is rich in detail and generally stunning. While the base of the dial is a rich slate sunburst, it’s all the other rich details that take it to the next level. The applied golden Arabic numerals, the printed white railroad chapter with luminous dots every hour, the deep black chronograph registers, and the classic leaf-shaped hands, which are — unusually for a Portugieser — filled with luminous material. I’m also quite partial to that red chronograph seconds hand, though I’d happily do without the ‘Yacht… Read More
