INTRODUCING: IWC give their Portugieser Automatic 40 a salmon makeover
Zach Blass- IWC introduces a sunburst salmon dial to Portugieser 40 collection
- Salmon-coloured dials are a fan-favourite amongst watch enthusiasts
- It will first be available exclusively in the UAE as of February and then available worldwide as of April
SALMON! The dial colour strikes a particular chord with watch enthusiasts, perhaps most largely attributed to the fact it offers a vintage sensibility. I will not speculate on why salmon gets watch collectors revved up with excitement, at least not right now, but if any watch brand wants to help one of their references get a ton of attention with watch collectors, bringing a salmon dial into the equation will definitely do the job. And IWC Watches Arabia has done just that with the Portugieser Automatic 40, which will be sold exclusively in the UAE this month and worldwide by April.
The Portugieser Automatic 40 is the epitome of a modern dress watch in framework, but the Portugieser is all about oversized dockside elegance. By todays standards, 40mm, or close to 40mm, is by no means oversized. But, when the Portugieser was born, it certainly was for its time – the objective to present the utmost legibility
As I once explained: The IWC Portugieser is a collection rooted in both class and utility. It was an elegant solution, originally presented in 1939, due to demand for a marine-deck chronometer experience that could be translated into a wristwatch. It was oversized for its time – a rather sporty characteristic – but still every bit as elegant as its more compact peers and the watch proved to be a success with gentleman overseeing docks and other nautical prospects. Legibility and accuracy are the two central pillars of the Portugieser line, and over the years IWC has changed very little of its winning formula.
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The stainless-steel case remains 40.4mm in diameter, 12.3mm thick, 49mm lug-to-lug, and 30 metres water-resistant. Of course the new attraction here is a radiant sunburst salmon dial. It is sporty in size, but dressy and elegant in aesthetic. The rhodium-plated central leaf handset and applied hour indices do not incorporate luminous material whatsoever. In tandem with the salmon hue, the railroad outer minutes track and railroad small seconds track really drive the vintage sensibilities home – the only modernised element its finish which is sunburst rather than matte.
With a lug width of 20mm, there will be plenty of factory and aftermarket straps to explore for this IWC Portugieser Automatic 40 Salmon. Inside, visible beneath an exhibition caseback, the IWC-manufacture automatic calibre 8220 is nicely, albeit industrially, decorated with circular striping and perlage, and offers 65 hours of power reserve. I have yet to hold this particular reference in hand, but I have had a chance to engage with the Portugieser Automatic 40 “in the metal” before. As IWC continues to expand the colourways of one of their staple collections, the offering only gets more and more rock solid an I imagine this will become a huge seller for them when it hits stores worldwide in April.
IWC Portugieser Automatic 40 IW358313 pricing and availability:
The IWC Portugieser Automatic 40 IW358313 will first be available exclusively in the UAE as of February 2023 and then available worldwide as of April 2023 through IWC boutiques, authorised retail partners, or online at IWC.com. Price: A$11,100 / US$7,450
| Brand | IWC |
| Model | Portugieser Automatic 40 IW358313 |
| Case Dimensions | 40.4mm (D) x 12.3mm (T) x 49mm (L2L) |
| Case Material | Stainless steel |
| Water Resistance | 30m |
| Dial | Salmon sunburst dial |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire crystal and exhibition caseback |
| Bracelet/Strap | 20mm black leather strap |
| Movement | Automatic IWC manufacutred 8220 |
| Power Reserve | 60 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, small seconds |
| Availability | UAE (February 2023) / Worldwide (April 2023) |
| Price | A$11,100 / US$7,450 |