The Portofino has been a stalwart model for IWC since in 1984, its pocket watch-inspired case a decidedly more dressy deviation from IWC’s mostly tool-oriented lineup. Now for 2018, the brand is adding two new references to the model range that come with small modern design tweaks. One of the pieces gets a new slate gray dial and a gray suede strap, while the second model gets a metallic blue dial paired with a Milanese mesh strap. Both dial color options are becoming increasingly more common in watchmaking as brands try to deviate from typical black and white dials, while the two strap options have become enthusiast favorites on the aftermarket. Combining them in a watch like this just makes sense, and makes the somewhat-stuffy pocket watch inspiration feel a lot more modern and in line with current enthusiast tastes.
The rest of the watch is typical Portofino, which means it has a big 45mm case and a hand-winding movement with a power reserve good for a massive eight days (that’s very clearly visible through a massive transparent case back). The inclusion of a power reserve gauge on the dial is a nice touch, letting the wearer know when its time to wind up again. Both models are available online; the gray dial variant will retail for $9,700 and the blue dial will go for $10,700.
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