a little bling...

I suddenly think that it could be a great wedding watch. And after that? I'm afraid here in Europe it is a bit difficult.

Kind regards,
Paul

Rhymes with Shing...

I would classify this as a Lady's Watch.

I have seen it before. I sincerely hope that IWC doesn't over-do these... every time I see a Rolex with all those "precious gems" on it, I cringe!

Shing, I think it is an attempt for IWC to please all those rich Mainland Chinese... I hope IWC will continue with its understatedness...

Not my cup of tea! Wife thinks it's way over the top.
Kevin

LOl. its a circa 2007, 3714442,43,44, as stated in the IWC Workbooks. Total carat size and other details not revealed.

Yes Kelvin you are right. But that having been said, the Portuguese Chrono is in my opinion one of the more recent series to be given many dial / strap / metal combinations: Boris Becker, rattrapante, Laureus, Asian edition etc.

My trawls around the HK watch market tells me that this "aftermarket" addition of diamonds poses a equally serious opportunity for buyers, and problem for serious collectors. I have not yet come across an IWC one, but other brands with both the diamond and non-diamond versions have had aftermarket diamonds added to them, and offered at tempting prices. I highly doubt IWC will service watches with aftermarket diamonds added to them, and these dealers admit openly 'official' servicing would be an issue. But what follows and said with open palms in the air is ..."but many people don't care".

Besides the Portuguese, I think I have seen Da Vinci with diamonds on them. Thankfully, the IWC's with diamonds are still gracefully done... but please... don't tell me they plan to add diamonds to the Pilot and Ingenieur series... my stomach may not be strong enough to deal with the sight. :-P

Russian Market surely might be interested. LOL!
I can even see such things in certain hotspots in Europe. The blingiest watch I ever say was on a bracelet of six section and the watch matched the bracelet to make the seventh section but the top diamond flipped up to reveal the watch face. It was a ladies cocktail watch and I saw the original receipt dated 1930 and it cost 10000 guineas. (Guinea equals £1.05) Strangely it was more a work of art than a piece of bling. No name on the dial so actual origin unknown as it was never opened in my presence. The lady who owned it was refined and you needed to know correct etiquette.

I applaud IWC targeting the market for women's watches, it is a market segment that they can ill afford to ignore, and a significant gap in there product line.

They have produced many women's watches in the past, including sections that flip up (probably two dozen reference numbers) both with and without diamonds or other gems.

Cheers from the cellar

I agree that IWC should not ignore their female audience.

In fact, I think the new Da Vinci automatic with their special-colored straps, and a special edition of Portugese Chronograph with a violet-colored strap appeal to female buyers very much. Not to mention the current Portofino line. If only they could continue to produce a small-ingenieur for women... (on second thought, perhaps women now like to wear watches with big dial also?)

Sorry, but I still find the Portuguese Chrono with diamonds (as posted by Shing) is a too excessive. Maybe I'm just too conservative.

Thanks for pointing this out Cellar, and for the pics.

An extended women's line beyond what IWC currently has would be very interesting. I would be at a loss though what would capture a lady's watch imagination, because given current trends of the broader segment of the market (I am not talking about serious lady collectors here), the underlying themes I would see it would be, if I may generalize a bit:

a) I find taste & fashion tends to change more with the female mind, as opposed to men's enduring pilot / dive watch series. then again, diamonds and jewellery adorned watches may consistently work too. classic vintage looks perhaps too.

b) as kelvin mentioned, I have had dealers remark to me about the current "broad trends" towards women being able to carry off men's watches - either the smaller sized ones, or the usual sized ones as they are appear comfortable with an over-sized piece dangling from their arms

c) the need for complications? where my own missus is concerned, a watch is hardly ever used to tell time.

just my generalizations here. lady forumers, please feel free to flame me :)

Its a bit too much for my taste. I've handled the white gold version and I like that one more. It is a great womens watch with diamonds in my opinion.

I think this is more a men's watch than a women's watch. The brown croc strap is kind of a give away. You don't make a women's watch by taking a men's watch and add some stones. In the IWC catalogue of 1988 there are several men's watches with added stones, like the 8153 and the 9253 Da Vinci Perpetual Calendar, and the 9260 and the 9263 Ingenieur Perpetual Calendar. Maybe Europe was a bit more into these kind of watches for men in the upper segment, I at least was not surprised to see them. In those days we thought these watches were for the sheikhs.

A few months ago I gave a presentation on watches for a group of about 15 women. Very nice, I collected more than 100 pictures, both men's watches and women's watches. I just found out that the specialists like Cartier and Piaget make special series quite independent from the men's watches, thus not only a mid size Inge or a Da Vinci Automatic with stones: I guess most women would like just a bit more than that.

Kind regards,
Paul

In a recent WATCH Mr Kern emphasizes that IWC makes watches for men but there is a considerable amount of ladies that do buy IWC's men watches. This is completely normal today and I only wish that IWC also made watches specifically for women. My girlfriend has a ladies Mark XII and likes the small pilots and she would be first in the queue for an IWC ladies aquatimer if not too bulky.

The "made for men" Da Vinci "pink watches" with diamonds (and variations) from 2009 is a ridicule of the statement above of course. I wonder if they sold out ?

well...

what do you guys think of this Da Vinci?

(photo borrowed)

I probably wouldn't wear it. Pink doesn't really complement the rest of my wardrobe (with the exception of a couple of dress shirts) or my complexion!

now that ... is definitelya ladies watch.

I did my best to delete all copies of that photo in my files.
Not one of IWC's finer moments IMHO.

But like many I do feel that there is an untapped market waiting out there for the right ladies models.