This report watch largely based on two Collectors articles I have previously written for watch blog Monochrome Watches.
Ladies and gents,It’s here. My ultimate IWC grail watch. It so much better than I could have ever dreamed of. It is the Portuguese Pisa reference 5441 07.
Buying a grail watch is a special moment. A moment of reflection and appreciation. For that reason I would like to reflect on my journey with IWC and ultimately where it lead me.
How it all started
“My interest for watches began at a quite young age. I used to go skiing with my family in Switzerland as a kid. Afterwards we always visited my uncle and aunt in Therwill ( a village near Basel ). I remember my uncle wearing an IWC watch in steel from the 1960’s. It was an automatic watch with of course a sweeping hand. It was the first time I noticed the hand floating over the dial so smoothly. That really sparked my interest in watches. I was twelve years old at the time.”
I have always stayed in touch with my aunt who occasionally send my newspaper articles , Swiss watch magazines and books. She really liked it that I had such a fascination for watches. In this way were sharing a passion and I could catch up on my German at the same time.
When I was fourteen, my dad had a surprise for me. When I came back from school I noticed that multiple clothes were missing. I asked my dad where they were and he said that I might want to look in the car. He had packed my suitcase and we were going on a surprise trip to Switzerland! We also went to visit the IWC museum. This was the first time I went there and I loved it. Afterwards we tried on some watches in the boutique. I love(ed) the mark 16 spitfire. I have been to Switserland and to Schaffhausen multiple times.
After out trip to IWC and the Rheinfall we also went to the International Watch and Clock museum in La Chaux de Fonds. This was an idea from my aunt. A must see for every watch geek.
In the years following up, I did a lot of travelling. Often alone. I went alone for two weeks to Switzerland when I just turned 15 just to meet watch lovers and see watches and museums. Before I was 18, I had been to most major European cities to catch up with fellow watch lovers.
My first Swiss mechanical watch
“My uncle had an IWC catalogue from 1999. When he passed away, my aunt gave it to me. I was curious about the modern timepieces IWC had in their collection, so I visited their website. At the time they just launched their Vintage Collection, which they did as a tribute for their 145th anniversary. They made a video which was named “ The book of dreams”. I actually fell in love with all the watches within that collection, but there was one watch that I considered to be really, really special. The Portofino in steel. I remember going to the jeweller and asking what the price was for that particular watch. The watch was priced a little bit above € 9,000 Euro. I was pretty sad as you can imagine. I had fallen in love with a watch that I could not afford. As soon as my interest for watches began, I started reading about watches. I read a lot of story’s on the internet and also purchased books relating to watches. After two years of doing this, people started to ask me to help them select a watch. They wanted independent advice. I felt greatly honoured and very pleased when it turned out that several people I had advised actually paid me for this service. After helping people of and on for a couple of years I had earned enough to finally purchase my first real Swiss mechanical watch. The IWC Portofino Vintage Collection 5448 in steel. This Portofino is a special watch for a number of reasons. First of all, it is a pretty big watch. The case size is 46mm. The case is this large, because of the movement. This watch contains the 98800 calibre, which is actually like an updated Jones calibre which was in use in the earliest years. Another thing that makes this watch special is that it is an updated version of the IWC Portofino 5251 from 1984. The original Portofino watch was nicknamed “ Spiegelei” (fried egg, ed.) because the moonphase was at 9’oclock, and the small seconds dial at 6’oclock. I really like this watch for its classical look and for having a stunning movement and a design that find its roots in a historical model, to which it really is very similar.”
I came to own the Ingenieur pretty soon after getting my Portofino. When I turned eighteen, my aunt, who knows I am a maniac when it comes to watches, wanted to give me something very special. Something that I would enjoy for a long period of time. At the time I was saving up for my next big purchase. I had set my mind on the Vintage Collection Ingenieur. She knew I was saving up for that watch and she decided to help me financially to get the watch. When I bought the watch, I got a great deal. I received some discount and I was also able to visit the factory in Schaffhausen. It was of course an amazing experience. You really should buy an IWC, just to visit the factory. When you really get to see with your own eyes with how much passion and precision these watches are manufactured, you are truly able to understand that watchmaking is a very special art and not just a job. It was a privilege to witness. What stood out for me about the Ingenieur watch is that it is a very, very nice classical looking watch. However, it is a little bit to thick and too large to be considered a dress watch. At the same time, to me it is also not a true tool watch, although it is was designed as such. In my opinion it is too elegant and beautiful to be just a functional instrument. Also, since its origin was to be a tool watch for engineers, the design was gradually adjusted for the broader public. The tool watch design features give the Ingenieur a bit of a younger and more robust twist. For someone my age, a watch with all features of a dress watch is a little bit too formal to wear as an everyday watch. I switched out the regular black alligator strap for a nice Santoni strap. When you look at the watch now, it is clearly a very nice watch with a classical and timeless identity, while being robust and youthful. This adjustment makes this watch a perfect everyday watch. I wear the Ingenieur most of the week and sometimes also to special events, but I prefer my Portofino for special occasions, because it’s dressier. So for me the Ingenieur is neither a dress watch, nor a true tool watch. I like it for being something in between and think of it as a dressy everyday watch. It is pretty much the best of both worlds. I can appreciate that.”
The IWC community
I joined the forum about three years ago. In this three years, I have met a lot of you on the forum. Either during my first GTG in Ghent, Belgium. Or during SIHH which I attended twice (for which I am still extremely grateful), Basel world or the BBAMSGTG. Some of you I have met outside of these major events.I would have never gotten to where I am now with my love for IWC without the forum. I will make this short. I dearly appreciate you all as friends and collectors. It adds a new dimension to the affection you have with your timepiece. I dimension that can’t be bought. The dimension of friendship.
Something I have become known for on the forum is my series called “ The Feminine Touch”. Here are some examples.
The final page for now.
After all I have told you previously, to story ends now at this point. The point where I got my grail IWC. I will of course continue to collect IWC watches. I have actually already set my aim at a certain watch hahaha. Ahhhhh collecting. Do we ever have “enough” watches??Again I would like to thank the true hero’s Mark, Tonny and the awesome gent who was willing to sell me his watch.
Enough talking. Pictures of the new watch please Koen!
Here they are! Have a great day and love you all!
