SIHH is the time and place for the Collectors’ to have their first exposure to the 2018 IWC Collection, referred to as the Jubilee Collection. The 2018/2019 Catalog introduces the lineup as follows:
“We are proud to be celebrating the company’s 150th anniversary with a special Jubilee Collection. It comprises 27 limited edition models from the Portugieser, Portofino, DaVinci, and Pilot’s Watch families. For the first time ever, we have also integrated the digital display for the hours and minuets—as it first appeared in the 1864 Pallweber pocket watches-in a wristwatch.”
The catalog breaks a tradition as well. It is dark blue instead of the historic white book.
I chased after some autographs for my copy…the highlight is one from Kurt Klaus. I have several of these over the years.
Our first glimpse of the new models is in the display windows of the booth. It was a couple of days before we could touch and feel them. The following are iPhone snapshots of the models in the display windows.
The Da Vinci Automatic Edition 150 Years, all are a LE of 500 pieces, c. 82200, 40 mm case.
Reference 358102, in SS, (looks gold in picture only), blue dial.
Reference 358103 is in Red Gold
Reference 358101 in SS with white dial
The Da Vinci line includes an Automatic Moon Phase 36 Edition 150 Years. It is LE of 50 each in White Gold or Rose Gold, 36 mm case with Santoni strap.
I dare not show either of these to my wife.
Next up in the window parade are the BP Big date Edition 150 Years models. The SS models come in a white or blue dial with a LE of 100 each, C 59000, 46.2 mm case.
Reference IW 510504
Reference IW 510503
I love my 5002 so much that even those is a winner I will stick with my small date with central seconds.
Next up is the BP Annual Calendar Edition 150 Years.
Reference IW 502708, in SS with blue dial. LE of 100 pieces, c. 52850
IW 510504, white dial Annual Calendar, but I am missing that photo.
Following this stunning piece is the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Edition 150 Years.
Reference 377725 in SS, white dial, LE of 1,000 pieces, 43 mm case.
The star of the show with the big WOW! factor is the IWC Tribute to Pallweber Edition 150 Years. It comes in Platinum (25 pieces), Red Gold (250 pieces), and SS (500 pieces). C 94200/94000 family, 45 mm case.
Reference IW 505002 RG
Reference IW 505003, SS
There is a special Tribute to Pallweber Pocket Watch too, but it did not make the catalog. Only two pieces have been made. I’m not sure how many will be manufactured.
The most attractive and stunning pieces to me are in the Portugieser line.
The Portugieser Hand-Wound Eight Days Edition 150 Years in RG (250 pieces) and SS (1,000 pieces), c 59000, 43 mm case. Both are white dial.
Reference IW 510211 (RG)
Yikes, this is a beauty. The Portugieser Perpetual Calendar Edition 150 Years. LE of 250 pieces in RG, c. 52615/52000 family, 44.2 mm case
Reference IW 503405
This one is really out of my league. Divorce would be immanent, if I were even to suggest looking seriously at it.
Portugieser Perpetual Calendar Tourbillon Edition 150 Years.
LE of 50 in RG. 45 mm case, c 51000 family.
Next up in divorce court is the Portugieser Constant Force Tourbillon Edition 150 Years.
LE of 15 pieces in white or blue dial. Case is 46 mm in PT, c. 94000 family. Movement is hand-wound.
Back to reality and a big favorite for me, the Portugieser Chronograph.
This comes in either a white or blue dial with a LE of 2,000 each. White is mine, if…. Case is 41 mm, c. 69000 family.
The Portofino line is stunning as well.
First up is the Portofino Hand-Wound Moon Phase Edition 150 Years.
LE of 150 in RG and 350 in either white or blue dial SS case.
Reference IW 516406
Reference 51407
There is a Portofino Chronograph Edition as well
LE of 2,000 pieces in SS each in white or blue dial, case size 42 mm.
Refernence 39102 blue dial, 391024 white dial.
Lastly, the Portofino Automatic Editon 150 Years.
LE of 2,000 watches each in blue or white dial, SS case, 40 mm,
Reference 356518 blue dial and 356519 white dial.
In the Collectors’ Day touch and feel session, the line up and price points in CHF were provided on slides.
We all gathered together on Wednesday for the Collectors’ Day as noted. We were urshered into a room with poker table like, stand up tables where the new models were brought out and we could touch and feel as the carousel brought each reference to us.
My iPhone pictures of the models are limited. I’m sure others will have better close-ups and wrist shots. Here are a few with no comment or sequence. Forgive any duplicates, I can’t sort the codes easily for repeats.
My favorite, the white dial Portugieser Chronograph
A close runner-up favorite the Portugieser Hand-Wound 8 Day.
At various other times together will had table shots of our heavy metal or just share watches at meals. Here is a sampling of those watches.
Our small group dinner on the last day.
The Collectors’ Day dinner in Les Aviateurs:
A new addition for Andrew Thomas revealed in the Geneva BTQ:
A big camera pan of the Collectors’ Night Dinner. Pardon the overlaps.
Other miscellaneous pictures:
Ohhh! Bronze BP
BP at lunch.
This concludes Part III.
In closing, I once again, on behalf all of us thank, IWC for their graciousness to us all week long. It was a fantastic experience with great people and IWC watches. Special thanks go to Chris Grainer, who sets the tone for the whole experience, to Clizia Carpecchi who orchestrated the agenda, to Dominic Weir, Stefan Ihnen, Walter Volpers, Herr, Klaus, Tonny Berteloot, and many more who made the week so special. I look forward to the next time we can get together, whether in Geneva, Schaffhausen, or elsewhere to greet old and new members of the group as we share our passion.
Links to Part I and Part II:
