Just over two months before the spring festival, more commonly known in the West as “Chinese New Year”, IWC presents the new IWC Portugieser Chinese New Year Automatic 40 Edition.
The Chinese New Year, which begins on January 22, 2023 and ends on February 9, 2024, will be the year of the Water Rabbit. Created with the aim of celebrating this important event, the new IWC features several details that pay homage to the new year. Featuring a “minimal” design, typical of IWC’s Portugieser collection, this watch is characterized by an extremely elegant character thanks to its size and leather strap.
But what are the characteristics of the new Portugieser Automatic 40 Edition “Chinese New Year”?
New IWC Portugieser Automatic 40 Edition “Chinese New Year“
Heir to a now consolidated tradition between IWC and the most important event of the whole year in China, this new Portugieser encloses the clean and clear design of the first Portugieser of 1939. The 40.4 mm steel case represents perfect wearability. At first glance, the burgundy dial completed by a pleasant contrast of the golden hands and numbers is extremely beautiful.
The choice of burgundy was not at all casual as it is a variant of the typical bright red usually used to welcome the new year in China. It represents longevity, happiness, luck and success, essential elements a good start to the year. Protected by sapphire crystal, the dial features a dedicated seconds counter at 6 o’clock, a detail I really appreciate on an elegant and classic watch like this. Turning the watch over we can see, through the sapphire crystal caseback, the in-house caliber 82200 with a detail that surprised me and made me smile at first sight: the rabbit-shaped winding rotor.
Unlike a traditional oscillating weight, we find a gold-plated rotor in the shape of a rabbit, an element that recalls the celebration of the Chinese New Year of the Water Rabbit. This detail recalls the luckiest of the twelve animals that appear in the zodiac, and is completely spot on. It is pleasant and fun without overshadowing the elegance of the watch and the details of the visible movement.
With a power reserve of 60 hours, this manufacture movement housed in a 12.4 mm thick case features the Pellaton automatic winding system.
Two further details that distinguish the new Portugieser “Chinese New Year” are the engravings on the edge of the caseback. In the upper part we can observe the engraving “2023 YEAR OF THE RABBIT” and, in the lower part, the number of the clock of the total 500 that will be made.
Price and availability
Sold together with two calfskin straps, one black and the other burgundy, the new Portugieser “Chinese New Year” will be available at the IWC Tmall Flagship Store, in IWC WeBoutique, in IWC boutiques, at selected retailing partners and online at IWC.com
List price is USD 8’450.
To learn more about IWC visit ther official website, also don’t forget to check out our section dedicated to the Brand.
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