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IWC.
There is hardly anyone for whom these three letters mean nothing. The brand, established in 1868 by the American engineer and watchmaker Florentine Ariosto Jones in Switzerland with the aim of producing high-quality watches for the American market, was acquired in 1880 by the Rauschenbach family and remained in the hands of four generations of the family until 1955. This is the brand that began producing wristwatches as early as the late 19th century, the undisputed founder of the so-called "pilot's watches," the first to use titanium for the cases of its chronographs, and the creator of unique works of watchmaking art such as the IWC Portuguese collection and IWC Ingenieur collection series.

The birth of the "Portuguese"
Undoubtedly, in the 15th and 16th centuries, Portugal was one of the cradles of sea travelers and explorers – the names of Vasco da Gama, Ferdinand Magellan, and Bartolomeu Dias are permanently inscribed in history. Thanks to their perseverance and spirit of discovery, many of the new lands came into contact with the benefits of civilization (for better or for worse). In those times, even the boldest dreamers could not have imagined a device with the functions of a GPS, and relatively accurate maps were more of an exception. Sailors relied on knowledge, experience, and intuition, using the position of the stars and instruments such as the astrolabe, sextant, and later – the first marine chronometers.

All this continued until the moment when two Portuguese businessmen visited the IWC manufacture to order a special chronometer. Their desire was for a large and cumbersome instrument to be transformed into a wristwatch, while preserving the accuracy of a chronometer. Thus, the first improvised "Portugieser" appeared in 1939, as did its name. With its case of 43 mm, enormous for its time, a clean dial, and a pocket watch movement, it provoked mixed reactions, but most importantly – it marked the beginning of one of the most recognizable watch collections in the world.

Today, the Portuguese line includes 13 models – from the simplest with manual winding (closest to the original), through the 7-day automatic (we have the pleasure of owning one), perpetual calendar, tourbillon, and minute repeater, to the most complicated timepiece in the brand's history – the IWC Siderale Scafusia.

Of course, there are also several chronographs – and we want to focus on the most popular model in the company's entire portfolio.

IWC Portugieser Chronograph Rose Gold IW371482

The original chronograph in the series is a direct successor to the classic model and is the most popular contemporary model from IWC. With its clean and restrained design, a very clear, almost minimalist dial without a date indicator, a moderate case size (40.9 mm), the time-tested Valjoux 7750 movement, and a reasonable price (compared to its direct competitors), it proved to be the golden recipe for success. This watch has repeatedly appeared on the big screen – Jamie Foxx wears a model 3714 with a "panda dial" in Miami Vice, and the iconic Frank Underwood (played by Kevin Spacey) has the silver version in House of Cards. Today's offering, however, is even more special – not least because this is the version with an 18-carat rose gold case.

We cannot remain indifferent to this timepiece – the simplicity of the design, combined with elegance, and the at-first-glance compact size create a completely different feeling in person, thanks to the almost non-existent bezel. The gold hands and hour markers lend a pronounced aristocracy and harmoniously complete the combination with the gold case. As for wearing comfort – this is undoubtedly one of the timepieces that could compete for the top spots in such a ranking. With a thickness of just 12.3 mm, the case sits exceptionally elegantly on the wrist and becomes the perfect complement to a fine wool suit (at least 160 S), and why not a tuxedo.

The model is the most expensive of all 3714 modifications and is among the most sought-after and desired by collectors and enthusiasts.