IWC Portugieser Perpetual Calendar Tourbillon

Blue dial
Blue alligator leather strap by Santoni Strap width 22.0 mm
Portugieser Perpetual Calendar Tourbillon
With the perpetual calendar and the tourbillon, the Portugieser Perpetual Calendar Tourbillon combines two Haute Horlogerie complications on its dial. The tourbillon is one of the most fascinating achievements in the art of watchmaking. The balance is placed in a small cage that revolves around its own axis. Apart from creating a visual spectacle on the dial, the constant rotation also reduces the influence of gravity on the oscillating system, contributing to an even more precise rate. The tourbillon is constructed from 82 individual parts and weighs only 0.635 grams. In order to make the tourbillon visible at 12 o’clock, the calendar module’s switching ring had to be opened, and the moon phase was integrated into the month display at 6 o’clock. The perpetual calendar displays the date, day of the week, month and moon phase. It recognizes the different lengths of the months and automatically adds a leap day at the end of February every four years. Thanks to a special reduction gear, the moon phase is displayed so accurately that it will only deviate by one day every 577.5 years. Both complications are driven by the IWC-manufactured 51950 caliber. With an 18-carat gold rotor, the Pellaton automatic winding system reliably builds up a power reserve of seven days. This horological masterpiece is housed in a platinum case with a diameter of 45 millimeters and features a blue dial. The watch is fitted with a blue alligator leather strap from Italian leather artisan Santoni.
Perpetual calendar | IWC Schaffhausen
In the early 1980s, IWC’s head-watchmaker Kurt Klaus set out on an engineering journey to translate the Gregorian calendar with its many irregularities into a mechanical program for a wristwatch. His ingenious perpetual calendar, which debuted in the Da Vinci Perpetual Calendar in 1985, comprises only about 80 parts and displays the date, day, month, year in four digits, and the moon phase. The smart mechanical program automatically recognises the different length of the months, and even adds a leap day at the end of February every four years. The moon phase display is so precise that it will deviate from the actual phase of the moon by just one day after 577.5 years. All displays are perfectly synchronised and can be adjusted simply by turning the crown. Some models come with an additional century slide, so the watch can continue showing the date until 2499. The calendar only needs a small adjustment in those centurial years that skip the leap year, which is the case in 2100, 2200, and 2300. Some versions of the calendar feature a double moon phase display, showing the moon phase on the northern and southern hemispheres.
Tourbillon Mystere | IWC Schaffhausen
With its almost magical appearance, the Tourbillon Mystere, also known as the “flying tourbillon”, attracts inquisitive glances. Rather than being housed in a cage, the escapement is mounted and turns on a bearing on one side only. It is set against a deep black background, creating the illusion that the complex mechanism is floating in the dial. The tourbillon rotates around its own axis once every 60 seconds to counteract the pull of gravity on any disequilibrium in the balance wheel that would adversely affect the watch’s rate and accuracy.
Features:
Rotor in 18-carat 5N gold
Pellaton automatic winding
Sapphire glass, arched-edge, antireflective coating on both sides
Power reserve display
Perpetual calendar with displays for the date, day, month, year in four digits and perpetual moon phase
Flying minute tourbillon
7 days power reserve
Limited to 50 pieces
Case
Platinum case
Diameter
45.0 mm
Height
15.2 mm
Back case
See-through sapphire glass back
Water resistance
3.0 bar
Calibre
IWC 51950 Calibre
Movement type
Automatic winding, IWC-manufactured movement
Power Reserve Indicator
168 hours
Frequency
19’800 VPH (2.75 Hz)
Components
447
Jewels
54