Original price was: £5,050.00.£4,750.00Current price is: £4,750.00.
In stock
The IWC Portofino Hand-Wound Eight Days represents the pinnacle of understated elegance within the renowned Portofino collection. For over three decades, the Portofino line has captured the relaxed Mediterranean lifestyle through its classic design language and exceptional craftsmanship, embodying the principle that true luxury lies in understated refinement rather than ostentation.
Presented on a handcrafted brown alligator leather strap by prestigious Italian manufacturer Santoni, this generous 45mm stainless steel masterpiece showcases an elegant silver dial with graceful feuille hands and Roman numerals. The combination of traditional hand-winding charm with the practical advantage of an impressive eight-day power reserve creates a timepiece that celebrates the ritual of manual winding while providing exceptional convenience for modern life.
Condition: Excellent pre-owned condition
Includes: Full box set
Original Warranty: Dated 2017
Shipping: Free UK delivery
The Portofino collection has established itself as one of IWC Schaffhausen’s most successful and enduring families since its introduction in the 1980s, appealing to connoisseurs who value classical design principles and technical excellence. Named after the picturesque Italian fishing village that became a favourite retreat for the international jet set, the collection was conceived as a return to classical simplicity during an era of increasingly complex timepieces.
This Hand-Wound Eight Days model exemplifies IWC’s philosophy of creating timepieces that combine traditional watchmaking virtues with practical innovations, resulting in a watch that celebrates both the emotional connection of manual winding and the convenience of extended power reserve. The design embodies the relaxed Mediterranean lifestyle through its understated elegance, proving that true luxury lies in refined restraint rather than ostentation, a philosophy that has allowed the collection to remain relevant and highly desirable for over three decades.
The eight-day (192-hour) power reserve represents an extraordinary engineering achievement in mechanical watchmaking, requiring sophisticated mainspring barrel design and highly efficient gear train engineering to store and deliver energy over such an extended period. This remarkable autonomy means the watch requires winding just once per week, combining the emotional connection and traditional ritual of a hand-wound movement with exceptional practical convenience for modern lifestyles.
The dedicated power reserve indicator at 9 o’clock provides constant visual feedback about remaining energy, ensuring the wearer can monitor the watch’s status and plan winding accordingly. This feature eliminates the common concern with hand-wound watches about unexpected stopping due to power depletion. The extended power reserve also demonstrates the movement’s exceptional efficiency and sophisticated engineering, as achieving such longevity while maintaining accuracy requires precise calibration of every component in the gear train and escapement system.
Santoni represents one of Italy’s most prestigious leather goods manufacturers, renowned throughout the luxury industry for their exceptional craftsmanship and distinctive patinated finishes that have made them the preferred choice for discerning collectors and luxury brands. Each strap is meticulously handcrafted using traditional Italian techniques passed down through generations, with the leather receiving a special patination treatment that creates subtle gradations of colour with rich depth and character unique to each piece.
This artisanal approach perfectly complements the Portofino’s Mediterranean-inspired elegance, as both the watch and strap represent the finest traditions of their respective crafts—Swiss horological excellence and Italian leather artistry. The Santoni strap transforms the wearing experience from merely functional to genuinely luxurious, with the distinctive patina developing character over time to create a truly personal accessory. This collaboration demonstrates IWC’s commitment to sourcing the finest components from specialised artisans, ensuring every aspect of the timepiece meets the highest standards of luxury craftsmanship.
The Calibre 59210 represents IWC’s mastery in creating sophisticated manual-wind movements that balance traditional watchmaking artistry with modern engineering precision. The movement’s architecture centres around achieving the remarkable eight-day power reserve through an innovative mainspring barrel system and highly efficient gear train that minimises energy loss while maintaining consistent amplitude throughout the power delivery cycle.
The indexless balance with four gold adjustment screws enables precise regulation and enhanced long-term stability compared to traditional regulator systems, while the 28,800 vibrations per hour frequency provides optimal balance between accuracy and power consumption. The beautiful Côtes de Genève decoration adorning the movement surfaces demonstrates IWC’s commitment to aesthetic excellence alongside technical performance, creating a calibre that satisfies both visual appreciation and functional excellence. The 215 components work in perfect harmony to deliver not just extended power reserve but also the refined hand-winding experience that makes manual movements so engaging for enthusiasts.
Despite its substantial 45mm diameter, the Portofino Hand-Wound Eight Days features thoughtful proportional design that ensures comfortable wearability for extended periods. The relatively slim 11.7mm profile prevents the watch from appearing overly bulky or catching on clothing, while the classical round case with elegantly proportioned lugs is designed to follow wrist contours naturally rather than sitting rigidly on top of the wrist.
The lightweight stainless steel construction prevents fatigue during extended wear, while the generous case size provides exceptional dial legibility and creates an impressive canvas for the beautifully balanced design elements. The size also allows for optimal placement of the subsidiary dials, power reserve at 9 o’clock and small seconds at 6 o’clock, without creating visual crowding. For a dress watch, the substantial presence commands appropriate respect while the refined finishing and classical proportions ensure it remains elegant rather than ostentatious, proving that larger watches can indeed be appropriate for formal contexts when properly executed.
Introduced in the 1980s, the Portofino collection emerged during a pivotal period in luxury watchmaking when the industry was recovering from the quartz crisis and rediscovering the appeal of mechanical timepieces. The collection was conceived as a deliberate return to classical simplicity and understated elegance, countering the trend toward increasingly complex watches with complications that often prioritised technical showmanship over timeless design principles.
Named after the picturesque Italian fishing village that became synonymous with effortless sophistication among the international elite, the Portofino embodied a design philosophy that true luxury lies in refined restraint rather than ostentation. This approach proved remarkably prescient, as the collection’s emphasis on classical proportions, clean dial layouts, and understated elegance has allowed it to remain relevant and highly desirable for over three decades. The collection’s enduring success demonstrates that genuine design excellence transcends temporary trends, establishing the Portofino as a benchmark for how luxury watches can achieve both contemporary relevance and timeless appeal.
The ritual of manually winding a watch creates a unique and intimate connection between the wearer and their timepiece that automatic movements cannot replicate, fostering an appreciation for the mechanical artistry within while providing a moment of mindfulness in our increasingly digital world. Each winding session becomes a tactile experience where the wearer can feel the mainspring’s tension building and sense the stored energy that will power the intricate mechanical dance of wheels, pinions, and escapement.
The substantial eight-day power reserve of this Portofino Hand-Wound model transforms this engagement from a daily necessity into a weekly pleasure, striking the perfect balance between traditional watchmaking ritual and modern convenience. This extended autonomy allows the owner to choose when to engage with their timepiece, making the winding process a deliberate act of appreciation rather than an obligation. The power reserve indicator adds an element of anticipation and planning, while the exhibition caseback reveals the results of the winding ritual in the movement’s visible operation, creating a complete sensory experience that connects the wearer to centuries of horological tradition.
For any purchases online, we offer a 14 day refund as long as they are returned exactly as sold. Any purchases in person are final.
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