SIHH 2010: IWC Portuguese Tourbillon Manual-Wind (Ref. IW5447)

This one is going to be huge, both in terms of its recommended price and popularity among the collectors and well-funded enthusiasts. Available with the beautifully decorated Calibre 98900 manufacture manual-wind movement, this one is the ultimate dress watch.

Sporting the famous flying minute tourbillon complication, this variation of the almost century-old pocket watch movement gets even more accurate with its frequency increased from 18,000 to more appealing 28,800 vph.

The movement’s balance spring stores enough power to make it tick for as long as 54 hours.

Like it is the case with a great number of other tourbillon watches, its black dial with applied Arabic numerals looks grossly unbalanced with all the visual “weight” concentrated between 6 o’clock and 9 o’clock positions. Unfortunately, the “F. A. Jones” facsimile at 3 o’clock does little to resolve the matter.

The IWC Portuguese Tourbillon Hand-Wound (Ref. IW5447) watch’s production run is limited at 500 pieces.

Photos: IWC

IWC Portuguese Tourbillon Hand-Wound Ref. IW5447 watch specification

Price range: N/A
Movement: Caliber 98900, hand-wound, 21 jewels, 28,800 vph
Complications: Flying tourbillon
Power reserve: 54 hours
Case material: Red gold
Bezel material: Red gold
Case shape: Round
Transparent case back: Yes, sapphire glass
Case size: 43.1 mm
Case height: 11.0 mm
Dial: Black
Hands: Red gold
Strap: Black alligator leather strap, folding clasp in 18 ct red gold
Crystal: Sapphire